Validation

In the workplace, validation is more important than affection.

I interview strongly qualified candidates about their illustrious careers.

I dig to find out about their real aspirations and desires for self actualization through work...

Too often, I find that People get caught up with the need to be liked or the need to like their peers, colleagues, leaders, staff. This gets in the way of good business and proper decision making. When people spend too much time managing around emotions, very little gets done. Suddenly, the most productive People are mired in useless meetings to make people feel good about decisions. Decision-making gets delayed, postponed, rescheduled...too much time being spent trying to make nice with People.

Generally, I think humans have trouble sorting out trust, respect & validation.

Awareness of communication styles and working preferences is the key to a better social structure in the context of work.

It's incumbent on leaders to determine who gets to make which types of decisions, who must weigh in, and who plays a supportive role on decisions.

I see this in our own growing organization of more than 230 great human beings.

I'll take the liberty here to state how I see it:

Trust comes from knowing that everyone on the team/partnership wants the same thing (to win).

Respect comes from knowing that everyone on the team/partnership brings something different (skills, styles, communication, preferences, etc) to the team.

Validation is the act of hearing and/or recognizing ideas, insights and/or suggestions regardless of an employees level. The simple act of hearing & recognizing the Truth, no matter who speaketh it is so important and yet can be very difficult for leaders.

Affection comes from an appreciation for the differences that People bring to a conversation and the human sensitivity that helps People reconcile their differing views in order to achieve that 'same thing' (to win).

It is possible to have very strong success with only trust and respect; these are the most important for working well together and are required for effective leadership.

Affection is not a requirement for good work or leadership. It is, however, what creates great teams and legendary leadership. This is the stuff of greatness.

Validation is the key to achieving it.

To achieve it requires understanding, self assessment, self awareness, active listening, and performance feedback.