Compassionate Communication Series
Our Compassionate Communication Training Series is based on the approach created by psychologist and mediator Marshall Rosenberg. The series currently consists of nine courses. Upon completion of the Introduction course, participants may then take any or all of the other offerings.
Introduction to Compassionate Communication
A basic introductory course on Compassionate Communication, an approach created by psychologist and mediator Marshall Rosenberg and utilized around the world. Compassionate Communication is communicating in ways that foster understanding, connection, and compassion. It is not just a set of approaches, but an awareness designed to develop a certain kind of compassionate rapport with ourselves and each other. Compassionate Communication is communicating in ways that can foster more understanding, teamwork, and ease in the workplace, such as hearing difficult messages without taking them personally, better understanding where people are coming from and listening differently so as not to focus on blame, fault, and hurtful labels of others. This introductory class is required in order to complete any other training within the Compassionate Communication Series.
Boosting Morale through Daily Celebrations: Sharing Appreciation Using Compassionate Communication
Prerequisite: Introduction to Compassionate Communication
Learn the richness of appreciative feedback in Compassionate Communication and what makes it different from giving praise, compliments, and approval. This type of feedback gives you the opportunity to go beyond a "thank you” and share exactly how your colleague has made a contribution to you that you find meaningful. Appreciative feedback offers an opportunity to touch more deeply what is meaningful for us and name it with gratitude. This can lead to deeper connections at work, more fulfilling work relationships, and a greater clarity and understanding of how life is enhanced by one another. Strategies for sharing appreciation and receiving appreciation are included in the training.
A Deeper Dive into Empathy, the Breath of Compassion
Prerequisite: Introduction to Compassionate Communication
This training is intended to support participants in having a deeper integration of empathy using a Compassionate Communication approach. Topics include what empathy is and is not as it relates to Compassionate Communication, principles of empathy, and what can block empathy. The opportunity to practice empathy is provided.
Diving Deep into Feelings and Needs
Prerequisite: Introduction to Compassionate Communication
Diving Deep into Feelings and Needs takes us to a deeper understanding of the purpose, meaning and implications feelings and needs have in our lives and in the world. We will practice responding and communicating by consciously expressing and intentionally listening with an awareness of our own and other people's needs.
Giving Feedback in Compassionate Communication
Prerequisite: Introduction to Compassionate Communication
Bringing care to the feedback process is one of the aims of giving feedback in the Compassionate Communication consciousness. The intention is clarity and understanding without using criticisms, making assumptions, finding blame, and focusing on fault. Rather, giving feedback is an opportunity to share what is or isn’t working as it relates to needs being met at work. Activities include crafting feedback, reviewing work scenarios, and challenges to be mindful of during the feedback process.
Handling Conflict Using Compassionate Communication Part 1: Inner Work
Prerequisite: Introduction to Compassionate Communication
This training supports participants in applying fundamental premises and approaches of Compassionate Communication to handling conflict. Focus will be given on how to notice one’s own reactivity to stress or daily workplace challenges, discussing your often unconscious beliefs and core values about conflict, and practicing different techniques to ground yourself and handle emotions and reactivity. This is the internal work of handling conflict.
Handling Conflict Using Compassionate Communication Part 2: Expressing Yourself
Prerequisite: Introduction to Compassionate Communication
This training focuses on building your ability to express yourself during conflict. You will learn Compassionate Communication approaches to process your anger and original judgments of another person or situation; to recognize and manage your reactivity; to express your needs that aren’t based in blame and shame; and to make specific and doable requests. The opportunity to practice is part of the training.
Making Observations & Requests in Compassionate Communication
Prerequisite: Introduction to Compassionate Communication
Learn how to make observations about what happened without mixing in your personal commentary and how that can decrease a listener’s defensiveness and lead to shared understanding. Learn how to get unstuck during conversations by making clear, specific, and doable requests. The building blocks of requests can also help you simultaneously advocate for yourself and demonstrate that you care about your listener. Discussion and class activities are included.
Self-Empathy: Befriending Your Inner Critic
Prerequisite: Introduction to Compassionate Communication
This training is designed to deepen your ability to connect with self through the process of self-empathy and self-connection in the consciousness of Compassionate Communication. Activities include a self-reflection on how you tend to handle life and life’s difficulties; noticing our thoughts, self-judgments, judgments of others and self-demands and translating them into awareness of feelings and needs; and experiencing feelings and to be aware of the current need that is generating the feelings.
Additional Opportunities
Compassionate Communication presentation and trainings are also available on request. If you would like to arrange a custom training for your group or department, please contact us at hrdept@ku.edu.