Labeling and diagnosis is a catastrophic way to communicate. Telling other people what's wrong with them greatly reduces, almost to zero, the probability that we're going to get what we're after.
Marshall B. RosenbergRead
Nonviolent Communication shows us a way of being very honest, but without any criticism, without any insults, without any put-downs, without any intellectual diagnosis implying wrongness.
Interpretation
Nonviolent Communication promotes honest expression without criticism or insults.
This quote by Marshall B. Rosenberg emphasizes the importance of expressing oneself honestly while maintaining respect and empathy in communication. It advocates for a way of sharing feelings and needs that avoids punitive language and fosters understanding, highlighting the power of compassion in human interactions.
In practice
In a workshop on effective communication, a speaker quotes this to inspire participants to engage without blame.
Labeling and diagnosis is a catastrophic way to communicate. Telling other people what's wrong with them greatly reduces, almost to zero, the probability that we're going to get what we're after.
Whether I praise or criticize someone's action, I imply that I am their judge, that I'm engaged in rating them or what they have done.
In nonviolent communication, no matter what words others may use to express themselves, we simply listen for their observations, feelings, needs, and requests. Then we may wish to reflect back, paraphrasing what we have understood. We stay with empathy, allowing others the opportunity to fully express themselves before we turn our attention to solutions or requests for relief.
All that has been integrated into NVC has been known for centuries about consciousness, language, communication skills, and use of power that enable us to maintain a perspective of empathy for ourselves and others, even under trying conditions.
The punitive use of force tends to generate hostility and to reinforce resistance to the very behavior we are seeking.
Expressing our vulnerability can help resolve conflicts.
Despite all the technical improvements, it still boils down to a man or a woman and a microphone, playing music, sharing stories, talking about issues -- communicating with an audience.
You cannot truly listen to anyone and do anything else at the same time.
If we go on explaining we shall cease to understand one another.
There is only one excuse for a speaker's asking the attention of his audience: he must have either truth or entertainment for them.
So if you aspire to be a good conversationali st, be an attentive listener. To be interesting, be interested. Ask questions that other persons will enjoy answering. Encourage them to talk about themselves and their accomplishments
Always try to use the language so as to make quite clear what you mean and make sure your sentence couldn't mean anything else.
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