Giraffes and Jackals

If you're new to Be More Giraffe, you may be wondering what giraffes and jackals  have got to do with communication?! 

Inspired by the animal metaphors used by Marshall Rosenberg, founder of Nonviolent Communication, the giraffe and jackal symbolise certain ways of thinking, behaving and communicating. When I first began training in Nonviolent Communication, it was these animal metaphors that really helped me to bring awareness to these different ways of communicating - and later, to deepen my understanding as I began to embody my own 'giraffeness' - not just as a way of communicating, but as a way of being.

Time and time again, as a communication trainer,  I've seen the power of these metaphors in helping to bring the concepts to life - in a fun and non-threatening way that seems to really appeal to children and adults alike. In fact, they are so relatable that, over time, they came to form the foundations of all my trainings and, of course, the inspiration for Be More Giraffe.

What do the giraffe and jackal represent?

The giraffe represents how we show up in the world when we are connected with the inner compassionate nature that Rosenberg believed is our natural state of being. The jackal symbolises disconnection from that natural state.

Jackal thoughts, actions and language are often the result of learned, habitual responses to events. Giraffe thoughts, action and language come from being present in the moment and making a conscious choice to connect (with self and others) from a place of empathy.

Jackals evaluate and make moralistic judgements (both ‘positive’ and ‘negative’.) Their language is coercive, demanding, criticising, analysing and blaming. This is the type of language that tends to provoke defensive, aggressive or guilty responses in others.

Giraffes observe and listen rather than judge and evaluate. They separate the facts from their opinions. Their language is compassionate and honest, communicating from the heart and seeking connection and clarity. Giraffe language is unifying, whereas jackal language is alienating.

We all have a jackal and a giraffe inside us - they each serve to alert us to our needs and whether or not these have been met. In any given situation, we may choose to listen to and respond from either our jackal or our giraffe.

All humans have needs – both physical and abstract. Whether our needs are met or remain unmet, we will have an associated emotional response which in turn triggers a thought which will then result in an action. Needs (and our responses to them) will vary from person to person and from moment to moment.

Understanding and identifying the connection between our needs, feelings, thoughts and actions enables us to more readily access our inner giraffe. This is not always easy - our Jackal responses often jump in before the Giraffe has chance to blink...and this is where much of the work lies. By bringing awareness to our Jackal thoughts and actions, we can learn to pause so that we can be in choice about how we respond.

Learn more about the Giraffe here. 

Learn more about the Jackal here.