Marshall B. Rosenberg (1934–2015)

What is Nonviolent Communication?

Nonviolent Communication is the integration of four things:
• Consciousness: a set of principles that support living a life of compassion, collaboration, courage, and authenticity
• Language: understanding how words contribute to connection or distance
• Communication: knowing how to ask for what we want, how to hear others even in disagreement, and how to move toward solutions that work for all
• Means of influence: sharing “power with others” rather than using “power over others”
Nonviolent Communication serves our desire to do three things:
• Increase our ability to live with choice, meaning, and connection
• Connect empathically with self and others to have more satisfying relationships
• Sharing of resources so everyone is able to benefit.… (more)

This is not, despite its initial appearance, one of the countless useless self-help books. It is one of the few perspective-twisting gems that can impact your life. At least it did for me.

Personally, this book helped me end a difficult situation at work. For two years, I read everything I could find to learn to deal with a bullying superior with a borderline personality. I refused to resort to flatteries and other tricks to “please” the superior. This book taught me a new way to communicate. By articulating more clearly feelings and needs, I was able to restore a respectful relationship, without compromising my integrity.

On a different scale, but still personally, this book allowed me to express to my mother little things that were annoying me, but that I had been keeping inside for fear of hurting her feelings. This book taught me how and it worked.

By showing how to properly articulate feelings and needs, the author forces you to shift your perspective from labeling people and situations to focusing on the underlying needs of the people involved in the situation.

This book was deeply transformative and timely in my personal journey.… (more)

Focuses on a compassionate way of listening and communicating, to cover and address underlying needs. Can be used for all types of relationships, self-management and conflict resolution. You'll learn:
• What is Nonviolent Communication (NVC), including the key principles, approach, and techniques.
• How to use the 4 components of NVC—observations, feelings, need, and requests—to (i) express yourself clearly without blame or criticism, and (ii) receive what others are saying without hearing blame or criticism.
• How to apply NVC in various real-world situations including: mediation and conflict resolution, self-compassion, anger management, expressing and receiving appreciation.

Book summary at: https://readingraphics.com/book-summary-nonviolent-communication/… (more)