transitionnorthfield Mailing List: Re: Fwd: consensus/nonviolent communication

[C S (nugs37]

Hi Friends... Thank you Rose Ann for bringing up the Nonviolent
Communication (NVC) idea. Some of you know that I read the NVC book recently
and have been blown away by it (lots of shifting going on in my thinking
right now). I agree with everything Karen and Rose Ann say about it and am
in favor of TTNorthfield core group using it as a way of communicating and
functioning.

I believe very strongly that HOW we as a core group function is as important
as our vision. (I'm definitely NOT of the Machiavellian persuasion.) I'm
super glad that this discussion is taking place at the get-go: the culture
we promote within our TT is lasting and thus so worthy of our energy.

I am ordering the book for Karen and me from the publisher (at about a 25%
discount). If others would like to be in on the order, please let me know.

Obviously, I'm in favor of the core group reading the book.

Peace, Christine


-----Original Message-----
From: Karen Olson [mailto:knolson [at] gmail.com] 
Sent: Tuesday, March 31, 2009 12:19 PM
To: Christine S
Cc: Transition Northfield
Subject: [transitionnorthfield] Fwd: consensus/nonviolent communication

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Karen Olson <knolson [at] gmail.com>
Date: Tue, Mar 31, 2009 at 12:18 PM
Subject: Re: [transitionnorthfield] consensus/nonviolent communication
To: Gene and Rose Ann Steenhoek <genesteenhoe [at] hotmail.com>


Thanks Rose Ann. I agree that 'consensus' is really just the word for the
group process and decision making aspect of operating as compassionate,
connected and respectful human beings towards each other. Understanding the
ways in which each of us brings these attitudes (or not) to our
relationships is at the heart of having healthy, loving relationships with
others. To the degree that we each can bring these attitudes to the
'Transition Table', will greatly affect our chances of being an organization
of people who are not only capable of fulfilling our objectives, but are
also characterized by the transformative energy of respect and true
cooperation. We will walk away from our time and work together energized,
and that kind of energy is really contagious!

I would be in favor of the idea of each of us reading the book on Non
Violent communication or maybe excerpts you think are particularly important
and/or relevant. Being on the same page about the philosophical
underpinnings to cooperative work seems really essential to our goals, if
not necessary.

Maybe others could weigh in on that and we could even get something read
before our next meeting.

Thanks,
Karen


On Tue, Mar 31, 2009 at 9:33 AM, Gene and Rose Ann Steenhoek <
genesteenhoe [at] hotmail.com> wrote:

>
> I am writing this without the context of the last meeting (since I wasn't
> there), but I wanted to share some thoughts about consensus.  For me,
> Nonviolent Communication is the foundation of all consensus work and I
hope
> that we can come to a deeper understanding and practice of it as we
continue
> in our transition work.
> Nonviolent Communication is about connecting with others - how to connect
> with one another with what is alive in each of us and what would make life
> more wonderful for each of us.  NVC shows us how to express ourselves in
> ways that increase the likelihood that others will willingly contribute to
> our well being.  It also shows us how to receive the messages of others in
> ways that increase the likelihood that we will willingly contribute to
their
> well being.
> With practice in NVC, each interaction can become an opportunity for
> creating partnerships in reaching strategies that attend to everyone's
> needs.
> With NVC, consensus becomes an organic process, rather than bureaucratic,
> and helps us to become more deeply related.
> Rose Ann
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