In Non-Violent Communication (NVC), what are the four key components, and how do they facilitate empathetic expression?

The four key components of Non-Violent Communication (NVC) are: Observations, Feelings, Needs, and Requests. These components facilitate empathetic expression by promoting honest and clear communication of one's inner experience. First, *Observationsinvolve stating the facts of a situation without judgment or evaluation. For example, instead of saying 'You're always late,' an observation would be 'You arrived 30 minutes late to our meeting today.' Second, *Feelingsrequire identifying and naming the emotions that arise in response to the observation. Rather than saying 'I feel like you don't care,' a feeling statement would be 'I feel frustrated.' Third, *Needsinvolve expressing the underlying human needs that are connected to the feelings. Needs are universal human requirements like autonomy, connection, safety, and respect. In the example, the need might be 'I need to be able to rely on punctuality for effective collaboration.' Fourth, *Requestsinvolve making clear, specific, and actionable requests to meet those needs. The request should be phrased positively, stating what you *dowant rather than what you *don'twant. For example, 'Would you be willing to arrive on time for our future meetings, or to let me know in advance if you'll be late?' By structuring communication in this way, NVC helps individuals to express themselves authentically and empathetically, while also understanding the underlying needs and feelings of others, fostering connection and collaboration.