San Diego
Nonviolent Communication Group Purpose and Identity
Statement
Purpose
Our purpose is to contribute to manifesting a shift in
consciousness to a compassionate world.
Statement of Identity
Motivated by our deep desire for peace, we come together to
develop a community organization for Nonviolent Communication (NVC) because
it is our experience that applying the tools and
consciousness of NVC is one way to live this desire.
Our collective vision of a world where needs are met
peacefully though self-connection, empathy, and
honesty motivates us and fuels our ongoing journey of
peace-making. Each of us has made a personal choice to
live compassionately, returning to compassionate
living when we miss the mark, and supporting others
who wish to live compassionately in the world.
We value the practice of using our awareness of the living
energy of our needs to guide our behavior. In living this
perspective, we seek to check-in with ourselves often to
clarify if our behavior honors those needs. We honor the
freedom of each San Diego Nonviolent Communication Group
(SDNVC) member to contribute as much or as little time or
energy to the organization as they feel called to, in
integrity with their feelings and needs. When needs are
unmet, it is our hope that we will seek out strategies that
foster connection and openness both within our group and
with other organizations.
SDNVC is composed of people that are unique expressions of
life energy each with different skills, preferences, and
gifts. One of the strengths of our core group is a
willingness to be present to what’s happening inside
us as individuals, and to what’s happening with
others. There is an acknowledgement that all beings are one
and that this oneness is manifest in the
needs/values/desires that motivate all behavior. This
consciousness allows for an environment of openness,
transparency, empathy, and mutual understanding.
Vision
The San Diego Nonviolent Communication Group is an
organization for individuals who are passionate about
sharing and teaching NVC and who seek to do so in
collaboration with others. SDNVC consists of a website, a
core member group and the management structure outlined in
this identity statement.
We envision this organization as a hub, where members
freely choose their own level of contribution and
participation. This fluidity and freedom encourages us to
continuously be aware of and live in integrity with the ebb
and flow of our individual needs.
We envision the SDNVC hub as a rotary, where information,
energy and persons flow freely in and out of the
organization. Any resources that are developed are
available for anyone using NVC to facilitate community
building, systems change, personal growth and/or education.
Those who resonate with our purpose are welcome to use
these resources to provide empathy, raise awareness about
NVC, and support people in their NVC learning.
Leadership
Any member of the core group can exercise leadership in
line with the purpose and management structures described
below. We are currently developing the guidelines to join
SDNVC as a new core group member. It is our intention to
have core membership open to anyone who shares our purpose
and feels called to participate and contribute.
Leadership is exercised within the core group for two
central purposes. The first is to cultivate and support NVC
consciousness within the SDNVC organization and throughout
the larger community. The second is to develop and manage
resources for individuals working to share NVC.
Leadership is exercised by calling together an Empathy
Circle, a Partnership Circle, or by submitting a proposal
using the Five to Fold decision-making process (described
below).
Individuals are chosen for leadership through
self-selection: any core group member who feels called to
can make a proposal or initiate a project using the methods
described in the Management section. We sense that this
method of self-selection is an effective way to be
continuously connected to the living energy of our needs.
The qualities of leadership we most resonate with include
aliveness, passion, compassion, wisdom, capability and the
ability to be present, aware and forward-looking.
Management
SDNVC management structures include an Empathy Circle and a
Partnership Circle. These circles meet whenever a member of
the core group extends an invitation. The Empathy Circle
meets for the purpose of peer mentoring through receiving
and giving empathy. The Partnership Circle meets for the
following purposes: (1) to collaborate on a project or
initiative connected with NVC using the community's shared
resources (2) to initiate and collaborate on further
developing the SDNVC hub. These gatherings are face-to-face
or virtual, using email or telephone.
For decision-making, SDNVC members submit proposals to the
group using the Five to Fold process from the Genuine Contact Program. The intention
behind selecting the Five to Fold process was to use a
decision-making approach that is in integrity with
NVC, embraces efficiency, personal and group healing,
leadership development, community building, and can be
used online and offline.
Current SDNVC infrastructure includes an accounting system,
a website, an email list and calendar of local SDNVC
events. The givens (or non-negotiables) of the SDNVC hub
are to be clarified at a later juncture.
Community
SDNVC is a fluid organization (i.e., that those involved
come in and go out as their needs shift). Part of this
fluidity is an ongoing invitation to others (groups and
individuals) to be part of the discussion about how best to
accomplish our purpose. With a desire for efficiency,
effectiveness, and resource conservation, decisions on
whether to enter into partnerships and alliances are made
by the core group.
About this document
This document is the result of meetings held by a team of 8
Nonviolent Communication (NVC)
community members between November 2009 and January
2011. We met with the shared purpose of establishing a
foundation for a vibrant San Diego NVC community
organization dedicated to supporting NVC consciousness
and learning. This Purpose and Identity Statement was
finalized and adopted on January 8, 2011.
Core Group Members
Mike Collier, Tera Gardner, Amy McQuillan, David R. McCain,
Nicole Pallai Green, Akasha Rose
About Nonviolent Communication
Nonviolent Communication is a method of
communication and consciousness that helps us connect
to one another at the heart level. The terms
Nonviolent Communication, NVC, and Compassionate
Communication are used interchangeably to describe
this method. It was developed by Marshall Rosenberg
and is currently practiced in over 60 countries around
the world. More information about Nonviolent Communication and Dr.
Rosenberg can be found at the Center for Nonviolent Communication