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Marshall B. Rosenberg

Marshall B. Rosenberg Quotes

Psychologist

Marshall B. Rosenberg was a renowned psychologist known for his theory of Nonviolent Communication. His theory emphasizes the importance of listening and expressing needs to promote harmonious relationships. Rosenberg was born on October 6, 1934, and passed away on February 7, 2015.

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Famous Marshall B. Rosenberg Quotes

“You'll find people less threatening if you hear what they're needing rather than what they're thinking about you.”

People Ifs Thinking Threatening Thinking About You

Author:Marshall B. Rosenberg

“Also, think about your intentionality - are you getting lost in the method? or coming from the intentionality, the purpose? You don't want to do the mechanics without the consciousness.”

Thinking Want Purpose Lost Consciousness Communication Method Mechanic Nonviolent Communication Getting Lost Intentionality

Author:Marshall B. Rosenberg

“Any evaluation which implies rightness or wrongness is a tragic, suicidal expression of an unmet need. Tragic, first because it decreases our likelihood of getting our need met! Even if we think it. And secondly, because it increases the likelihood of violence. That's why I'm suggesting any evaluation which implies rightness or wrongness is a tragic, suicidal expression of an unmet need. Say the need! Learn a need-consciousness.”

Ifs Thinking Needs Firsts Consciousness Violence Expression Communication Mets Increase Tragic Suicidal Decrease Nonviolent Communication Suggesting Evaluation Likelihood Unmet Needs

Author:Marshall B. Rosenberg

“I try never to hear what another person thinks of me. I enjoy life a lot more when I spend as little time as possible hearing or thinking about what other people think about me. I go to the needs behind the thoughts. Then I'm in a different world.”

People Thinking World Needs Trying Littles Persons Different Enjoy Behinds Communication Hearing Enjoy Life Nonviolent Communication Little Time Think Of Me Different Worlds

Author:Marshall B. Rosenberg

“Needs are never conflicting. When we say that, we are only saying that at the moment we aren't seeing how both needs can be met. That leaves an opening. When you think in the way I'm suggesting, you'll often find a way to get most needs met simultaneously.”

Thinking Way Needs Moments Seeing Communication Mets Opening Nonviolent Communication Suggesting

Author:Marshall B. Rosenberg

“Never hear what a jackal-speaking person thinks, especially what they think about you.”

Thinking Persons Communication Nonviolent Communication Jackals

Author:Marshall B. Rosenberg

“Not getting our needs fulfilled is painful - but it's a sweet pain, not suffering, which is what comes from life-alienated thinking and interpretation.”

Thinking Needs Pain Suffering Sweet Communication Painful Interpretation Fulfilled Nonviolent Communication

Author:Marshall B. Rosenberg

“People don't make us angry, how we think makes us angry.”

People Thinking Communication Angry Nonviolent Communication

Author:Marshall B. Rosenberg

“The only time a message (label) can scare us is if we think there is such a thing, and that such a thing is a disgrace.”

Ifs Thinking Communication Messages Labels Scare Only Time Disgrace Nonviolent Communication

Author:Marshall B. Rosenberg

“We're not taught to think in terms of needs. We don't make nice dead people when we're in touch with needs. Domination structures cannot maintain themselves when citizens are educated to be alive.”

People Thinking Needs Term Nice Alive Taught Communication Citizens Structure Educated Domination Nonviolent Communication Dead People

Author:Marshall B. Rosenberg

“You're going to lose it when you follow the world "feel" with the words "because I think". Any time you are thinking, your chance of getting what you need is greatly decreased, especially when you follow the word "think" with the word "you". I predict you won't only not get heard, but I predict a defensive aggressive reaction.”

Thinking World Needs Feels Loses Chance Heard Communication Reactions Aggressive Nonviolent Communication

Author:Marshall B. Rosenberg

“Thinking based on who deserves what blocks compassionate communication.”

Thinking Communication Deserve Block Compassionate

Author:Marshall B. Rosenberg

“We only feel dehumanized when we get trapped in the derogatory images of other people or thoughts of wrongness about ourselves. As author and mythologist Joseph Campbell suggested, "'What will they think of me?' must be put aside for bliss." We begin to feel this bliss when messages previously experienced as critical or blaming begin to be seen for the gifts they are: opportunities to give to people who are in pain.”

People Thinking Giving Feels Pain Opportunity Messages Blame Critical Bliss Trapped Nonviolent Communication Think Of Me Derogatory

Author:Marshall B. Rosenberg

“We are dangerous when we are not conscious of our responsibility for how we behave, think, and feel.”

Thinking Feels Emotion Responsibility Dangerous Emotional Conscious Behave Emotional Intelligence

Author:Marshall B. Rosenberg

“Postpone result/solution thinking until later; it's through connection that solutions materialize - empathy before education.”

Thinking Results Empathy Solutions Connections

Author:Marshall B. Rosenberg

“If you think ahead to what to say next - like how to fix it or make the person feel better - BOOM! Off the board. You're into the future. Empathy requires staying with the energy that's here right now. Not using any technique. Just being present. When I have really connected to this energy, it's like I wasn't there. I call this "watching the magic show". In this presence, a very precious energy works through us that can heal anything, and this relieves me from my "fix-it" tendencies.”

Ifs Thinking Feels Persons Shows Next Energy Magic Right Now Empathy Connected Technique Heal Tendencies Boards Staying Just Being Feel Better Magic Show

Author:Marshall B. Rosenberg

“The cause of anger lies in our thinking - in thoughts of blame and judgment.”

Thinking Lying Causes Communication Judgment Blame Nonviolent Communication

Author:Marshall B. Rosenberg

“Always listen to what people need rather than what they are thinking about us.”

People Thinking Needs Communication Nonviolent Communication

Author:Marshall B. Rosenberg

“As long as I think I 'should' do it, I'll resist it, even if I want very much to do it.”

Ifs Thinking Want Should Long Communication Nonviolent Communication

Book:Getting Past the Pain Between Us: Healing and Reconciliation Without Compromise

Source: Getting Past the Pain Between Us: Healing and Reconciliation Without Compromise

“I don't think you can have an authentic connection when one person is diagnosing the other.”

Thinking Persons Communication Connections Nonviolent Communication

Author:Marshall B. Rosenberg

“We are never angry because of what others say or do. It is our thinking that makes us angry.”

Thinking Communication Angry Nonviolent Communication

Author:Marshall B. Rosenberg

“Anger, depression, guilt, and shame are the product of the thinking that is at the base of violence on our planet.”

Thinking Violence Planets Products Communication Shame Guilt Our Planet Nonviolent Communication

Book:Getting Past the Pain Between Us: Healing and Reconciliation Without Compromise

Source: Getting Past the Pain Between Us: Healing and Reconciliation Without Compromise

“Never hear what somebody thinks about you, you'll live longer. Hear that they're in pain. Don't hear their analysis.”

Thinking Pain Communication Analysis Nonviolent Communication

Author:Marshall B. Rosenberg

“When we are depressed, our thinking blocks us from being aware of our needs, and then being able to take action to meet our needs.”

Thinking Needs Able Action Communication Block Nonviolent Communication

Book:Getting Past the Pain Between Us: Healing and Reconciliation Without Compromise

Source: Getting Past the Pain Between Us: Healing and Reconciliation Without Compromise

“Anger is a signal that you're distracted by judgmental or punitive thinking, and that some precious need of yours is being ignored.”

Thinking Needs Communication Ignored Signals Distracted Nonviolent Communication Judgmental Being Ignored

Author:Marshall B. Rosenberg

“I think that there is a problem with rewards and consequences because in the long run, they rarely work in the ways we hope. In fact, they are likely to backfire.”

Thinking Way Long Facts Problem Running Communication Consequence Rewards Long Runs Nonviolent Communication Backfire

Author:Marshall B. Rosenberg

“Clinical training in psychoanalysis has a deficit. It teaches how to sit and think about what a person is saying and how to interpret it intellectually, but not how to be fully present to this person.”

Thinking Persons Teach Communication Training Deficit Psychoanalysis Nonviolent Communication Clinicals

Author:Marshall B. Rosenberg

“Children need far more than basic skills in reading, writing, and math, as important as those might be. Children also need to learn how to think for themselves, how to find meaning in what they learn, and how to work and live together.”

Thinking Needs Writing Children Important Might Together Reading Communication Skills Math Find Me Nonviolent Communication Reading Writing

Book:Life-enriching Education: Nonviolent Communication Helps Schools Improve Performance, Reduce Conflict, and Enhance Relationships

Source: Life-enriching Education: Nonviolent Communication Helps Schools Improve Performance, Reduce Conflict, and Enhance Relationships

“If I'm using Nonviolent Communication I never, never, never hear what somebody thinks about me. Never hear what somebody thinks about you, you'll live longer. You'll enjoy life more. Hear the truth. The truth is that when somebody's telling you what's wrong with you, the truth is they have a need that isn't getting met. Hear that they're in pain. Don't hear the analysis.”