Nonviolent Communication

introduction

from the book

“Believing that it is our nature to enjoy giving and receiving in a compassionate manner, I have been preoccupied most of my life with two questions:

What happens to disconnect us from our compassionate nature, leading us to behave violently and exploitatively? And conversely, what allows some people to stay connected to their compassionate nature under even the most trying circumstances? …

While studying the factors that affect our ability to stay compassionate, I was struck by the crucial role of language and our use of words. I have since identified a specific approach to communicating—both speaking and listening—that leads us to give from the heart, connecting us with ourselves and with each other in a way that allows our natural compassion to flourish. I call this approach Nonviolent Communication, using the term nonviolence as Gandhi used it—to refer to our natural state of compassion when violence has subsided from the heart.”

Based on Gandhi’s ideal of nonviolence, Nonviolent Communication (or NVC for short) is also known as “Compassionate Communication.”

I think it could also be appropriately described simply as “Effective Communication.” As the cover of the book declares: “More than 1,000,000 copies sold for one simple reason: it works!”