Is Nonviolent Communication an effective decision-making model?
I’m participating in a 5-day retreat in New York state this week for Nonviolent Communication (NVC) trainers. I am feeling very nourished to be with a group of my colleagues who are truly peers to me (so it’s great to have empathy, shared understanding, authenticity, and all the goodies that come with NVC! 😉 The group’s decision-making process, though, has left me unsatisfied overall, and at times feeling a lot of frustration. It raises some questions in my mind that have been “on my mind” a lot lately: Q: Is NVC an effective decision-making model? Q: Can NVC be used as a governing structure? My quick answers, at least in the present, are: No; and not really. For me, NVC is an amazing and powerful interpersonal communication model, and also is tremendously supportive for my inner work (inner peace, transforming enemy images, healing, etc.) It supports me in focusing my attention on what is alive in each moment — what is coming through me and the other person — which keeps me in the
