Audiobook summary of Nonviolent Communication by Marshall B. Rosenberg

Note - this is an audiobook summary of the following book: Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life by Marshall Rosenberg

About: Nonviolent Communication by Marshall B. Rosenberg presents a method of communication free from judgments or demands, which results in more productive interactions for all parties involved. The practice of nonviolent communication (NVC) encourages connection through compassionate conversation, both with others and with ourselves, and Dr. Marshall Rosenberg, founder of The Center for Nonviolent Communication and a global educator, uses this book to introduce us to the NVC process he’s developed. Dr. Rosenberg employs techniques from his experiences dealing with conflicts around the world to share practical and sustainable strategies, giving us all the tools required to effectively communicate our feelings and needs in any situation.

Here’s what you’ll learn about in this audio summary:

• What is nonviolent communication? How can it be used to get what you really want?
• How you can practice NVC at home to connect with family and friends, and in the office to connect with coworkers, employees and employers 
• How to start on a path of emotional liberation, and what to expect on each stage of the journey 
• The importance of an emotional vocabulary, and ways to build that vocabulary through conversations with yourself and others
• And much, much more

Tweetable summary: Getting what you want depends on the honest expression of your feelings and needs to others. Nonviolent Communication introduces real ways to communicate without relying on judgments or demands.

Original book description: 

What is violent communication?

If “violent” means acting in ways that result in hurt or harm, then much of how we communicate - judging others, bullying, having racial bias, blaming, finger pointing, discriminating, speaking without listening, criticizing others or ourselves, name-calling, reacting when angry, using political rhetoric, being defensive or judging who’s “good/bad” or what’s “right/wrong” with people - could indeed be called “violent communication”.

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