Six considerations for Giraffes interested in teaching NVC
revised 7/03
1. Clarity of Intention
- What are the intentions behind my desire to teach NVC?
- What do I want others to be getting out of this?
- What am I wanting to get out of (or learn from) doing this?
- What is the relationship between what I get and what they get?
- Do I see myself teaching the truth? Is it possible for others to have a different truth? How do I see the relationship between their truths and mine? How important is it that others agree with my teachings on NVC? Why?
2. Ability to live in Giraffe consciousness/dedicated to ongoing learning
- What am I doing to deepen my capacity to empathize with myself?
- What am I doing to deepen my capacity to empathize with others?
- Am I aware when my Giraffe ears have fallen off? How am I cultivating this awareness?
- What do I do when my ears fall off?
- When I organize or teach at NVC events, what kinds of interactions with others are most likely to knock my ears off? How would I like to be responding?
3. Familiarity with NVC theory
- Do I understand the objectives of NVC, philosophical assumptions, the four components and two parts of the model, concepts of life-alienated and life-connected communications, the quality of empathy, the process of anger, mourning, self-empathy, etc.?
- Am I able to easily recall to mind such information such as:
- the characteristics of Jackal language
- speech patterns that mask accountability for one's feelings
- the three common kinds of requests
- the four steps to expressing anger fully
- the three components of a Giraffe appreciation, etc.
4. Ability to teach NVC
- In any situation where I am consciously called to do so, am I able to apply the four pieces of the model to verbally express myself or to empathize? (role plays, illustrations, etc.)
- What do I consider to be the most important information to present?
- How do I organize this material?
- What kinds of teaching aids, curricula, activities, examples, etc. do I use?
- How do I engage the participants' interest?
- How do I solicit feedback (from participants, peers, those with more experience)?
- How do I increase such qualities as clarity, comprehensiveness, compellingness, etc.?
5. Commitment to building community through Northwest Compassionate Communication
- How does my presence enrich the team?
- What resources am I offering?
- How do I contribute to the cohesiveness, harmony or growth of the community?
- How motivated am I to participate in a vision to create a Giraffe world?
6. Publicizing NVC
- How do I plan to spread the word about NVC within the larger community, such as friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, etc.?
- Am I planning to rely upon NVC training as a significant sources of income? If so, how do I increase my competency in the areas of planning, organizing publicizing, and marketing?
For more information see Prerequisites (requests) for becoming a Giraffe Guide or a Northwest Compassionate Communication Trainer