Speaking Peace: Connecting with Others Through Nonviolent Communication by Marshall B. Rosenberg

Speaking Peace: Connecting with Others Through Nonviolent Communication Reviews

• 
  Ariel Pontes

  The book contained unnecessarily mystical language ("spiritual", "divine energy", etc.) and unfounded assumptions about human nature ("deep down we're actually good") that in my view reflect an inability on the part of the author to differentiate poetical from factual language. However, none of these claims were necessary premises for the arguments made in the book, which were good and supported by other evidence brought in by the author. Overall I recommend the book and if you're a rationalist and you feel exasperated by the mystical hippie language I urge you to take a deep breath and keep going because most of the content of the book is quite useful and helpful. I believe in this age of political polarization we could all benefit enormously from some self-awareness and nonviolent communication.
• 
  Marissa

  This was a good introduction to NVC, but it repeats a lot of the anecdotes and information from
  Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life. If you've read that, you will not get anything new from this book. On the other hand, if for some reason you have only a very limited amount of time to learn NVC, this book is a nice abbreviation of Nonviolent Communication.
• 
  Heather

  I very much like what Rosenberg was conveying and can find ways to apply his thoughts to my everyday life. Seek not so much to be understood as to understand.
  
  I was not prepared to be serenaded while listening to the audiobook. Haha. It did make a difficult subject a little lighter.
• 
  Sylvie Barak

  Great method, simple concepts, not enough detailed examples.
• 
  Will Jeffries

  Almost everyone has heard about Non-violent Communication by now. Marshall Rosenberg does a fine job by explaining a way that we can reach this state of non-violent communication.
  
  Speaking of Non-violent Communication in less than a month, the Dalai Lama is coming here to Fayetteville, AR to speak on Non-Violence in the New Century at the University of Arkansas (May 11th 2011). So, it's pretty much everywhere now-a-days. If people would just take 15 minutes out of their busy day to sit down, breath in and out, and just chill - this world would probably shift a lot faster. Just sayin'...
  
  For more information on Marshall Rosenberg, go to:
  http://www.cnvc.org/
• 
  Karen Kline

  I think world leaders, teachers, and police officers need to use these techniques, but I *need* to know how can we take the time to work through other peoples' problems when their values are not in sync with our own. The compassionate time required to rehabilitate people who express their needs in ways that harm others seems the hardest part to grasp. Helping others to find the joyful willingness to be positive change makers is surely the key take-away concept here for me.
• 
  Becky Rose

  Listened to on CD in my car. Listening to it again with my husband and taking notes. Can be a great help for marriages, companies and countries. give the process for correct communication. Does not agree with praise or punishment.
• 
  Katie

  I want to say up front, that I think this book has really valuable insights in how to communicate with anyone. My husband and I spent time talking about how these introspective practices might help us in various relationships and roles we have. I would definitely recommend learning more about nonviolent communication if you have any relationships or professional/volunteer capacities where you need to know how to improve the relationship through how you listen and speak together.
  
  I'm not sure if this is available in book form as I listened to the audiobook, but I would guess not because in listening, it's as if Dr. Rosenberg is sitting in front of you talking about these principles in a casual sort of way - so casual that it didn't sound like he was reading, but not so casual that it didn't flow well. The concepts of nonviolent communication come-off with a hippie vibe and there were times where I felt like I was sitting across the campfire from Dr. Rosenberg at some commune, thinking "what kind of incense is he burning?" But if you take the teachings with their full intent and try to apply them, they work.
  
  The term "nonviolent communication" kind of threw me off, because of the violence piece. I don't tend to think of my communication patterns as violent, but it makes more sense when you think about how communication can be inflicted or taken so personally as to cause defensive remarks, anger, shame, etc. I heard about nonviolent communication because I had read about how it is used across social platforms, including in prisons. There are foundations that teach individuals about nonviolent communication because they may not have been taught at home how to be introspective about feelings and needs, and communicate those needs into words respectfully - which lets be honest, is pretty much everyone on the planet. Hence, worth reading/listening to something by Marshall Rosenberg.
• 
  Katya Kean

  I definitely recommend the audiobook. I got it on Overdrive. Marshall reads it himself and has a great voice. He's subtly funny, and sometimes he sings songs in the recording!
  I learned some very useful ways of looking at things. I'm hoping it will help me navigate some tricky emotional situations.
  Here are my notes:
  
  Make a clear observation.
  How it makes me feel.
  Express requests, not demands.
  Express what deeper need it will solve of mine.
  Inspire joy of giving in other person.
  
  Empathic connection with what's alive in the other person and what would make life more wonderful for the other person.
  See the beauty in the other person no matter what. Connect with their needs and feelings.
  
  People do things to fill a need. How can the need better be met through other means?
  
  Don't praise or compliment. Still labelling, is judgement, dehumanizing. Instead express appreciation. Intent is to celebrate life, not reward them.
  What action on their part enriched our lives.
  How we felt about it.
  What needs of ours were met.
• 
  Chad Schultz

  Nonviolent Communication has been on my top ten list of books for years, and is what I most recommend to people.
  
  This little book is more of the same. It's less in-depth on the principles than Nonviolent Communication and has more personal stories. Unlike many gurus, I appreciate that Rosenberg is not shy about admitting where he makes mistakes and is happy to show how he learned to do better and will teach us the same.
  
  I still feel that Nonviolent Communication is the better work, but if this smaller book is an easier way to introduce more people to the principles, go for it! Then hopefully they'll be ready for Nonviolent Communication.
• 
  Karli Sherwinter

  I was particularly inspired by the section on how we find the energy to make societal change when it takes every thing we have just to create peace within ourselves. Asking “what is alive in you” and identifying feelings, rather than judgements and observations, brings us closer to each other’s humanity. Even if we see someone as our enemy, we can identify with them once we understand their basic needs and desires. This approach takes a lot of practice as well as significant inner-work on the part of the practitioner.
• 
  Adam

  I finished this and immediately restarted it to listen to it again. It helps that this audio program is quite short (2.5 hours). It does a fabulous job going through the summarized outline of non-violent communication. There are times I wish he would define and explore something’s better, but that would be more in his flagship book, Non-Violent Communication. Ultimately this is a very sharp approach to communicating vis a vis secure relationships and boundaries. It helps us see that we can’t control anyone, and in fact it is potentially more effective to accept others where they are at and who they are and simply speak to them as equals who are trying to live their best lives.
• 
  Jo

  This may not be the most magnificent presentation I've ever heard, yet it ranks up at the top for the most foundational, concrete explanation of how to begin using Nonviolent Communication in your own life.
  So grateful I read this!
• 
  James

  This book and Non-Violent Communication, have been the most personally impactful books I have read on communication. I gave it 5 stars for that reason, not because of how or how well it was written.
• 
  Dr. Gilberto Arantes

  Led me to a different journey as a father, a team leader, a husband.
  For the first time I could clear communicate with myself. The book conveys a theory that needs to be transformed in practice to be really understood.
• 
  Deborah

  Much of what was written in Nonviolent Communication is repeated here, but I found it worth reviewing again. While I do not adhere to Rosenberg's "spirituality," I was able to focus on his methodology/practical application, which, when applied, "work" regardless of one's spiritual beliefs.
• 
  Magdelanye

  Certainly an important contribution, this for me needs a written script.
  
• 
  April

  Interesting techniques, if you can get past the kumbaya songs.
• 
  Kirill

  Very great practical guide to go over after the main book in you want to learn or to refresh nonviolent communication skills.
• 
  Riikka

  A concise and generally a good basic level introduction non-violent communication. A professional narrator would be a plus, but at least Marshall has an authentic tone narrating this himself.
• 
  Camille

  Marshall Rosenberg is a magical man who so much wants people to check into their divine energy and treat each other with care that he devised a whole system for it. Learn it and fix yo' self!
• 
  Stephanie Miller

  This was a very interesting listen!
• 
  Anupam

  What an enlightening book! I especially like the candid narration and examples. Very counterintuitive in many ways and yet effective methods of connecting genuinely with people.
• 
  Cassidy

  I love Dr. Rosenberg’s way of explaining NVV and his many stories. It meets my needs for clarity, engagement and hope. :)