Unlock the secret to true and lasting change
‘A crash course in the most important skills for forging connection and fuelling change.’ ADAM GRANT
‘Profound, important, compassionate, Validation took my breath away.‘ AMY EDMONDSON
We all spend a huge amount of time trying to get people to listen to us, and despite our best efforts, we often fail. But what if the secret to influencing others was in first accepting them?
This is known as validation: the act of showing someone that you understand their experience and accept it as valid.
As both a means and an end, validation skills are proven to impact five key areas of our life: enhancing our relationships, de-escalating conflict, increasing our ability to drive behaviour change, influencing growth in others, and developing a stronger connection to self. In this groundbreaking book, Stanford University psychologist Caroline Fleck explains why validation is a catalyst for transformation, and shares her step-by-step framework to put this powerful skillset into practice.
‘A crash course in the most important skills for forging connection and fuelling change.’ ADAM GRANT
‘Profound, important, compassionate, Validation took my breath away.‘ AMY EDMONDSON
We all spend a huge amount of time trying to get people to listen to us, and despite our best efforts, we often fail. But what if the secret to influencing others was in first accepting them?
This is known as validation: the act of showing someone that you understand their experience and accept it as valid.
As both a means and an end, validation skills are proven to impact five key areas of our life: enhancing our relationships, de-escalating conflict, increasing our ability to drive behaviour change, influencing growth in others, and developing a stronger connection to self. In this groundbreaking book, Stanford University psychologist Caroline Fleck explains why validation is a catalyst for transformation, and shares her step-by-step framework to put this powerful skillset into practice.
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Reviews
Caroline has done an incredible job of researching and extending my mom's work on validation. Her brilliant new model provides a well-resourced, practical, and much-needed guide to help anyone excel at the art of validation.
Profound, important, compassionate, Validation took my breath away. I can't remember the last time I read a book as beautifully crafted and immediately useful. Author Caroline Fleck shares research-backed wisdom that can help you transform the most important relationships in your life-at work and at home.
The beauty of this book is that it sheds light on something that feels so simple, but in a distractible age, is becoming rarer. Dr. Caroline Fleck reminds us that being present, listening, suspending judgment, and really hearing someone is the greatest gift we can give or receive. Her insights have reach for parenting, the workplace, intimate relationships, and even in our passing conversations. There is such magic in validation, and Dr. Fleck shines a light on something that can enliven our sense of possibility and self.
Offering validation is a simple intention that can be frustratingly hard to do well-even after being a psychotherapist for more than twenty years. Caroline Fleck powerfully translates this core concept into a specific set of skills that you can start to apply immediately. I'm better equipped to validate others than I was before reading this book.
As an engineer, I appreciate when complex human dynamics can be broken down into practical, actionable steps. Dr. Fleck transforms abstract concepts into concrete tools that anyone can use to unlock seemingly impossible situations. It's like gaining access to a cheat code for human interaction-one that actually works. Whether you've got more of an engineering mindset that appreciates clear frameworks or someone simply looking to improve their relationships, this book delivers results while keeping you thoroughly entertained along the way.
Caroline Fleck's Validation is a masterclass in empathy and connection. Her blend of personal anecdotes and practical advice offers readers a roadmap to transforming their relationships and emotional well-being.
Warning: this book will make you a better parent, partner, colleague, and friend. Caroline Fleck is a brilliant therapist and a talented writer, and Validation is the rare read that has the potential to transform your interactions with others. It's a crash course in the most important and neglected relationship skills for forging connection and fuelling change.