BASICS OF RQ

Written By Amber Benton

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INCLUSIVE COMMUNICATION PART 2: BASICS OF RESTORATIVE QUESTIONING

Last time we connected about nonviolent communication (NVC). Now I’m sharing how to use restorative questioning as another skill for your inclusive communication toolkit.

WHAT IS RESTORATIVE QUESTIONING?

Restorative questions are the questions practitioners use in restorative practice and restorative justice approaches. Restorative practice is derived from indigenous communities where there is a proactive effort to strengthen connections within communities. This is related to, yet different, from restorative justice which is a reactive approach to addressing harm within communities and holding those responsible for harm, accountable. Both approaches take skill, time, and practice to develop and implement effectively.

Since we’re friends, I’m sharing the basic version so you can start implementing restorative questioning into your daily life today:

Questions for the person that caused the harm:

  • Can you tell me what happened?

  • What were you thinking and feeling, at the time, that led you to do that?

  • Who do you think has been affected by your actions? 

  • What do you need to do to make the situation right or better?

Questions for the person that was impacted by the harm:

  • Can you tell me what happened?

  • What do you think of the situation? How did this make you feel?

  • What impact has this interaction had on you?

  • What do you think needs to happen to make things right or better?

TLDR: When you witness harm being done, you can utilize restorative questions to address and ultimately, resolve the situation.

Want to learn more? Check out the full series:

Inclusive Communication Part 1: Basics of Nonviolent Communication

Inclusive Communication Part 2: Basics of Restorative Questioning

Inclusive Communication Part 3: Basics of Goal-Oriented Communication

Interested in an inclusive communication workshop? Send me a message and let’s connect.

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Until next time,

Your favorite Chief Diversity Officer,


Dr. B.

Amber Benton

Dr. Amber Benton (she/her/hers) is an educator, diversity/inclusion/equity (DEI) expert, and intergroup dialogue facilitator. She is an advocate for healthy workplace cultures with over a decade of professional experience. She has served as a Chief Diversity Officer for the past several years and holds master’s and doctoral degrees in education.

https://www.amberbenton.com
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