--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If we don't tell people about our needs…" description: "\"If we don't tell people about our needs, it is much less likely they will be met.\" — Marshall B. Rosenberg" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/035/marshall-b-rosenberg-1145_communication_if-we-don-t-tell-people-about-our-needs_2566856.png" --- # If we don't tell people about our needs, it is much less… ![“If we don't tell people about our needs, it is much less likely they will be met.” quote by Marshall B. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/035/marshall-b-rosenberg-1145_communication_if-we-don-t-tell-people-about-our-needs_2566856.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/035/marshall-b-rosenberg-1145_communication_if-we-don-t-tell-people-about-our-needs_2566856.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/035/marshall-b-rosenberg-1145_communication_if-we-don-t-tell-people-about-our-needs_2566856.png) > “If we don't tell people about our needs, it is much less likely they will be met.” [Marshall B. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-b-rosenberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Openly expressing needs increases the chance they will be understood and met. **In simple terms:** Speak up about needs. Key Takeaway Communicate needs clearly. Themes communication needs relationships Mood hopeful empathetic Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - team meetings - family discussions - therapy sessions Key Concepts empathy assertiveness Questions to Reflect On - How can you ask for help without demanding? - What barriers prevent you from sharing needs? A Different Perspective People may still ignore needs despite clear expression. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Don Tell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/don-tell/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Mets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mets/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Needs Likely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs-likely-1655626/) [Nonviolent communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nonviolent-communication/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-needs-456073/) [Tell People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tell-people/) ## Related quotes > [The more important the subject and the closer it cuts to the bone of our hopes and needs, the more we are likely to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/the-more-important-the-subject-and-the-closer-it-cuts-to-the-bone-of/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [In mapping, where I have no sense of direction, my needs are likely to coincide with the needs of lots of people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lars-rasmussen/in-mapping-where-i-have-no-sense-of-direction-my-needs-are-likely-to/) [Lars Rasmussen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lars-rasmussen/) > [“First Keep your mouth shut. Second Nothing is more unproductive then trying to tell people things they don’t want to hear. That is why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-redding/first-keep-your-mouth-shut-second-nothing-is-more-unproductive-then/) [Robert E Redding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-redding/) > [I don't tell many people my last name.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allegra-versace/i-don-t-tell-many-people-my-last-name/) [Allegra Versace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allegra-versace/) > [I have nothing against alсoнol, there is nothing I can do to tell people not to do it. I don't tell people not to,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-pryde-2/i-have-nothing-against-al-o-ol-there-is-nothing-i-can-do-to-tell/) [D-Pryde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-pryde-2/) > [“Sometimes... I don't tell people about their wrongdoings. I tell them about the gain of doing otherwise.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/sometimes-i-don-t-tell-people-about-their-wrongdoings-i-tell-them/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [“Don’t tell people what you’re gonna do, just do it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/don-t-tell-people-what-you-re-gonna-do-just-do-it/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [Don't tell people you care about them when all you really care about is getting your own way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-plum-ucci/don-t-tell-people-you-care-about-them-when-all-you-really-care-about/) [Carol Plum-Ucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-plum-ucci/) > [Don't tell me what people that don't like me say about me, tell me why they are so comfortable telling you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-rowe/don-t-tell-me-what-people-that-don-t-like-me-say-about-me-tell-me-why/) [Rashida Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-rowe/) > [If you don’t tell people about your success, they probably won’t know about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/if-you-don-t-tell-people-about-your-success-they-probably-won-t-know/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [You don't get to tell people why they can't be offended. That's not how that works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-the-drag-queen/you-don-t-get-to-tell-people-why-they-can-t-be-offended-that-s-not/) [Bob the Drag Queen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-the-drag-queen/) > [You don't have to tell people what they're doing wrong. They already know. Your job is to love them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/you-don-t-have-to-tell-people-what-they-re-doing-wrong-they-already/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [Don't tell people how to live, demonstrate by example.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-waitley/don-t-tell-people-how-to-live-demonstrate-by-example/) [Denis Waitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-waitley/) > [“You don't get to tell people how to love you; you get to choose if you want to participate in the way they love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iyanla-vanzant/you-don-t-get-to-tell-people-how-to-love-you-you-get-to-choose-if-you/) [Iyanla Vanzant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iyanla-vanzant/) > [Don't tell people how to do things, tell them what to do and let them surprise you with their results.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-s-patton/don-t-tell-people-how-to-do-things-tell-them-what-to-do-and-let-them/) [George S. Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-s-patton/) ## More by Marshall B. Rosenberg > [When you need empathy, you cannot give empathy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-b-rosenberg/when-you-need-empathy-you-cannot-give-empathy/) [Marshall B. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-b-rosenberg/) > [Understanding the other persons' needs does not mean you have to give up on your own needs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-b-rosenberg/understanding-the-other-persons-needs-does-not-mean-you-have-to-give/) [Marshall B. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-b-rosenberg/) > [Plans to exact retribution are never going to make us safer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-b-rosenberg/plans-to-exact-retribution-are-never-going-to-make-us-safer/) [Marshall B. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-b-rosenberg/) > [NVC gives us tools and understanding to create a more peaceful state of mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-b-rosenberg/nvc-gives-us-tools-and-understanding-to-create-a-more-peaceful-state/) [Marshall B. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-b-rosenberg/) > [What I want in my life is compassion a flow between myself and others based on mutual giving from the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-b-rosenberg/what-i-want-in-my-life-is-compassion-a-flow-between-myself-and-others/) [Marshall B. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-b-rosenberg/) > [Analyses of others are actually expressions of our own needs and values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-b-rosenberg/analyses-of-others-are-actually-expressions-of-our-own-needs-and/) [Marshall B. 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Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-b-rosenberg/) > [Two questions help us see why we are unlikely to get what we want by using punishment... The first question is: What do I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-b-rosenberg/two-questions-help-us-see-why-we-are-unlikely-to-get-what-we-want-by/) [Marshall B. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-b-rosenberg/) > [Praise and reward create a system of extrinsic motivations for behavior. Children (and adults) end up taking action in order to receive the praise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-b-rosenberg/praise-and-reward-create-a-system-of-extrinsic-motivations-for/) [Marshall B. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-b-rosenberg/) > [Everything we do is in service of our needs. When this one concept is applied to our view of others, we'll see that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-b-rosenberg/everything-we-do-is-in-service-of-our-needs-when-this-one-concept-is/) [Marshall B. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-b-rosenberg/) [Explore all 283 Marshall B. Rosenberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-b-rosenberg/) ## More Communication quotes > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. 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