TAG: Validation

Building an Online Classroom Community: Top Strategies for Engaging Students on Zoom

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Last week, I was honored to lead a discussion with Yale University faculty on how to build an online classroom community.  The discussion was sponsored by Yale’s Poorvu Center for Teaching and Learning. The Center provides a host of resources to students and faculty.  When Yale had to convert its classes to online learning last spring, the Center was instrumental …

LOCAV: 5 Top Communication Skills for Today’s Musicians and Leaders

Effective communication is critical in all aspects of your creative, professional and personal lives: for creating powerful connections with your colleagues, friends and loved ones; for teaching; for getting your points across and being understood; for interacting with audiences, donors and supporters; and for heading off conflict. As a savvy music entrepreneur or arts leader, communication is an essential skill …

Conflict Management for Emotionally Intelligent Musicians: How to Run a Conflict Meeting

In my last post on how to prepare for a conflict meeting, we took a look at how the members of a string quartet could prepare for a brewing ensemble conflict stemming from a perception that one of the members of the quartet was not fully committed to the ensemble and was engaging in behaviors that undermined the rehearsal process, threatened …

Conflict Management for Musicians and Arts Leaders: 4 Tools to Diffuse Conflict and Build Stronger Relationships

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This week, I had the pleasure and privilege of working with the Fellows of Ensemble ACJW/The Academy, the preeminent teaching artist program and ensemble collective of young top-level musicians, on the fascinating topic of conflict management.   Conflict is inherent in the work of musicians and arts leaders who are passionate and have strong ideas about and high standards of excellence …

Emotional Intelligence for Musicians and Arts Leaders Part IV: 3 Communication Skills to Help Build Quality Relationships

In the course of your work as a musician or arts leader, you inevitably encounter conflict, challenges and other “slippery” situations.  How do you handle yourself and your relationships with all of the people with whom you deal?  Here is where the fourth emotional intelligence skill comes into play:  relationship management. Relationship management is the ability to create successful bonds …

Validation: A Great Way to Head Off Conflict and Preserve Your Relationships

This week, the topic of validation has come up a lot in my client sessions both in business and in personal contexts. Validation is an essential communication and relationship skill since it is one of the best ways around to avoid conflict. 

Validation looks like this.  Suppose you and your partner (be it a business or a romantic partner) are talking about a sensitive issue.  The two of you do not necessarily agree.  Yet, rather than fan the flames, you can open the other person up to further discussion by validating his feelings:

 

 “Well, based on your situation, no wonder you feel that way.  I would like to share my viewpoint.  Let’s brainstorm together on what we can do about this.”