Dr. George Thompson, 1941 - 2011

[Mike Oliver]

It is with great sadness that I must inform you of the passing of Dr. George "Doc" Thompson.

For 27 years, as founder and CEO of the Verbal Judo Institute, Doc led the charge to elevate the professionalism and communication skills for crisis professionals, such as law enforcement and all first responders.

His work gained many followers, in both the public and private sectors.

"The entire basis of Verbal Judo is to treat people with dignity and respect, most of all your family and close friends," Thompson wrote in the forward to his book, "Verbal Judo: The Gentle Art of Persuasion." (This book sold 250,000 copies and is scheduled for re-release later this year.)

"Be ever so careful how you speak to them, as words can cut deeper and fester longer than sword wounds," he continued. "Ironically, we often spend less energy being kind to those closest to us. Change it!"

Dr. Thompson has given us the strategies and the language to make the world a better place. 

Over the course of the last year, Doc had been working hard to assemble a team to expand upon his message. Our school was a part of that team. We were one of the first martial arts schools that worked directly with the Verbal Self-Defense Institute to bring Verbal Judo skills to our communities youth. 

Dr. Thompson was, and continues to be, an inspiration. If you would like to share your thoughts, you can post them below in the comments section.