Nonviolent Communication in Business Management 

 

By: Liliane Da Consolação Pereira Santos.

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How much do our feelings and needs interfere in our interpersonal relationships in organizations? The answer to questions of that nature can be found in the Nonviolent Communication technique (NVC) that promotes clear and assertive conversation, focused on the solution and not on the problem. 

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According to Kunsch (2009), communication is the primordial element in the interpersonal and transpersonal relationships of the modern organization, whatever its activity or target public might be. 

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The Nonviolent Communication technique (NVC) created by the American psychologist Marshall Bertram Rosenberg, in 1960, establishes common values about communication in an environment making it so that empathy and resilience are practiced naturally. 

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According to Rosenberg (2006), it is a way of valuing the feelings, actions, and needs of another, leaving behind any judgment, shame, or fear. Nonviolent Communication helps to build connections and partnerships, in a constant exchange of information and knowledge and can be divided into 4 pillars: 

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1.    Observation: observe the facts and attitudes of others without a layer of judgment or critique. Even if something does not please you, talk about it using words and phrases that are positive. 

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2.    Feeling: name the feelings you have when seeing or hearing about something. Be honest with your emotions, and the emotions of others. Say it when you feel fear, joy, anger, irritation, or sadness when something happens because by doing so you can establish a connection between you and another. 

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3.    Needs: express the needs you have according to the feelings you identify within yourself. These needs are motivational factors that make any person have determined actions or reactions. 

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4.    Ask: after identifying the feelings and the demands that come with them, it's time to ask. Formulating with clarity the demands you need fulfilled, always using positive language. 

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In a study done by a telecommunication company, during a test period where they used NVC, there was a positive effect in the relationships of not only the team but also the leadership. The only tool used was the reformulation of the phrases used in the daily activities, in the way people asked for what they needed and feedback on finished work. There was a change in attitude based on how you ask something to someone, in the words used and tone of voice. By considering the feelings of one another, the mood of the entire sector improved significantly. The professional relationships have shown that effective dialogue could contribute to a better empathy in the orders received and transmitted.  (TRINDADE, Elaine Ap. Berlanga) 
 
NVC acts as a guide in conflict resolution, according to Rosenberg (2006). How we communicate, in other words, how we talk, listen, and how people understand us is where the motives of conflict reside. Therefore, by understanding that process and altering the way we speak we understand how to solve problems. In the work environment, this technique favors appreciation and engagement, and relationships tend to get established more positively, resulting in a more collaborative environment. 
 

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BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES

 

ROSENBERG, Marshall B. Comunicação não-violenta. Técnicas para aprimorar relacionamentos pessoais e profissionais. 3rd. ed. São Paulo: Ágora, 2006.

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KUNSCH, Margarida M. K. Gestão estratégica em comunicação organizacional e relações públicas. 2nd. ed. São Caetano do Sul: Difusão, 2009. 
 
TRINDADE, Elaine Ap. Berlanga. et al. A aplicação da técnica de comunicação não violenta (CNV) no relacionamento entre líder e liderado em     ambiente     de     teleatendimento.     Available     in: http://uniesp.edu.br/sites/_biblioteca/revistas/20170531140359.pdf; Accessed on June 12th of 2021. 
 

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