FAQ: What are Thinking Lab Master Classes?
What is a master class? A master class is a themed class in which a mentor works with a mentee to help him master a concept or skill, with an audience of other interested students. This format is often used for teaching musicians, speakers, and other performance artists in a group setting. It allows the group to learn from the mentoring of an individual. The less advanced students learn from both the mentor and the more advanced students. This is now the format of all of the Thinking Lab classes.
Will there be a handout? Homework? I don’t send out a handout for the master classes, but I do share my brief outline — a list of talking points — in the chat during class and in the podcast show notes. There is always homework for the class listed. Anyone who has the same issue is encouraged to do the homework before the class!
Who can listen to a master class? All current members of the Thinking Lab can attend a master class live. The recordings are then posted to the Thinking Lab Current Classes page and podcast so that all current members can hear them. They stay there for 2-3 months. In some cases, the recordings are added to a self-study course as a bonus recording. Then they are available to future Thinking Lab members, also.
What is the format of the TLab master classes? Master classes are 60-minute sessions divided into three 20-minute sections. In the first part, I (Jean) give an essentialized explanation of the issue, presenting the concepts and principles relevant to it. In the second section, I discuss with the mentee how to apply the theory to his or her particular situation. In the third section, I open the discussion up to other members with similar issues for questions and coaching. (This is not an open Q&A, it is for questions and discussions on the topic of the master class.)
Recent Master Classes
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Giving Constructive Criticism the Second Time Around, 4/22/2025
In this Master Class, I talk with a Thinking Lab member who produces and sells portfolio and project management software to C-suite executives at large corporations. He sometimes needs to give constructive criticism to team members, suppliers, and customers, in order to solve problems that get in the way of achieving their shared goals. Previous classes have addressed how to prepare for such a conversation and execute on it. But despite preparation, sometimes the other person gets defensive and there is no productive discussion. Or sometimes the other person seems to listen, but doesn't actually make any changes. What can you do then?
After reviewing some basics from previous classes, we discuss:
- The additional challenges you face in having multiple sessions of constructive criticism on the same topic
- The new information you gain from an unsuccessful feedback session — and how it can help you prepare for another round
- Your top mental priority going into a second round
Untangling Interconnected Social Problems, 4/15/2025
In this Master Class, I talk with a Thinking Lab member who is a retired technical project manager. She is extremely worried about some problems a young woman she knows well is having in her marriage. She wants to be more effective both in helping the woman and in managing her own emotions about the situation. She knows the husband, but is not as close to him as she is to the wife. Note that there are three people and three relationships, and she does not belong to one of the relationships. That is what makes this difficult.
In this class, we discuss:
- "Who owns the problem” — the need to distinguish one's own problems from the problems of others in the situation (and how you do that)
- How you can speak up about and find a "no-lose" solution to your problem
- How you can help another person find a "no-lose" solution to his or her problem
Pursuing a Challenging Discovery Goal by Yourself 3/18/2025
In this master class, we talk with a Thinking Lab member who has a very ambitious discovery goal and an original idea for how it can be pursued. He is working on this by himself, but he has trouble sustaining the momentum. Although he thinks he has the time for it, the uncertainty inherent in the project makes it hard to get started, and then the pulls from other people at home and work drag him away.
We discuss:
- How to identify short-term objectives and key results that can sustain such a discovery goal
- How to ensure every work session is intellectually rewarding
- The role of selfishness in addressing motivational problems
I expect this session to be helpful to everyone with a challenging goal they need to work on by themselves. I use other types of long-range goals (e.g., write a novel) as contrast in the discussion.
A Constructive Approach to Self-Criticism 3/11/2025
In this master class, I talk with a Thinking Lab member who is an expert software developer and debugger. He noticed that when he works on projects in which the next steps are not clearcut, self-criticism can seep in to undercut his motivation. Thoughts like "I should be smart enough to figure this out" or "This should be easier — I should be able to do this" can hit when the going gets tough. They activate a threat-oriented context. One possibility for addressing this problem is to learn additional tactics for quickly identifying better next steps. However, there will always be projects that stretch your skills for which getting into action sooner is more effective than taking time to identify better next steps. In these cases, you need to address the self-criticism directly. In this class, we discuss
- The benefit to you of self-critical thoughts
- Why it is hard to reject a mistaken self-critical thought without creating pressure
- Your secret weapon for defanging self-criticism
Thinking Labbers, these recordings are available on the Current Classes page.
Who chooses the topics and determines the schedule for the master classes? The mentees in the Thinking Lab Mentoring Program choose the topics and times for the master classes. 4-6 weeks in advance, we schedule the classes, usually on a Tuesday, at a mutually convenient time. (They can start as early as 11:00 a.m. ET and as late as 8:00 p.m. ET.) 8-14 days in advance, the mentee emails a potential topic. We discuss it by email, culminating in Jean writing up a description for the mentee’s approval. It is finalized about a week in advance and it is announced to the Thinking Lab.
How do I become a mentee? If you are not a Thinking Lab member, join the Thinking Lab member, and learn some of the basic tools. Once you’re a member, you can apply to upgrade to the Mentoring Level of membership. My capacity is limited, so I give preference to the more advanced students.
I’m a “mentee.” What do I need to know about setting up a master class for myself?
How to set a date: Email me (Jean) that you want to schedule — I’ll give you a list of open Tuesdays in the next 4-6 weeks. If you’re under deadline, or you can’t make Tuesdays, tell me. I may be able to make some Thursday times available. Ideally we’ll schedule the date about a month ahead. You get to choose the class time to accommodate your time Zone. The class can start as early as 11:00 a.m. Eastern or as late as 8:00 p.m. Eastern.
How to set the topic: 8-14 days before, email me with a proposed topic. Write at least a few paragraphs about the topic you want help with, or send me a page of “thinking on paper” on the issue. Please include 1-2 concrete examples.
I will email you back. I might request more information, but often I’ll send back a suggested description for the master class and suggested homework to do before it. Confirm whether or not I understood the issue and that the description and homework look helpful to you. If they are, we’re set, and I’ll send the information along to my assistants to announce the topic to the other Thinking Lab members. If not, we’ll iterate. You’ll clarify the topic, and I’ll send you a revised description.
How to prepare before class: Past mentees recommend that you:
- Do the homework beforehand and send it to Jean 24 hours in advance
- Read the talking points when they turn up. (I will email them when they are ready, sometime in the late morning or early afternoon on the day of class.)
- Pin my video while we’re talking so that you aren’t particularly aware of the other people listening.
- Be selfish, ask questions, be willing to be a little vulnerable so that you get the best mentoring possible.
- Listen to the other people’s similar situations and see how that clarifies yours.
Would you like to join me on the next Master Class? Read more about all of the benefits of the Thinking Lab here and about the Mentoring Level here.