Suppose someone unfamiliar with Nonviolent Communication asks you about it. What might you say to that person (in 40 words or less) that you think might convey the essence of NVC and possibly inspire them to learn more about NVC?
Two experiences I had with Marshall may be helpful to you in crafting a response. The first was a recommendation he made during an IIT in 1996 that the less time we have available to make a presentation about NVC, the greater proportion of that time be allocated to hearing from the other person(s), and then responding to the needs we heard. The second was a brief introduction Marshall did for author Riane Eisler. He ended his remarks with a request (which I think was “What questions do you have about what I’ve said?”), leading to a fruitful dialogue in which she learned a lot about NVC. To me these examples illustrate how one might live the process while sharing it.
For our mutual learning—and possibly increasing our effectiveness in spreading NVC—I’d like to receive a number of responses from any of you willing to have them submitted in a followup article. Please send them to me.
Thanks,
Gary Baran, CNVC Certified Trainer, ORNCC Board Member