(Non-harming) Conscious Communication: The Skills to Heal, Connect & Inspire
Effective communication plays a pivotal role in expressing your values, connecting with your team, and propelling everyone forward, especially during times of difficulty. In this blog, we delve into the significance of non-harming conscious communication and how it can empower you to align your thoughts, words, and actions with your core values. Drawing inspiration from the wisdom of Gandhi, we explore the transformative impact that communication has on our lives and interactions with others. Join us as we uncover the secrets to becoming a caring, balanced and influential leader through conscious communication.
Unveiling the Power of Communication:
At the heart of our leadership programs lies a profound emphasis on communication. It serves as a window into the depths of our beliefs, conditioning, and interpretations of the world, shaping not only our lives but also influencing the lives of those with whom we engage. Recognizing this connection is vital because the way we communicate—both with ourselves and our team—reflects our core values. These values, the unwavering essence of who we are, guide our (re)actions and profoundly impact those we encounter on our leadership journey.
The Challenges: Ideals vs. Reality
When faced with difficult times, it becomes paramount to be firmly rooted in our principles in order to effectively ground ourselves and guide our teams. Our thoughts and speech emerge from the belief systems that have been shaped in us, so they should be consciously examined and adjusted to align with our intentions and desired outcomes. Many leaders express frustration (guilt) when their best intentions (for balance, calm, connectedness…) clash with the harsh realities of deadlines, intense energies, and more-to-do-than-time-would-ever-permit. One of those inspirations (intentions vs. reality) will always win… knowing which need you are leading from becomes helpful!
The Solution: Conscious Communication Self-Coaching
If you find yourself grappling with the challenges of maintaining harm-free communication amidst the complexities of leadership (in all areas of life), our conscious communication coaching is here to help. We aim to enhance your ability to self-soothe and powerfully choose to cultivate conscious responses instead of reactive ones.
To develop the practice of non-harming conscious communication, it is essential to engage in a lot of self-reflection. If you’re up for that, read on to understand the exact approach we use in our Non-Violent Conscious Communication Coaching…
Consider the following questions, and write out your responses to each:
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What's an area of your life where you generally feel the most stress? (you're welcome to choose the top 3 if there's lots of competition, and repeat the following practice for each.)
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What's an example of a typical situation in that area of life that creates a stress response in you? (keep breathing deep 😉 - Be specific, without generalizing, labeling, or rationalizing. Describe exactly what was done, said, or thought, that was the moment you felt a trigger response in your body.
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Where in your body do you feel it? (Close your eyes, replay the moment, and notice where you feel it in your body. Put your hand on that place and breathe very slowly and deeeeply.)
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Describe each feeling that was coming up for you.
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Each feeling relates to a need that you have. For each feeling you identified, what need is related?
(You can use this free guide: Feelings and Needs Inventory)
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Now that you have a conscious awareness of your needs, you get to powerfully choose to reduce the harm that happens when those needs are not met! What request can you make of yourself to meet one or more of your needs?
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Then, what request can you make of someone else to help you meet your needs?
By answering these questions, you’ve taken great strides toward conscious communication that reduces harm and builds collaboration, trust, and a positive work environment. This approach allows you to identify areas for wellness and connection by focusing on the power of nonviolent communication to create a positive impact.
Remember, this isn’t a one-and-done, it takes constant practice! Consider the number of times you feel triggered in a day. Wouldn’t you feel a whole lot better, and lead a whole lot better, if those reactions subsided? What we’ve outlined here is the approach that can be applied EACH AND EVERY time your brain wants to fight or flee. You get to choose. Commit to this being a life-long practice, and you (and all those around you) will start to enjoy the benefits of non-harming conscious communication from Day 1 on into eternity!