Nonviolent Conflict Transformation

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Nonviolent Conflict Transformation TO THE READER Nonviolent Confl ict Transformation Training Manual for a Training of Trainers Course Nonviolent Confl ict Transformation Training Manual for a Training of Trainers Course By Ruth Mischnick PhD First edition in Bratislava/Slovakia Published by: Centre for Training and Networking in Nonviolent Action – KURVE Wustrow; Partners for Democratic Change Slovakia (PDCS); Civilian Defence Research Centre (CSDC); International Fellowship of Reconciliation (IFOR); Peace Action Training and Research Institute of Romania (PATRIR) Design: Ján Volko Print: Vydavateľstvo Don Bosco Project Funding: European Commission - Socrates/Grundtvig 1 programme Nonviolent Confl ict Transformation Training Manual for a Training of Trainers Course TO THE READER 4 To the Reader This Manual on Confl ict transformation is the product of a process by a consor- tium of partner organisations. The goal was to identify, synthesise, complement, teach and enable confl ict transformation for trainers from a European point of view. The project consisted of the conducting of training of trainers workshops and the Manual. The training of trainers workshops were conducted in Slovakia, Romania, Italy and Switzerland and Germany in the years 2005 and 2006. The whole project has been, and continues to be, an ambitious and challenging initia- tive with many different dimensions. We have learnt a great deal, but in an emerg- ing and dynamic fi eld there is always much more for us to learn and to improve. It has been a challenge to try to capture the richness and diversity of approaches and opinions on training for confl ict transformation in various geographical and institutional contexts and to present them in an accessible and succinct format. We believe that the Manual makes a useful and relevant contribution to practice. We welcome feedback on what is helpful in the Manual as well as what requires change or further elaboration. Working for better practice by its very nature is always work in progress, with no room for complacency. All the organisations involved in managing this initiative were inspired by the wealth of good practice and innovative responses that are being applied often undocumented as well as by the energy and openness with which people and agencies talked about their experiences and on-going challenges. The desire for improved guidance and to share knowledge, methods, approaches and tools amongst practitioners was encouraging. This has enabled mutual capacity build- ing, refl ection, research and learning in the pursuit of better practice. This Manual marks the beginning of a process, rather than the end. It is a con- tribution to an emerging fi eld. It is also a snapshot in time; the fi eld is developing extremely rapidly. Some elements of the Manual describe or synthesise current experience with particular issues in the fi eld of teaching or applying education. Other components identify knowledge or understanding. We will continue to research new, emerging areas and new geographic contexts, and will discuss and share our fi ndings with you. Ultimately it will be up to prac- titioners and communities themselves to judge the utility and impact of this ven- ture. We are also grateful to our various donors for their engagement and support dur- ing the evolution of this initiative. 5 TO THE READER The Manual The Manual provides different chapters with concepts and mirroring exercises that are crucial for understanding and applying confl ict transformation. The Man- ual is based upon the comprehension of Diana Francis’ confl ict transformation theory and focuses upon transformation of social confl icts. The Manual purposely does not supply the reader with “fi xed schedules”. It is our true believe that every schedule would give the underlying message that reality can be copied. In that sense all the exercises function as suggestions that can be changes due to the chosen objective. The last chapter of the Manual presents an essay written by Hagen Berndt. The essay gives an overview and deeper understanding of the roots of nonviolence, an idea that we are committed to. The following persons contributed to the Manual: Ueli Wildberger, Dirk Sprenger, Beatrix Schmelze, Ján Mihálik, Hagen Berndt, Peter Siebenhühner, Jochen Neumann, Mike Dobbie, Ruth Mischnick Ph.D. and Winnie the Pooh. With kind permission, some information was taken from the re- source pack of International Alert. Some quotations mirror the experience of the website www.beyondintractability.com, also with kind permission. The Manual was written and edited by Ruth Mischnick Ph.D. 6 TABLE OF CONTENT CHAPTER ONE: TRAINING APPROACH OF A TRAINING OF TRAINERS IN NONVIOLENT CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION 10 INTRODUCTION 11 TRAINERS 11 PARTICIPANTS 11 CHALLENGES TO BE AWARE OF BEFORE ONE EVEN STARTS TRAINING 13 OBJECTIVES OF TRAINING 15 TO BRING TRAINING TO REALITY – WORKSHOP PLANNING 16 CHAPTER TWO: UNDERSTANDING CONFLICT 22 INTRODUCTION 23 UNDERSTANDING CONFLICT 23 EXERCISE: CONFLICTS AROUND US 25 DEFINITIONS OF CONFLICTS 26 EXERCISE: OWN UNDERSTANDING OF CONFLICT 27 UNDERLYING CAUSES OF CONFLICTS 29 CONFLICT AND CULTURE 31 CONFLICT AND VIOLENCE ARE DIFFERENT THINGS 32 DIFFERENT DIMENSIONS OF VIOLENCE 33 EXERCISE: FORMS OF VIOLENCE 34 DYNAMICS OF CONFLICTS 35 ESCALATION OF CONFLICT 37 EXERCISE: ESCALATION OF CONFLICTS 38 CONDITIONS THAT ENCOURAGE CONFLICTS 39 ESCALATION MODEL BY GLASL 40 EXERCISE: ANALYSING ESCALATION 42 EXERCISE: INDICATORS FOR ESCALATION 44 CHAPTER THREE: CONFLICT ANALYSIS 46 ELEMENTS OF CONFLICT ANALYSIS 47 WHO CONDUCTS THE ANALYSIS? 51 COLLECTING INFORMATION FOR CONFLICT ANALYSIS 52 SELECTING THE APPROPRIATE FRAMEWORK FOR CONFLICT ANALYSIS 52 CONFLICT MAPPING – RELATIONSHIPS OF ACTORS 52 EXERCISE: ACTORS AND THEIR RELATIONSHIPS 54 MAPPING NEEDS/INTEREST AND FEARS 55 EXERCISE: MAPPING POSITIONS, INTERESTS AND NEEDS 57 PILLARS OR INVERTED TRIANGLE – DEVELOPED BY JEAN AND HILDEGAARD GOSS-MAYR ADAPTED BY HAGEN BERNDT 59 EXERCISE: MAPPING PROBLEM, ACTORS AND THEIR INVOLVEMENT (“INVERTED TRIANGLE”) 60 EXERCISE: DISCUSSION - THE USE OF ANALYSIS FOR STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT 62 THE ABC TRIANGLE 63 EXERCISE: CONFLICT ANALYSIS – ABC TRIANGLE 65 TREND ANALYSIS – THIRD PARTY’S BEHAVIOUR 65 7 TABLE OF CONTENT EXERCISE: CONFLICT ANALYSIS - TREND ANALYSIS 67 CHAPTER FOUR: FRAMEWORK FOR CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION 70 INTRODUCTION 71 BASIC GLOSSARY 71 CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION – PRINCIPLES FOR AN APPROACH TO CHANGE 72 STAGES AND PROCCESSES IN CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION – DIANA FRANCIS 73 EXERCISE: WORKING WITH STAGES AND PROCESSES 76 THE PYRAMID – CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION ON DIFFERENT LEVELS OF SOCIETY 77 EXERCISE: APPLICATION OF CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION PYRAMID 80 TYPES OF CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION 81 EXERCISE - DISCUSSION: TYPES OF CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION AND CONSEQUENSES 83 CHAPTER FIVE: DESIGNING INTERVENTIONS 86 INTRODUCTION 87 MAKING CHOICES AND DESIGNING CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION 87 EXERCISE: DEFINING PERSONAL ROLES IN CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION 89 CRITERIA AND MANDATE 90 EXERCISE: CRITERIA FOR INTERVENTIONS 91 DEVELOPING OPTIONS FOR INTERVENTIONS 92 EXERCISE: ROLE PLAY - DEVELOPING OPTIONS FOR INTERVENTIONS IN A CONFLICT 94 SCENARIO OF ROLE PLAY: ATONIA 96 CHAPTER SIX: INTERVENTION THROUGH ACTION 98 INTRODUCTION 99 NONVIOLENCE AS AN APPROACH TO CONFLICT INTERVENTION 99 IDENTIFYING AND REDUCING PREJUDICE 100 EXERCISE: PREJUDICE REDUCTION AS AN ACTION 100 AWARENESS AND MOBILISATION FOR CHANGE 102 EXERCISE: GIVING GUIDELINES FOR LOBBYING AND CAMPAIGNING 102 NONVIOLENT DIRECT ACTION 104 EXERCISE: NONVIOLENT DIRECT ACTION 106 PREVENTING CONFLICT FROM ESCALATING INTO VIOLENCE 108 EXERCISE: PREVENTING CONFLICT FROM ESCALATION 109 CASE STUDY: PREVENTING VIOLENCE IN DAGESTAN 112 MAINTAINING A PRESENCE 113 EXERCISE: MAINTAINING A PRESENCE, UNARMED ESCORTING 114 MONITORING AND OBSERVING 115 EXERCISE: MONITORING 117 CASE STUDY: MONITORING 117 8 CONFIDENCE BUILDING 119 EXERCISE: CONFIDENCE BUILDING 120 CHAPTER SEVEN: MOVING TOWARDS DIALOG – ENABLING 122 SETTLEMENT INTRODUCTION 123 COMMUNICATION 123 PRIMING EXERCISE: PRACTICING THE ANATOMY OF A MESSAGE 123 COMMUNICATION IN CONFLICT 125 TRANSFORMATIVE SKILLS OF INTERACTIONS OF THIRD-SIDERS 126 EXERCISE: LISTENING 127 EXERCISE: CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOG SKILLS 130 PROCCESSES 131 EXERCISE: CONFLICT MEETING FACILITATION 135 NEGOTIATION 136 PRIMING EXERCISE: IDENTIFYING INTERESTS 138 PRIMING EXERCISE: OPTIONS FOR MUTUAL GAIN 142 EXERCISE: ROLE PLAY - NEGOTIATION 145 ROLE PLAY SCENARIO: CONFLICT ABOUT A TRAINING 147 MEDIATION 149 A MODEL FOR A FIVE STEP MEDIATION PROCESS 151 EXERCISE: PHASES OF A MEDIATION PROCESS 153 ROLE PLAY: MEDIATION 156 CREATING SAFE SPACE 157 EXERCISE: MEDIATION WORKSHOP SIMULATION 159 SIMULATION SCENARION: WORKSHOP IN INDONESIA 160 CHAPTER EIGHT: RECONCILIATION 162 INTRODUCTION 163 EXERCISE:HOW CAN RECONCILIATION LOOK LIKE 164 LEDERACHS FRAMEWORK 165 EXERCISE: TRUTH, JUSTICE, PEACE AND MERCY 166 DILEMMAS OF RECONCILIATION 168 EXERCISE: DISCUSSION ABOUT ENTRY POINTS FOR RECONCILIATION 169 CHAPTER NINE: AID AND CONFLICT 172 INTRODUCTION 173 DISCOVERING AND INHANCING NEW CAPACTITIES FOR PEACE 174 EXERCISE: MAPPING THE IMPACT OF AID ON CONFLICT 175 CASE STUDY: ASSISTING DISPLACED PEOPLE FROM BAHR EL GHAZAL IN SOUTHERN SUDAN 178 CHAPTER TEN:NONVIOLENCE, SATYAGRAHA AND CONFLICT 182 TRANSFORMATION ESSAY BY HAGEN BERNDT 183 REFERENCES 190 9 TRAINING OF TRAINERS TRAINING APPROACH 1 Chapter One: Training Approach of a Training of Trainers in Nonviolent Confl ict Transformation 10 INTRODUCTION Training has an important role in the confl ict transformation repertoire: It can sen-
Recommended publications
  • Gandhi Sites in Durban Paul Tichmann 8 9 Gandhi Sites in Durban Gandhi Sites in Durban
    local history museums gandhi sites in durban paul tichmann 8 9 gandhi sites in durban gandhi sites in durban introduction gandhi sites in durban The young London-trained barrister, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi 1. Dada Abdullah and Company set sail for Durban from Bombay on 19 April 1893 and arrived in (427 Dr Pixley kaSeme Street) Durban on Tuesday 23 May 1893. Gandhi spent some twenty years in South Africa, returning to India in 1914. The period he spent in South Africa has often been described as his political and spiritual Sheth Abdul Karim Adam Jhaveri, a partner of Dada Abdullah and apprenticeship. Indeed, it was within the context of South Africa’s Co., a firm in Porbandar, wrote to Gandhi’s brother, informing him political and social milieu that Gandhi developed his philosophy and that a branch of the firm in South Africa was involved in a court practice of Satyagraha. Between 1893 and 1903 Gandhi spent periods case with a claim for 40 000 pounds. He suggested that Gandhi of time staying and working in Durban. Even after he had moved to be sent there to assist in the case. Gandhi’s brother introduced the Transvaal, he kept contact with friends in Durban and with the him to Sheth Abdul Karim Jhaveri, who assured him that the job Indian community of the City in general. He also often returned to would not be a difficult one, that he would not be required for spend time at Phoenix Settlement, the communitarian settlement he more than a year and that the company would pay “a first class established in Inanda, just outside Durban.
    [Show full text]
  • Recommended Reading
    Recommended Reading: Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life 2nd Ed Create Your Life, Your Relationships and Your World in Harmony with Your Values by Marshall B. Rosenberg, Ph.D. Most of us are hungry for skills to improve the quality of our relationships, to deepen our sense of personal empowerment or to simply communicate more effectively. Unfortunately, for centuries our prevailing culture has taught us to think and speak in ways that can actually perpetuate conflict, internal pain and even violence. Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life partners practical skills with a powerful consciousness and vocabulary to help us get what we want peacefully. In this internationally acclaimed text, Marshall Rosenberg offers insightful stories, anecdotes, practical exercises and role-plays that will literally change your approach to communication for the better. Discover how the language you use can strengthen your relationships, build trust, prevent conflicts and heal pain. Revolutionary, yet simple, Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life offers the most effective tools to reduce violence and create peace by changing how we communicate. Over 250,000 copies have been sold. Printed in over 20 languages around the world. Approximately 250,000 people each year from all walks of life are learning these life-changing communication skills. Speak Peace in a World of Conflict What You Say Next Will Change Your World by Marshall B. Rosenberg, Ph.D. In every interaction, every conversation and in every thought, you have a choice – to promote peace or perpetuate violence. International peacemaker, mediator and healer, Dr. Marshall B. Rosenberg shows you how the language you use is the key to enriching life.
    [Show full text]
  • Mahatma Gandhi
    CHAPTER 1 MAHATMA GANDHI To be Human is to be One with God Mahatma Gandhi: A brief outline The best sources for a detailed life of Mahatma Gandhi are his autobiography and the many collected works that appear under his name. In brief, he was born in India in 1869, was married at the age of 13, and traveled to study law in England at the age of 19. His first trip to South Africa was in 1893 at the request of Indians in that country. While at Pietermaritzburg he was ejected from the train for sitting in a compartment reserved for whites. He sided with the British during the Boer War (although his sympathies lay with the Boers). During the Zulu War he formed the Ambulance Corps to help wounded soldiers, but also to show his loyalty to the British Empire. After the Zulu War, Gandhi took a vow of celibacy, and began using nonviolence as way for attaining rights for Indians in South Africa. It was after the Zulu War that he began articulating the goal of life as attaining moksha, or oneness with God. It was also in South Africa that the word Satyagraha was coined. After 21 years in South Africa, Gandhi left for India and worked for the independence of India from Britain. He was assassinated in 1948. Needless to say, this paragraph gives a brief timeline of Gandhi. Again, The Autobiography and Collected Works (which appear in the text as CWMG for Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi) offer detailed information on the Mahatma. The depiction of Gandhi’s philosophy and understanding of human nature in this chapter differs from most works on Gandhi by deliberately focusing on the influence of non-western cultures and his rejection and critique of capitalism Most Gandhian scholars present him as a person desperately trying to assimilate into the dominant capitalist culture, or mute his criticisms of capitalism.
    [Show full text]
  • BORN out of SORROW Essays on Pietermaritzburg and the Kwazulu-Natal Midlands Under Apartheid, 1948−1994 Volume One Compiled An
    BORN OUT OF SORROW Essays on Pietermaritzburg and the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands under Apartheid, 1948−1994 Volume One Compiled and edited by Christopher Merrett Occasional Publications of the Natal Society Foundation PIETERMARITZBURG 2021 Born out of Sorrow: Essays on Pietermaritzburg and the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands under Apartheid, 1948–1994. Volume One © Christopher Merrett Published in 2021 in Pietermaritzburg by the Trustees of the Natal Society Foundation under its imprint ‘Occasional Publications of the Natal Society Foundation’. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without reference to the publishers, the Trustees of the Natal Society Foundation, Pietermaritzburg. Natal Society Foundation website: http://www.natalia.org.za/ ISBN 978-0-6398040-1-9 Proofreader: Catherine Munro Cartographer: Marise Bauer Indexer: Christopher Merrett Design and layout: Jo Marwick Body text: Times New Roman 11pt Front and footnotes: Times New Roman 9pt Front cover: M Design Printed by CPW Printers, Pietermaritzburg CONTENTS List of illustrations List of maps and figures Abbreviations Preface Part One Chapter 1 From segregation to apartheid: Pietermaritzburg’s urban geography from 1948 1 Chapter 2 A small civil war: political conflict in the Pietermaritzburg region in the 1980s and early 1990s 39 Chapter 3 Emergency of the State: detention without trial in Pietermaritzburg and the Natal Midlands, 1986–1990 77 Chapter 4 Struggle in the workplace: trade unions and liberation in Pietermaritzburg and the Natal Midlands: part one From the 1890s to the 1980s 113 Chapter 5 Struggle in the workplace: trade unions and liberation in Pietermaritzburg and the Natal Midlands: part two Sarmcol and beyond 147 Chapter 6 Theatre of repression: political trials in Pietermaritzburg in the 1970s and 1980s 177 Part Two Chapter 7 Inkosi Mhlabunzima Joseph Maphumulo by Jill E.
    [Show full text]
  • Satyagraha Prisoners on Natal's Coal Mines Kalpana Hiralal* Abstract in 1913 Under the Leadership of Gandhi, the F
    Historia, 64, 2, November 2019, pp21‐46 Satyagraha prisoners on Natal’s coal mines Kalpana Hiralal* Abstract In 1913 under the leadership of Gandhi, the first “mass” political resistance was launched in South Africa. The key sites of resistance were in Natal and the Transvaal. This resistance was popularly known as the Satyagraha campaign or the Indian Strike. Well over 20 000 men, women and children engaged in protest action against discriminatory legislation that restricted their economic, social and political mobility. The historiography of the 1913 Satyagraha Campaign is substantial, but there are gaps of coverage on the incarceration and treatment of prisoners. The coal mines in the Natal Midlands became another site of resistance in the aftermath of the campaign. This article documents prisoner/captor relations in the aftermath of the campaign on the coal mines. Indian prisoners were subjected to flogging, poor rations and at times, ringleaders were assaulted severely. These lesser known narratives add to the current historiography by highlighting mine authorities’ attitudes and policy towards prisoners in the context of control, repression and coercion as well as the nature of the prisoner and captor relationship in the Satyagraha campaign of 1913. Key words: Indians; satyagraha; coal mining; resistance, Natal. Opsomming Die eerste massa‐politiese verset in Suid‐Afrika is in 1913 onder Gandhi se leiding van stapel gestuur. Die belangrikste liggings van hierdie verset was in Natal en Transvaal. Hierdie verset staan algemeen bekend as die satyagraha‐veldtog oftewel die “Indiese Staking”. Méér as 20 000 mans, vroue en kinders was betrokke by die protesaksie teen diskriminerende wetgewing wat hul ekonomiese, sosiale en politiese mobiliteit beperk het.
    [Show full text]
  • The Legacy of Inkosi Albert John Luthuli's Christian-Centred Political
    Faith and politics in the context of struggle: the legacy of Inkosi Albert John Luthuli’s Christian-centred political leadership Simangaliso Kumalo Ministry, Education & Governance Programme, School of Religion and Theology, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa Abstract Albert John Mvumbi Luthuli, a Zulu Inkosi and former President-General of the African National Congress (ANC) and a lay-preacher in the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa (UCCSA) is a significant figure as he represents the last generation of ANC presidents who were opposed to violence in their execution of the struggle against apartheid in South Africa. He attributed his opposition to violence to his Christian faith and theology. As a result he is remembered as a peace-maker, a reputation that earned him the honour of being the first African to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Also central to Luthuli’s leadership of the ANC and his people at Groutville was democratic values of leadership where the voices of people mattered including those of the youth and women and his teaching on non-violence, much of which is shaped by his Christian faith and theology. This article seeks to examine Luthuli’s legacy as a leader who used peaceful means not only to resist apartheid but also to execute his duties both in the party and the community. The study is a contribution to the struggle of maintaining peace in the political sphere in South Africa which is marked by inter and intra party violence. The aim is to examine Luthuli’s legacy for lessons that can be used in a democratic South Africa.
    [Show full text]
  • Message for the Age of Human Rights —What Does the Third Millennium Require? (1)
    Special Series: Message for the Age of Human Rights —What Does the Third Millennium Require? (1) Daisaku Ikeda Adolfo Pérez Esquivel Here we present another in the Dialogue Among Civilizations series, this time a dialogue between Soka Gakkai International (SGI) President Daisaku Ikeda and the Argentinean human rights activist and Nobel Peace laureate Adolfo Pérez Esquivel, who met in Tokyo in December 1995. Contemplating the global outlook for the Third Millennium, in the process covering a broad range of topics including the universal nature of human rights over and above the sovereignty of national assemblies; building solidarity among ordinary people; and the great strength and potential of the world's women, they vowed to publish a collection of their dialogues. In the years following that initial meeting they have maintained a lively correspondence, and in this issue we hear about a man of indomitable spirit who has spent many years as a champion of human rights battling authoritarian evil, and the encounters that have helped shape his life. This will be the fifth article in the Dialogue Among Civilizations series by President Ikeda, following The Beauty of a Lion’s Heart (with Dr. Axinia D. Djourova of Bulgaria), Dialogues on Eastern Wisdom (with Dr. Ji Xianlin and Professor Jiang Zhongxin of China), The Spirit of India—Buddhism and Hinduism (with Dr. Ved P. Nanda, Honorary President of the World Jurist Association), and The Humanist Princi- ple—Compassion and Tolerance (with Dr. Felix Unger, President of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts). The Dawn of a New Humanism Ikeda: I greatly respect people who stand up for the dignity of humanity and strive to reform our epoch.
    [Show full text]
  • 2 Parts and 4 Components of NVC
    2 Parts and 4 Components of NVC empathetically listening: honestly expressing: observations observations feelings feelings needs needs requests requests Both sides of the NVC model: empathetically listening and honestly expressing, use the four steps of the model: observations, feelings, needs, requests. Nonviolent Communication (NVC) is sometimes referred to as compassionate communication. Its purpose is to: 1. create human connections that empower compassionate giving and receiving 2. create governmental and corporate structures that support compassionate giving and receiving. NVC involves both communication skills that foster compassionate relating and consciousness of the interdependence of our well being and using power with others to work together to meet the needs of all concerned. This approach to communication emphasizes compassion as the motivation for action rather than fear, guilt, shame, blame, coercion, threat or justification for punishment. In other words, it is about getting what you want for reasons you will not regret later. NVC is NOT about getting people to do what we want. It is about creating a quality of connection that gets everyone’s needs met through compassionate giving. www.lindavanderlee.com The process of NVC encourages us to focus on what we and others are observing separate from our interpretations and judgments, to connect our thoughts and feelings to underlying human needs/values (e.g. protection, support, love), and to be clear about what we would like towards meeting those needs. These skills give the ability to translate from a language of criticism, blame, and demand into a language of human needs -- a language of life that consciously connects us to the universal qualities “alive in us” that sustain and enrich our well being, and focuses our attention on what actions we could take to manifest these qualities.
    [Show full text]
  • Rachelle Lamb Compassionate Nonviolent Communication
    Compassionate Nonviolent Communication Rachelle Lamb Certified NVC Trainer Trainings, Mediation , Practice Groups Private Sessions (Personal & Business) Ph. (250) 480-7122 Website: www.rachellelamb.com e-mail: [email protected] Additional Information Sources Rachelle Lamb www.rachellelamb.com The Center for Nonviolent Communication www.cnvc.org Nonviolent Communication (Book Publisher’s Site) www.nonviolentcommunication.com © Rachelle Lamb, Mindful Communication, Victoria, BC. (250) 480-7122 www.rachellelamb.com 10 W A I T Why Am I Talking? The Importance of Intention We always have an intention when we speak. The question is: are we fully conscious of our intention? Our intention significantly determines the quality of our exchanges. The words we choose to express ourselves are a reflection of our intention. We will develop clarity of intention to the degree that we place our attention on intention. When our intention is to get our way, the relationship is likely to be compromised. When our intention is to create a quality of connection with others where everyone’s needs are valued, collaborative relationships ensue. The purpose of Nonviolent Communication™ is to facilitate a quality of connection with others where everyone’s needs are understood and valued. © Rachelle Lamb, Mindful Communication, Victoria, BC. (250) 480-7122 www.rachellelamb.com 1 Important things we already know and often forget: 1. We can’t change others; we can only change ourselves. 2. When people hear blame or criticism, they will usually shut down and become defensive. 3. When we take things personally, we suffer. 4. Consciously or unconsciously, we choose our responses in every given moment.
    [Show full text]
  • Difficult Conversations: Authentic Communication Leads to Greater Productivity
    Difficult Conversations: Authentic Communication Leads to Greater Productivity by Martha Lasley Difficult conversations can lead to crisis or harmony. The Chinese word for crisis combines two symbols: danger and opportunity. When it comes to challenging conversations, we usually only remember the first meaning, danger. Real conversations can become highly emotional, trigger old battle wounds, and motivate us to confront, freeze, bolt, or attempt to smooth things over. Or we can choose lively discussions to explore the tension and discover new options. The piano maker Theodore Steinway said, “In one of our concert grand pianos, 243 taut strings exert a pull of 40,000 pounds on an iron frame. It is proof that out of great tension may come great harmony.” Authentic communication can turn tension into creativity and harmony. Imagine yourself at a tense planning meeting where the financial director reports, “To compete profitably, we need to lay off 20% of the workforce.” The marketing director responds, “That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. We need to lay you off so we can hire new people who are serious about growing the business.” Are you ready to add fuel to the fire, would you prefer to crawl under your chair, or do you have the skills to facilitate an authentic, productive conversation? How do we develop facilitation skills so that we can embrace challenging conversations rather than avoid them? First, we need an effective process that leads to understanding and productivity. While smoothing things over may look quick and easy, in the long run, radical honesty and directness help teams perform at their highest potential.
    [Show full text]
  • Pedagogies of Nonviolent Communication in the Online Classroom
    Tammy Wiens, Colloquium Outline, REA 2014 Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary [email protected] • Colloquium Title: Pedagogies of Nonviolent Communication in the Online Classroom • Introduction: At a time when higher education is increasingly delivered through computer mediated instruction, it is crucial to raise awareness of online pedagogies that nurture non-violent interactions among students. Communication within an online classroom is very different from communication in a face-to-face classroom, primarily because dialogue is text-based rather than spoken. This colloquium demonstrates the need to address nonviolent communication as a pedagogical challenge rather than as a technological challenge. The goal of the research is to offer a rubric to guide pedagogies of nonviolent communication in online forums. Not only will pedagogies of nonviolent communication reduce the potential for hurtful language among peers, a rubric for online dialogue will also increase a depth of relationship among participants and enhance the richness of learning in the online community. • Communication Styles: a. Online versus face-to-face I will briefly present the unique features of online communication that present pedagogical challenges that are different from a face-to-face context. There are times when students underestimate the violence conveyed in their written critiques or expressions of disagreement and this can cause a breakdown in the activity system of the class so that the online course ceases to function effectively. The instructor’s role in facilitating nonviolent communication is not always as complex as negotiating students’ prejudicial or inappropriate comments. Less complex, but equally as crucial to maintaining a sustainable learning community are those pedagogies that promote collaboration, social presence, and critical thinking.
    [Show full text]
  • Compassionate Communication Framework
    This document was prepared by the Anusara School of Hatha Yoga’s Community Resiliency Team members Kim Friedman, Tiffany Wood and Debbi J. Payne based on training from John Kinyon. Please respect the time and love reflected herein by requesting written permission to reproduce or share this document. Thank you. ASHY’S VISION STATEMENT To foster a unified community that inspires and supports all practitioners of Anusara yoga from local to global ASHY’S MISSION STATEMENT To provide the structure that promotes and sustains the growth of Anusara yoga’s philosophy and methodology ANUSARA SCHOOL OF HATHA YOGA [1] SECTION I : Compassion-Based Communication and the Tantric Path……………………………...p. 3 SECTION II: A Compassion-Based Approach to Skillful Communication……………………………p. 4 SECTION III: Skillful Communications Map in Practice………………………………………………….p. 8 FOR MORE INFORMATION OR SUPPORT………………………………………………………...…….p. 9 APPENDIX I: The UPAs and Compassionate Communication ………..……………………………...p. 10 ANUSARA SCHOOL OF HATHA YOGA [2] Living yoga off the mat is its own practice. Is there a compassionate way to share with a student that their behavior is disrupting other students’ learning? Can you skillfully communicate your needs when a co-teacher isn’t following through? Do you sometimes find yourself getting frustrated because you disagree with a colleague? For many of us, the answer is: Yes. “Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing there is a field. I'll meet you there.” Rumi The Anusara School of Hatha Yoga’s (ASHY) foundational philosophy of Non-Dual Tantric yoga is captured in this Rumi quote. All behavior is an expression of a need.
    [Show full text]