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THE ARTISAN FALL 2024 • 3 Managing Editor Adam Brandy Contributing Writers Luisa Abel Kimberly Carlson Gloria Casny April Chaney Bryson Conley Alexei Dmitriew Angela Iannone Vanessa Blanchard Lee Patrick K. Madrigal Maria Sandoval Julie Socash Cristina Waltz Karen Westerfield Publisher IngleDodd Media Office Manager Kathy Sain Mailing List Manager Kathy Sain The Artisan is published quarterly by Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylists, I.A.T.S.E. Local 706, 828 No. Hollywood Way, Burbank, CA 91505 Phone (818) 295-3933 Fax (818) 295-3930 All editorial and photo submissions should be sent to email address: hllywdmkupartist@yahoo.com To update member information, email to: dispatch@ialocal706.org Advertising: IngleDodd Media (310) 207-4410 muahs@IngleDodd.com www.IngleDoddMedia.com Officers of I.A.T.S.E. Local 706 President Julie Socash Vice President Elena Arroy Recording Secretary Daniel Curet Secretary-Treasurer David Abbott Sergeant-at-Arms Sherrita Cole Business Representative Karen J. Westerfield Official Magazine of Hollywood Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylists. Published in the Interest of ALL the Members of Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylists I.A.T.S.E. Local 706 " Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening when you'd have preferred to talk." —Doug Larson Some people become leaders; others aspire to be leaders. Those who decide they want to be part of a team overwhelmingly want to work for leaders who possess great communication skills and treat each individual with respect and kindness. What some call "democratic leadership" also commonly known as participative leadership, is a technique which encourages participation from everyone, not just those in authority. It is a style that someone in a position of authority (i.e., department head of a production, business owner, union, or political leader) actively listens to the people they are working with and involve the "team" in the actual decision-making process. For any successful relationship or business partnership, the crucial component is to listen and communicate. A helpful technique for any person to succeed in business is to engage in what is known as active listening. Active listening can be broken down into several steps and used by anyone as a communication skill to help their group or team prosper. There are certain types of listening depending on the circumstances. They include appreciative, empathic, comprehensive, and critical. An appreciative listener is one who enjoys listening and this is shown by engaging others to tell you what they are thinking, what they are excited about, or what they have done and want to share. An empathic listener shows an ability to understand and share the feelings of another. There are times when people are visibly upset or angry and need a person they can speak to that will not sit in judgment but will listen and offer advice only when asked. Sometimes if one takes away their defensiveness, simply listens and does not debate or argue, it diffuses a situation that could become intolerable. It may also give the listener a new perspective. If you take away all preconceived opinions or bias and just listen and encourage the speaker to communicate how they want to resolve an issue or how they would like an issue to be handled, it can open up a new understanding as to what is needed to solve the problem. For example, if there is a member of your crew who is extremely upset because it seems another artist member gets to leave early every day and they never do, you can empathize and share how you wish to be able for everyone to go home early when needed. You can then let the artist member know you hear them and will try and find a solution. Next you may investigate and once you have all the facts, proceed to fix the issue. A comprehensive listener is one who is focused on understanding the message. What is the speaker communicating and why are they communicating it. You need to make sure to understand what they are conveying to you. For example, if an artist on your crew is telling you a story about how they went to get their actor ready, and the actor became upset because they were out of their favorite product. Try to understand why they are sharing FROM THE PRESIDENT this information and if need be, asking questions to make sure you comprehend what if anything they are asking you to do. Are they saying when supplies are ordered, they are insufficient? Are they just venting or explaining why the actor may make a complaint to you? Listening and asking questions when clarification is needed can turn a potential bad situation around when there is the opportunity to recognize and correct it early. Critical listening has at times been considered a barrier to understanding a person due to the speaker possibly misinterpreting responses or finding them to be impolite. However, it is an important form of listening that includes analysis, critical thinking, and judgment. There are times when it is crucial to be able to analyze a situation or critique someone in order to figure out how to fix a problem or move forward when parties are at a stalemate. Whether you are in charge or part of the working team, there will likely be some sort of problem or conflict which needs to be resolved and where honest feedback is essential when addressing the situation. This is especially true when working on the creative part of a production as a make-up artist or hair stylist. How you listen as a leader can also help de-escalate any conflicts. The most important thing you can do as an active listener is to pay attention and give the speaker your undivided attention. Additionally acknowledge what they are saying to you, so they are fully aware you are listening. Treat everyone as you would want to be treated. We all want to be heard and have people listen to us when we speak and not be busy formulating an answer while the other is still talking. If you are so busy trying to get out your point of view, usually you end up talking over each other and no one has a chance to really hear or comprehend what the other is trying to communicate. When it is warranted and asked for, that is the time you may provide feedback and respond in an appropriate manner. There are times when conflicts are more complicated and there is no easy solution. In these scenarios, it can be difficult for all involved. Before any big decision is made, it is always best to wait and have a cooling-off period. Whenever possible, defer any sort of immediate judgment even if that means telling the speaker you need to think about everything they have said, and you will get back to them. This is especially true when trying to de-escalate conflicts between two other parties. By giving a pause and coming back when everyone is calmer, shows you have taken what they have said seriously, are clear on the issues, and they know you have listened. After learning more about the importance of these communication skills, I will strive to become a more active listener and I hope this encourages others to do the same. Julie Socash | President