What’s coming next?

Communication skills that I have been introduced to thru Scott Howard Swain are helping me transform my business from a resentful, high-turnover office to one where people are having fun and working together on projects. It has given us a way to talk to each other that helps to keep people from becoming defensive and resentful. In using it with my boyfriend I am finding I have more patience with our different communication styles even though I still want to lop his head off every once in awhile (he has not been practicing the non-violent way of communication). I find myself thinking about conversations before I have them or react to them, which gives me greater peace of mind. It was interesting to me that after I had been introduced to Non-violent Communication thru Scott, I found out that some of my friends that I most enjoy having conversations with were also students of Non-violent Communication in other cities. Small world among the consciously speaking! I am far from being able to apply it in every situation but the more I practice the better my relationships and the more type of relationships I get to have.

Learning about Non-Violent Communication from Scott has helped me become more aware of how I speak and interact with others. As a teacher, the students and I have benefited from using this approach to communication. When students come to me with a problem, I try to incorporate NVC by listening empathically, identifying feelings, and determining needs. As a result, students feel respected and valued, and you can almost see the tension dissipate. Encouraging students to use NVC when having conflicts has allowed us to settle differences calmly and peacefully, without blame. NVC is a technique that helps us listen to each other in a way that many people wish to be heard.