The greatest influence on school climate lies in the words and actions of our school adults. Typically, when educators work systemically on school climate they first try teaching social and emotional skills (SEL) to students or replacing a punitive, exclusionary discipline policy with one that supports collaborative solutions. While both of these strategies are essential, neither one of them will actually succeed unless the adults in the school are modeling the words and empathic behaviors that we are trying to teach our students. This includes all school administrators and all staff and how they communicate with their colleagues, students and parents.
Communication skills are easily taught and developed. The goal is not to "get someone to do something." Rather, the goal of mindful/nonviolent communication is to become more aware of what we are thinking, feeling, and needing and how well we are listening with compassion for what matters most to others. Instead of judging, blaming or criticizing, we first tune into what others are feeling and wanting, confirm if we are understanding correctly, and then share what's important to us. This sets the stage for making a request that would be received well, or developing a solution collaboratively.
Observation, Feelings, Needs and Requests are the 4 steps of Mindful (NonViolent) Communication. Marshall Rosenberg and Oren Sofer have contributed significantly to this approach, teaching it to the general public. Other work called "Empathic Communication" has been used in business and therapeutic trainings for decades. Click on the link in the right-hand column to learn more about bringing these life-changing skills to your school.