The holidays are just around the corner, and for many of us, this could be the first time in almost two years or more that we’ll get to see some of our relatives and extended families. These reunions are, for the most part, joyful, but also, there can be some unpleasant tension due to communication challenges. So today, we decided to wear our professors' hats and offer some valuable academic content that we’re sure you will be able to relate to and put into practice to enjoy more harmonious, loving family gatherings!

Today, we talk about family communication patterns, more specifically, conforming versus conversation orientation. The key takeaway of this episode is to pay careful attention to how we communicate with our family, without judgment, simply looking at how we decide to interact, what we say, and how we say it, in order to avoid unnecessary conflict.

We teach you the three levels of confirming messages, exploring them, and highlighting their relevance. We also go through the seven types of disconfirming responses, analyze their impact, and offer some practical examples to help you avoid these triggers for defensiveness and disharmony.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• How to use conforming messages to engage with our family, and why it should be our first choice (7:45)
• The importance of recognizing our kids' individuality (11:02)
• Raising a speech & debate champion. How it was for Bridget to deal with her daughters who were natural debaters and what she learned from the experience (15:55)
• The three levels of conforming messages (19:28)
• Seven types of disconfirming messages we should always try to avoid (24:53)
• Controlling communication versus problem orientation. Understanding what kind of message is expected from us (36:01)
• Superiority versus equality. Nothing is better or worse than anything else (39:20)

Connect With Bridget Sampson:

• Website
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Connect With Todd Parker:

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Sampson Coaching and Consulting:

• Sampson Coaching and Consulting
• The Right Questions Podcast on YouTube
• Sampson Coaching and Consulting Videos on YouTube
• TED Talk
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