I saw this on Calystra's Tips thread - what an amazing list. And boy do I have a long way to go Goal for Oct - become proficient at validating. How will I measure this? NG will want to open up and really talk more than he has done in the past.

Quote:

Tips on Validation:

*listen
*put aside all distractions while they are talking
*focus on them if you are in person
*let them know that you understand what they are saying by either "i understand" or repeating back what he said to you
*validate their feelings by saying things like "i understand why you might feel that way"
*don't criticize
*don't judge
*don't pressure or control
*don't use the word "but" at all!
*don't ever tell them their feelings are wrong
*always try to clearly understand what they are saying and don't make assumptions - ask if you don't understand
*don't be self-righteous
*don't be their parent
*don't blame
*don't react selfishly because of the way something makes you feel - it is your choice about how you choose to feel
*don't argue
*don't interrupt
*don't hog the conversation
*compliment them on things
*encourage them
*trust their decisions - don't question them.. their doing what they think is best
*be their #1 fan






A Liberal Allowance of Time