Karen Valencic is the Founder of Spiral Impact, where she blends physics and martial arts to manage conflict and enhance performance. With over 30 years of experience in the martial art Aikido, she created the Spiral Impact method, which guides people on mastering conflict, fostering positive engagement, and driving innovation. Karen is also the author of Spiral Impact: Black Belt Edition.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:
- [3:30] Karen Valencic shares her entrepreneurial path through martial arts
- [7:58] An alternative definition of conflict
- [11:59] How Aikido transformed Karen’s career and mindset
- [15:04] How to master conflict
- [26:28] The connection between Aikido and conflict resolution
- [30:42] Karen details her conflict mastery course
In this episode...
Conflict is often viewed as negative, especially by women who feel they lack positions of power to resolve conflict. However, conflict can foster innovation and growth when managed effectively. How can you shift your approach to leverage conflict to your benefit?
As a third-degree black belt in Aikido, Karen Valencic defines conflict as the tension between force and power. Recognizing this tension is the first step to mastering conflict since it allows you to develop emotional intelligence and mindfulness to solve problems. You must then determine where and how to focus your energy, which may involve asking questions to gain more information about the issue and foster a positive dialogue.
Tune in to this episode of the Lead Like a Woman Show as Andrea Heuston invites Karen Valencic, the Founder of Spiral Impact, to speak about mastering conflict in your personal and professional lives. Karen shares the connection between conflict resolution and Aikido techniques, how to join her conflict mastery course, and how Aikido altered her perspective.
Resources Mentioned in this episode:
- Andrea Heuston on LinkedIn
- Artitudes Women Owned Offer
- Artitudes Design
- Stronger on the Other Side: The Power to Choose by Andrea Heuston
- Karen Valencic: Website | LinkedIn | YouTube
- Spiral Impact: The Black Belt Edition The Power to Get It Done with Grace by Karen Valencic
- Conflict Mastery Course
- How Can I Help?: Stories and Reflections on Service by Ram Dass and Paul Gorman
- Mastery by Robert Greene
Quotable Moments:
- “Conflict doesn’t have to be an awful thing. Sometimes, it is just getting your voice heard or getting your ideas considered.”
- “We don’t evolve or innovate without conflict. It’s the source of all innovation and all beauty.”
- “Power is something that you own for yourself, and you can develop that.”
- “Recognize when you feel uncomfortable or anxious; that’s often where conflict starts.”
- “True mastery isn’t about perfection, but about trying, failing, and trying again.”
Action Steps:
- Recognize conflict early: Pay attention to the signs of tension in yourself and others to identify conflict early. This awareness allows you to address issues before they escalate, fostering a more harmonious environment.
- Practice centering techniques: Use centering techniques from martial arts like Aikido to maintain calmness and clarity during conflicts. This helps keep discussions productive and prevents reactive behaviors that can exacerbate tensions.
- Ask questions instead of making statements: Shift from making declarative statements to asking questions during a conflict. This approach opens up dialogue, encourages understanding, and shifts the focus from blame to problem-solving.
- Set clear intentions: Define what you want to achieve from a conflict without focusing on others’ actions. This clarity in intention guides the direction of the conversation and aligns efforts toward a constructive outcome.
- Embrace the Spiral Method: Use the Spiral Method to move with the conflict instead of against it, applying rotational power rather than force. This technique, inspired by Aikido, reduces resistance and creates momentum toward resolution and innovation.
Sponsor for this episode…
This episode is brought to you by Artitudes Design by Andrea Heuston. Artitudes Design is an award-winning creative agency that has been creating visual communication for Fortune 500 companies for over 25 years. They have worked with notable companies such as Microsoft, Starbucks, Expedia, and have also served startups and nonprofit organizations.
They specialize in connecting speakers with audiences by creating visual value with presentations and through the creation of motion graphics, video, and content.
To learn more about Artitudes Design, visit their website today. Checkout their portfolio to see their previous projects, and contact them today to find out how they can help you bring your business a cut above the rest.