Six considerations for Giraffes interested in teaching NVC

revised 7/03

1. Clarity of Intention

• What are the intentions behind my desire to teach NVC?
  
• What do I want others to be getting out of this?
  
• What am I wanting to get out of (or learn from) doing this?
  
• What is the relationship between what I get and what they get?
  
• Do I see myself teaching the truth? Is it possible for others to have a different truth? How do I see the relationship between their truths and mine? How important is it that others agree with my teachings on NVC? Why?
  

2. Ability to live in Giraffe consciousness/dedicated to ongoing learning

• What am I doing to deepen my capacity to empathize with myself?
  
• What am I doing to deepen my capacity to empathize with others?
  
• Am I aware when my Giraffe ears have fallen off? How am I cultivating this awareness?
  
• What do I do when my ears fall off?
  
• When I organize or teach at NVC events, what kinds of interactions with others are most likely to knock my ears off? How would I like to be responding?
  

3. Familiarity with NVC theory

• Do I understand the objectives of NVC, philosophical assumptions, the four components and two parts of the model, concepts of life-alienated and life-connected communications, the quality of empathy, the process of anger, mourning, self-empathy, etc.?
  
• Am I able to easily recall to mind such information such as:
  
• the characteristics of Jackal language
  
• speech patterns that mask accountability for one's feelings
  
• the three common kinds of requests
  
• the four steps to expressing anger fully
  
• the three components of a Giraffe appreciation, etc.
  

4. Ability to teach NVC

• In any situation where I am consciously called to do so, am I able to apply the four pieces of the model to verbally express myself or to empathize? (role plays, illustrations, etc.)
  
• What do I consider to be the most important information to present?
  
• How do I organize this material?
  
• What kinds of teaching aids, curricula, activities, examples, etc. do I use?
  
• How do I engage the participants' interest?
  
• How do I solicit feedback (from participants, peers, those with more experience)?
  
• How do I increase such qualities as clarity, comprehensiveness, compellingness, etc.?
  

5. Commitment to building community through Northwest Compassionate Communication

• How does my presence enrich the team?
  
• What resources am I offering?
  
• How do I contribute to the cohesiveness, harmony or growth of the community?
  
• How motivated am I to participate in a vision to create a Giraffe world?
  

6. Publicizing NVC

• How do I plan to spread the word about NVC within the larger community, such as friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, etc.?
  
• Am I planning to rely upon NVC training as a significant sources of income? If so, how do I increase my competency in the areas of planning, organizing publicizing, and marketing?
  

For more information see Prerequisites (requests) for becoming a Giraffe Guide or a Northwest Compassionate Communication Trainer.