Can't decide between a 4-5 the second time around with LifeLabs. I took the yapper lab.
It was a well structured class with a good foundation in cited research. Follow up again post class via email with a "lab report" summarizing main points of the class and suggested reading/resources for further learning.
The class was very interesting and had a good mix of presentation and active exercises. The short exercises were generally enjoyable (albeit unnatural at times) and effective in making the points they were intended to make. There are general guidelines provided that can be applied to different (conversational) situations.
The reason I can't decide on the rating is while the class was interesting and I learned a lot, I was left with some uncertainty. We had started off the class discussing the notion of "extraordinary" conversations and the diminishing amount of these conversations in current times and their importance for quality of life and relationships (very much inline with the mission of LifeLabs). And we moved on to what makes a good conversationalist and the skills of a good conversationalist, which provided the basis for the class. Yet the idea of a good conversationalist still seems murky to me as I think it depends on circumstances and situations, and they don't necessarily seem to mesh with the concept of extraordinary conversations in many instances (i.e. formal or first time meeting situations). Some key aspects such as listening and fulfilling the other person's "needs" may also seem to work for conversations to create likeability and rapport but leave me questioning sincerity and honesty, which would play into the basis of the fundamental aspects of true relationships. All said, the class had me thinking and has me interested enough to do more research and to practice the concepts in different situations to see how it goes.
* On a side note, I attended a leadership event following taking this lab and one of the panelists making comments on how they navigate social/networking events seemed to reinforce concepts from the lab with respect to asking creative "spark" questions for interesting conversations and building connections, which gives me further confidence that the concepts from the class do have real world applicability. read more