Marshall Rosenberg, an American psychologist, author and trainer, who came up with the jackal and the giraffe, explained them this way: “At an early age, most of us were taught to speak and think jackal. This language is from the head. It is a way of mentally classifying people into varying shades of good and bad, right and wrong. Ultimately it provokes defensiveness, resistance, and counterattack. Giraffe bids us to speak from the heart, to talk about what is going on for us, without judging others.”

One of Marshall Rosenberg’s key points is that it’s not just about communication. It is about two different worldviews: One that sees the world in terms of conflict, constant struggle, and competition; and the other, while recognising that conflict exists, sees the world in terms of harmony, empathy and cooperation.

So, which one would you choose? The Jackal or the Giraffe?