Positive Communication

The way we communicate has a significant impact on the well-being of all involved, but it can also make a significant difference to whether we ultimately get our needs satisfied. 

Our emotions play a key role in positive communication as well as the quality of the relationship or connection with those with whom we are communicating. Learn about the positive negative ratio (pnr) in communication and the impact it can have on relationships and developing high performing teams. Learn simple techniques to put into practice to improve or maintain a positive pnr, built on observing three key elements in communication that impact emotion

  • Expand or Contract
  • Positive or Negative
  • Tell or Ask

How we respond (both actively or passively) is also vital in developing positive relationships, strong performance and high levels of wellbeing – do you or your team or class foster active constructive communication or are there passive destructive elements pervading your interactions?

Non-violent Communication (NVC) is also a useful approach to improve communication. Developed by Marshall B. Rosenberg (1983, 2003), the goal of NVC is to establish a relationship with others based on honesty and empathy. NVC involves both mindful awareness and compassion, towards ourselves and others. Rather than reacting in habitual, automatic ways, NVC helps to speak based firmly on an awareness of what we are perceiving, feeling and wanting. When we interact with others and focus on clarifying what is being observed, felt, and needed rather than on diagnosing and judging, we can increase compassion.

NVC assumes that feelings emerge from the fulfilment or lack of fulfilment of personal needs. Therefore, after identifying feelings that are present in a given moment, the next step is to clarify which need is satisfied or not satisfied.

According to the NVC framework, there are “universal needs”; needs that are common to all human beings. Besides essential requirements for physical survival, such as air,food, sleep, etc., all human beings across all cultures are assumed to share some basic needs (e.g., connection, autonomy, purpose, safety, respect) in order to flourish and lead meaningful and fulfilling lives. In the four-step NVC process, the personal need of the individual is identified. We describe these four steps in detail with concrete
examples, so they can be easily applied in daily life. Including this tool provides an overview of the most common basic needs and can serve as a helpful tool for individuals to detect and communicate their needs, reducing
forms of hostile communication and providing a framework for developing an empathic way of communicating with the self and with others..

Want to improve the communication styles in your organisation and experience the positive change that results?

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