NVC in the Wild

[Please note: The views and opinions expressed in each post are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of BayNVC as a whole.]

Over the years I’ve encountered many people—friends, colleagues, clients—who are put off by the language of Nonviolent Communication (NVC). It’s too jargony, they say. Too artificial. And way too “woo-woo.” And I get it because sometimes I don’t like the vocabulary of NVC either. Because when I use those expressions, I can see that I’m asking people to meet me on my turf, instead of joining them on theirs. It’s as if I’ve learned Italian and I love Italian and I feel Italian—but now I’ve traveled to China and I’m still speaking Italian. Which is ineffective. And, you know, mean. Over time I’ve come to believe that the core values of NVC are universal—but the formal language is not.

SO THESE DAYS I’M ASKING MYSELF: Can I walk the walk without talking the talk?

Can I practice the principles of NVC while still using everyday speech? Can I find words that fit the occasion and honor the person I’m with? Because if I tell a kid, “I noticed that you’re looking at the floor; are you feeling irritated because you want respect?” they’re just going to roll their eyes. And if I ask a CEO, “What needs are most alive for you in this moment?” well, they may roll their eyes too.

A colleague told me that when he first studied NVC (the enthusiastic/obnoxious phase), he was extolling its virtues to his then teenage daughter, who was trapped in a car with him. When my friend finally stopped to take a breath his daughter announced, “I don’t have any feelings, needs or requests. Move on.”

So how do we do that? And where do we go?

WHEN I FIRST LEARNED NVC mediation (definitely the enthusiastic/obnoxious phase), I was out for a walk one night when I saw two men standing by two cars. There was a lot of yelling. It seemed that while parking, Man A had dinged Man B’s car. Man B was furious and seemed ready to throw punches. But, I told myself, I was learning Collaborative Communication (another name for NVC). I was studying conflict resolution! I could help!

Then again, I had no idea what to do and certainly didn’t want any punches to come my way. Stalling for time, I walked more and more slowly until I came to a stop about ten feet from the men. I stood there, trying to form a coherent sentence; the two men ignored me and went on shouting. Finally Man B turned to me and said, “He hit my car! And now he just wants to drive away!” I opened my mouth and blurted something profound like, “Right. Because you want your car to be okay. And that there’s accountability.”

“YES!” he said and went back to yelling at Man A. But their intensity soon dwindled, and a few minutes later both men got into their cars and drove away. I wasn’t sure if phone numbers or cash had changed hands, but apparently they’d reached some kind of peace.

I didn’t manage to name feelings like “anger” and “fear,” or core values such as “financial sustainability,” “respect” and “care”—but I think that’s what Men A and B heard. And it was enough.

IF NVC IS ABOUT CONNECTION and connection isn’t happening, I need to change my approach. I can still focus on the format of OFNR (observations feelings, needs and requests), but I want to consider the particular person with whom I’m speaking. Some time ago, a close friend invited me to her last-minute birthday bash. The universe likes a good laugh, so naturally I had a six-person mediation scheduled for the same day. Getting the participants to agree on this meeting had been like herding snakes, but I wanted to celebrate with my friend and told her I’d try to reschedule. After several more client negotiations: success! I called my friend to report the good news. She said, “Yeah, fine, whatever,” and then started talking about her problems buying tires at CostCo. I fumed and considered my options:

Mention that my need for acknowledgement had not been met? But she hated NVC language.

Empathize with her distress? Not likely; I was too angry.

Say that I wouldn’t be coming to her @#$%! party? Tempting.

Hang up? But then what?

In this friendship, humor and even sarcasm were often connecting, so after a moment I said, “Hey, you wanna try that again with a little warmth?” There was a long pause during which I considered leaving the country, and then she laughed and said, “You’re right. I’m really glad you’re coming to my party; thanks for rescheduling.”

While other people might have heard my words as harsh or attacking, for this particular friend, they worked: I think they provided a face-saving way for her to hear my frustration. The message I sent (“I feel hurt; I want my efforts to be seen; are you willing to express appreciation?”) was the message she received. And my friend responded with the consideration I craved.

MEANWHILE IT’S ONE THING to offer NVC in the wild, but what about finding it? Sometimes I tell myself that since I have these skills and other people don’t, it’s my job to facilitate every conversation. Then I feel exhausted and want to lie down. But the truth is, I often receive empathy from people who’ve never heard of Collaborative Communication.

Some years ago, I had laryngitis for a month, including a solid week with no voice whatsoever. During that time I walked into a new-to-me cafe, approached the counter and shout-whispered, “I have laryngitis!” Without missing a beat, the barista pulled out a pad of Post-its and a pen, and said, “No problem. Write down what you want and I’ll get it for you.” Three days later I returned to the shop and the same man handed me another notepad. He didn’t ask if I felt aggravated, didn’t inquire whether I wanted care or support—but he saw me. He recognized my needs and proposed a solution to meet them.

I WANT US TO BE COMMITTED to the principles of Collaborative Communication, and I also want us to have flexibility and ease with the language. Learning the formal expressions of NVC can help develop fluency: If you want to play the piano, you probably need to practice the mechanics. But performing scales in a concert isn’t going to engage your audience. Let’s communicate feelings, needs and requests in a way that’s welcoming and inclusive. Let’s play jazz.

Lisa Montana provides: leadership and executive coaching; conflict resolution; training in Collaborative Communication; and facilitation of group meetings and decision-making. She works with individuals, families, businesses and organizations around the country.

Contact Lisa at: lisa@baynvc.org.

With thanks to Ike Lasater for coining the phrase “NVC in the wild.”

Copyright ⓒ 2016 & 2021 Lisa Montana. Reprint with permission and attribution.