To close out this fifteen-part series on strategy, what can one person as an individual do? First, I recommend considering you may be offering people unsolicited advice based on judgments they don’t agree with if you, say, waltz into the country and tell people there you are going to help them make their lives better. Now matter how sure you are that you will help them, if they didn’t invite[…] Keep reading →

Yesterday’s exercise was to list a couple areas in your life you want to improve. Today’s exercise is to view the areas from the perspective of the Model. Exercise 2 Part 1 Write on a piece of paper in four different lines, the words “Old environment:,” “Old beliefs:,” “Old emotions:,” and “Old behaviors:,” like so: Old environments: Old beliefs: Old emotions: Old behaviors: Then for each area on your life[…] Keep reading →

If sunshine is the best disinfectant, then giving the North Korean people the same access that the rest of the world has to information about their country, its history, and the world would probably be the best strategy for change. Their compliance with their government effectively supports it more than anything else. That compliance makes sense, despite it appearing from our perspective against their long-term interests. Not complying can cost[…] Keep reading →

Here are the slides for my North Korea talk at Fred. I expect to show a lot of images, mainly from Joseph’s amazing pictures on Flickr. I like my pictures, but his are phenomenal. Here is a pdf of the slides. Sorry the transitions don’t make it in, but the slides are pretty light. I’ll put up the video when they post it.

You want to improve your life. I’m about to present three great exercises that help — you could say one exercise in three parts. My seminars cover them over the course of the first day, with a fourth follow-up if time permits (which I link to at the end of the third exercise here). People report finding them deceptively simple for how much they help. They create a structure that[…] Keep reading →

I’ve written at length on this page on how I think direct interactions between North Korean people and people from the rest of the world increase communication and understanding between the two groups. I mentioned in my post on the ethics on visiting North Korea that I expect increasing tourism will open the country. I think such interactions could change North Korea, mainly by bringing new information to the population.[…] Keep reading →

Three awesome events coming up. Sunday 7pm I’m speaking on North Korea at the wonderful FRED talks 5 Crosby Street, #5H in Soho. Saturday, December 10, 8-10pm, see my art at District 36. Stay if you like to hear Sharam, of the Grammy-winning Duo Deep Dish. The pieces will be ones that I showed at my show at Crossing Art Gallery in June and July, so if you missed that[…] Keep reading →

I will speak on North Korea at the next Fred Talk, December 4. Fred Talks are riveting and awesome, plus you meet amazing people there. And they get great pizza. The event will be at 5 Crosby Street, #5H in Soho. Plan to arrive before 7pm. Bring your own beer. For pizza, bring $5. See you Sunday!

[This post is part of a series on Communication Skills Exercises for Business and Life. If you don’t see a Table of Contents to the left, click here to view the series, where you’ll get more value than reading just this post.] The principles People like people who improve their lives and make conversations interesting. When you first meet someone you tell each other about yourselves in how and about[…] Keep reading →