The Power of Authentic Connection

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Highlights
  • Author: Joni Roberts
  • Level: Intro to Advanced
  • Total time: 10 hours
  • eBook Chapters: 25
  • Practice Exercises: 20  
  • Discussion Topics: 20

Inspired by the legacies of Mahatma Ghandi, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Marshall Rosenberg, PhD, find your authentic voice and learn how to communicate from a place of love and truth. 

Changing the world starts with changing ourselves, our relationships with one another, and the gorgeous planet we share. Social and environmental sustainability begins with skills in empathy and compassion, connecting to our authentic selves and deep passions, and standing strong in the power of love and truth.

Course Overview
We are living through a transformational time when humanity is evolving from hierarchical structures of power over to collaborative cultures of empowerment. To meet this moment, we need to unlearn the ways of the past and develop new ways of relating that lead to greater harmony with one another and nature.

Expand on the teachings of Cultivating Connection to become an inspiring leader for people and the planet. Go deeper into the practices of empathy-- the number one skill of great leaders, and compassion-- the highest form of human intelligence, to transform workplaces and the world. Find your authentic voice and express it with confidence while adopting the constructive behaviors and mindsets of global, compassion, abundance, growth, and changemaker. This course is designed to be an insightful personal journey as well as an excellent sustainability leadership and team training tool.
What to Expect
This on-demand course allows you to study and apply the practices at your pace. It includes an interactive eBook with readings, videos, exercises, quizzes, links, an eJournal, and the opportunity to engage in discussions with learners and the instructor, Joni Roberts, who can also be hired to lead private trainings and retreats.
Mindsets
  • Global
  • Compassion
  • Abundance
  • Growth
  • Changemaker
skillsets
  • Communication & authentic connection
  • Emotional Intelligence
  • Empathy & openly listening
  • Awareness of self & others
  • Understanding intrinsic motivators
  • Hearing the voice of nature
  • Ethics and moral responsibility
  • Compassionate action
  • Leadership & social influence
  • Teamwork & Collaboration
  • Analytical & creative thinking
  • Resilience, flexibility & agility
  • Curiosity & lifelong learning
Certificate of Completion
The series of workshops titled "Celebrations & Communications" was part of our institutional professional learning, with a focus on self-awareness to increase cohesion and build productive work relationships among staff. The series was beautifully curated and served to open dialog across the organization that has helped us improve both socially and in terms of our work product.

David Shulman, Ph.D.

DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE SAYLOR ACADEMY
Feeling heard, understood and appreciated contributes towards creating an environment in which an individual feels psychologically safe. "The Power of Authentic Connection" course is exceptional at teaching the student the importance of compassion and empathy in fostering meaningful relations with others. The course encourages one to be introspective and evaluate how they approach other individuals, and where to improve. The heart activation exercises were very helpful to me and I can easily use one of the breathing techniques when facing a situation that makes me feel anxious.

Bavana Maharaj

CHEMICAL ENGINEER, SOUTH AFRICA
Advanced Online Course + eJournal

Highlights

Become an Inspiring Leader

Inspired by the legacies of Mahatma Ghandi, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Marshall Rosenberg, PhD, learn how to communicate from a place of love and truth. Go deeper into the practices of empathy-- the number one skill of great leaders, and compassion-- the highest form of human intelligence, to transform workplaces and the world.

Cultivate Authentic Connection 

Learn how to lead a Celebrations, Appreciations & Frustrations™ practice designed by the author, Joni Roberts, that encourages open, honest, and emotionally responsible communication. Discover more about one another, create a deeper sense of belonging, and build better relationships.

Activate Your Power Centers

Tap into the intelligence of your heart that together with your mind unleashes a superpower of compassion-centered living and leadership. Quickly shift from reactivity to positivity with practices that activate your personal power centers and allow you to connect with others in an open and collaborative way.

Apply the Practice for People and the Planet

Learn a universal language that connects all cultures and genders as well as animals and nature. Identify root motivators and communicate in a way that is highly effective for promoting peace and finding ways to increase impact for social and environmental sustainability.
Compassion at the core

The Roots of Nonviolent Communication

Truth | Love | Peace | Freedom | Cooperation

Mahatma Ghandi & Martin Luther King, Jr.

Leaders, Non-violent Social change
In the early 1900s, Mahatma Ghandi applied satyagraha, or holding to truth, to successfully lead peaceful protests for India's freedom and independence. In the 1950s, Ghandi became a guiding light for Martin Luther King by showing how truth and love can win when fighting for racial justice. 

Marshall Rosenberg, PhD

Creator, Non-violent communication
In the 1960s, Marshall Rosenberg developed nonviolent communication (NVC) based on peace, freedom, and the principle of ahimsa – the natural state of compassion when no violence is present in the heart. "A life-enriching organization is one in which all work in the organization comes out supporting life in the form of meeting needs—needs of the physical planet, trees, lakes, or human beings or animals."

Satya Nadella

CEO, Microsoft
In the workplace, NVC is used to build empathetic communication, openness, and trust. When Satya Nadella became CEO of Microsoft, he gave Rosenberg's NVC book to his leadership team and calls it: "The one book that transformed Microsoft's culture from cutthroat to creative."

Joni Roberts

Founder, Evolution University
Compassion is the core to social and environmental sustainability and raises the standards of what is possible. When we connect empathetically with people, animals, and nature, we can ask what would great look like and take actions to improve conditions and experiences that lead to better relationships and a better world.

Al Gore, former Vice President of the USA and Nobel-Peace Prize Laureate for climate activism speaks on satyagraha as a force for good at COP28 in Dubai.

“I think that the truth itself has a palpable force. Mahatma Ghandi used the phrase satyagraha and the people who’ve explained it to me say that it most easily translates as truth force. And I think there is such a thing and when you learn a good deal about the nature of this crisis, and you internalize the truth of it, and you feel passionately about it, that can give you the ability to communicate very forcefully and persuasively. Because it’s not always the facts that have the biggest impact. They’re important to get right, but it’s the passion that is connected to intelligent advocacy.” - Al Gore, speaking with Joshua Steib of YOUNGO
"We can face the realities of any problems that arise and work together to solve them. Lies are not problems to be solved, instead they create chaos, confusion, hate, and harm. Building better relationships and a better world requires us to be powered by truth and love." - Joni Roberts

What's Included!

 5 Star Rated Book: Celebrations, Appreciations & Frustrations

 9 Additional Chapters plus expanded Celebrations book content

 40 Interactive Discussions and Exercises

 Instructor Interaction

 7 Educational Videos

 3 Music Videos

 4 Content Quizzes

 1 Life Experience Audit

 1 Relationship Quiz

 3 PDF Resources

 Interactive eJournal

 Mini eBook Download

 Certificate of Completion

Cultivate the Power of Authentic Connection

Master the three pillars of knowledge: 1) empathy and compassion, 2) feelings and needs, and 3) stories.

1. Express empathy and compassion for self and others with ease.
2. Supercharge your awareness and understanding by integrating the three forms of empathy: cognitive, emotional, and sensory.
3. Learn heart activation techniques and compassion hacks to engage your higher self.
4. Connect the universal language of feelings to needs and drivers of behavior.
5. Reduce disconnection by editing the stories we tell ourselves.
6. Take it to another level by releasing all narrative and simply being in the moment.

Ignite the Transformational Power of Alchemy

1. Find your authentic voice and stand in the power of love and truth.
2. Learn how compassion raises the standards of what is possible.
3. Tap into the highest form of human intelligence by combining the power center of your heart with the cognitive processing of your mind and sensory experiences of your being.
4. Take the relationship quiz to evaluate the status of relationships, adopt strategies to shift from surviving to thriving, and measure progress.
6. Transform workplace cultures by infusing them with meaning, care, and kindness.
7. Become your highest self by adopting the constructive behaviors and mindsets of global, compassion, abundance, growth, and changemaker.
8. Create positive vibes in yourself that ripple out to the world.

Lead and Participate in a Celebrations, Appreciations & Frustrations Practice

1. Understand the guidelines and intentions for the practice.
2. Build better relationships by leading and participating in a practice.
3. Integrate the practice in meetings to cultivate connection and inclusion.
4. Use the practice as a tool to get open and honest feedback on project development successes and challenges.
5. Explore multiple ways to apply the practice for people and the planet.

Create Your Own Practice Groups and Workshops

1. The course is designed to empower facilitators and relationship coaches to create their own practice groups and coaching workshops.
2. Sign up participants in this course for educational material and lead individuals and groups through the practices.
3. Train-the-trainer and private group sessions available upon request.

Discuss with Others

Participate in our online forum, share thoughts and ideas, successes and challenges, and get feedback from the instructor.

Bonus: Write Your Own Stories

Reinforce practices with journaling. Included is a beautiful 100-page interactive eJournal with inspirational quotes by the author, Joni Roberts. The digital journal can be used repeatedly by each enrollee. Once you finish, begin again with a new version.

Preview the Welcome Section

Celebrations Book Reviews

What people are saying  

     
Josephine Catuogno
Kean University Student
Must Read!
This was a fantastic book! I enjoyed reading every word and I felt like the format was very easy to read and the information helped me to implement new techniques into my relationships. I would highly recommend this book to anyone!
     
Tery Spataro
Researcher, Strategist, Futurist
Thought Provoking, Insightful
Sometimes we forget our connection to our family, friends, community, nature, and earthly environment. Joni Roberts writes a timely and inspirational book to bring purpose and meaning to our lives through celebrating, appreciating, what's around us, and understanding frustrations that are learning experiences. This book is thorough and thought-provoking, with helpful exercises and insightful takeaways.
     
David Voss
President, Voss & Associates
Small Book, Big Impact
This book is a brief, thoughtful and insightful mirror into our soul, allowing the reader to figure out how to find joy and overcome habits that impede our progress in relationships. Through simple steps and common sense language, Joni Roberts drives home the point that compassion and connections will bring authenticity to our relationships. It takes about a 90 minutes to read (the book) and more time to practice, and then you will reap the rewards.

Are you ready to change your relationships and change the world?

Would you like to engage a facilitator to lead groups through the practices, customized to your team's needs?

Meet the instructor

Joni Roberts, Chief Evolution Officer

With a passion for empowering people through education, Joni combines her unique experience in entrepreneurship and higher education with a mission to create a more joyful, prosperous, and sustainable world. In addition to founding Evolution University, Joni is a leadership, organizational behavior, global strategy, innovation, and sustainability professor since 2008 and currently teaches for Kean University in New Jersey. In 2012, she became involved in the work of Marshall Rosenberg, PhD. and nonviolent communication (NVC). Today this is expressed through her book, Celebrations, Appreciations & Frustrations and the corresponding online courses: Cultivating Connection and The Power of Authentic Connection.
Patrick Jones - Course author
"Compassion is the highest form of human intelligence." - Joni Roberts
Evolution University is a United Nations global goals partner

Supporting the Sustainable Development Goals

The SDGs
Big challenges need bold action to overcome them, and that is where the Global Goals come in. They are a plan led by the United Nations and agreed to by all world leaders to build a greener, fairer, better world by 2030, and we all have a role in achieving them.

Educational content offered by Evolution University aligns to achieving the SDGs by providing people practical ways to learn, grow, and evolve together and take meaningful action for the goals. The mindsets and skillsets developed in this course support all of the SDGs and in particular the following.
Good Health & Wellbeing
Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. We are spending an astonishing amount of money and resources on treating illnesses that are surprisingly easy to prevent. The new goal for worldwide good health promotes healthy lifestyles, mental health and well-being, preventive measures and modern, efficient healthcare for everyone.

In the workplace, this shows up as more happiness and job satisfaction, higher engagement levels, better health and wellness, and reduced sick days.
Reduced Inequalities
Reduce inequalities within and among countries. Too much of the world’s wealth is held by a very small group of people.This often leads to financial and social discrimination. In order for nations to flourish, equality and prosperity must be available to everyone – regardless of gender, race, religious beliefs or economic status. When every individual is self sufficient, the entire world prospers.

In the workplace, this fits into diversity, equity, and inclusion programs where all people have a sense of belonging and opportunities to prosper.
Quality Education
Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. Education liberates the intellect, unlocks the imagination and is fundamental for self-respect. It is the key to prosperity and opens a world of opportunities, making it possible for each of us to contribute to a progressive, healthy society. Learning benefits every human being and should be available to all.

In the workplace, continuous learning and professional development are an investment in people, who in return drive the success of the organization.
Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels. Compassion and a strong moral compass is essential to every democratic society. Yet, persecution, injustice and abuse still runs rampant and is tearing at the very fabric of civilization. We must ensure that we have strong institutions, global standards of justice, and a commitment to peace everywhere.

In the workplace, this shows up as governance and leadership that is grounded in ethics, compassion, peace, and justice.
Partnership for the Goals
Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development. The Global Goals can only be met if we work together. International investments and support is needed to ensure innovative technological development, fair trade and market access, especially for developing countries. To build a better world, we need to be supportive, empathetic, inventive, passionate, and above all, cooperative.

In the workplace, partnering for the goals develops the mindsets of global, compassion, abundance, growth and changemaker, that represent the top skills for today and the future.
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