Nonviolent Communication Model Workshop

This workshop introduces the core principles of Nonviolent Communication and helps your team practise speaking honestly and listening with empathy in real workplace situations.

Read time: 4 minutes

Some of the hardest moments at work aren’t about deadlines, strategy, or workload.

They’re about what to say and how to say it when something’s gone wrong.

Someone’s missed a deadline.

A colleague keeps interrupting.

You feel left out of a key decision.

Most people either stay quiet and let it build up, or they say something in the moment that doesn’t land well.

Either way, the tension lingers.

This workshop teaches a simple, practical way to handle these kinds of conversations based on the core principles of Nonviolent Communication created by Marshall B. Rosenberg.

It’s a framework that helps you say what matters without blame, and listen in a way that actually helps. Not just nod along.

Why does this matter?

Because teams don’t fall apart from poor technical skills.

They fall apart from miscommunication, unresolved conflict, and the slow erosion of trust that comes from things left unsaid or said badly.

Here’s the thing. Most people don’t fail because they don’t care.

They fail because no one ever taught them how to express themselves clearly, and how to listen without trying to fix or defend.

And it’s easy to think you’re a “good communicator” until a real moment of tension hits and suddenly, the right words just aren’t there.

Here’s a thought I come back to often:

A team’s ability to speak honestly and listen well is a better predictor of long-term success than any process or tool.

And yet, most teams don’t train for it.

That’s why this workshop exists. It’s practical, interactive, and focused on real workplace situations.

Here’s what your participants will take away from the session:

No theory overload. No awkward roleplays. Just real, useful tools your team can actually use.

Let’s get into it…

Workshop Title

Clearer Conversations, Stronger Teams

Duration: 1.5 hours

Workshop Objectives

 Learn the four steps of the Nonviolent Communication model
Practise expressing needs clearly without blame or judgment
Improve listening skills through empathetic responses
Apply the NVC approach to real team situations
Commit to using one NVC habit in everyday conversations

Materials Needed

 Flipchart or whiteboard
Markers
Handouts with NVC framework (see below)
Printed scenario cards (see below)
Timer
 Sticky notes

Workshop Plan

Welcome and Purpose (10 min)

Mini input: The NVC model (10 min)

Paired practice: Spot the NVC (10 min)

Team scenarios: Rewrite with NVC (20 min)

Real-life practice: Self-empathy + Request (20 min)

Team discussion: Using NVC in practice (15 min)

Wrap-up and commitments (5 min)

Facilitation Tips

Conclusion

Most teams spend hours refining workflows, tools and processes but very little time learning how to talk to each other when it really counts.

This workshop isn’t about getting the words “right.”

It’s about building a culture where people feel safe to be honest, and skilled enough to handle what honesty brings up.

Because when communication improves, so does everything else.

Trust deepens. Decisions speed up. Small frustrations don’t become big ones.

And people actually start to enjoy working together again.

If you’ve ever felt stuck in silence, or frustrated by how things are said (or not said), this kind of practice makes a real difference.

You don’t need a full reset. Just a better way to start.

Want to try it with your team?

If you want the slides and handouts for this workshop you can buy them here.

They are also part of my Bestselling Book Workshops Bundle, which brings the price per workshop down considerably.

You get everything you need to run it including the process, statistics, visuals, templates, workbooks and handouts.

If growing teams and organizations using the power of workshops is a goal of yours, you can shortcut your journey and join 11,000+ others here.

See you next week.