Are you aware of how your words create worlds? How your language and listening habits impact, interactions in the classroom, at work, and on the road? Created as a practical guide for learning to communicate well in these contexts, Awareness and Action connects theory with practice. In Part 1, explore how your senses, previous experiences, and pervading cultural norms filter your perceptions. Once you develop an awareness of the limited details humans use to draw conclusions, you learn to take action with language and listening behaviors that more accurately align with the natural world, not what you infer is happening. In Part 2, practice the language behaviors that Alfred Korzybski developed to delay responding to automatic thinking processes. Using principles from his theory of general semantics, you will learn how to "go to the territory"-find details in the natural world-so that your words match the experiences they represent. Moreover, you will discover how to apply Korzybski's formula for happiness: set minimum expectations and practice maximum motivation when interacting with others. Awareness and Action gives you the tools. Now it's your turn to "go to the territory" of your own life to find where you can improve your communication skills.
