Hard to pick a favorite, but let's go with 'Understand by observing the environment, infrastructure, culture and lives of people by being there.' This seems like a good place to start. I am a big fan of Paul Polak's, having read his book 'Out of Poverty,' and believe his success comes in large part from truly understanding the lives of the people who he is helping, and the environment in which they are operating. I am also a big fan of Don Beck and Spiral Dynamics, which I have found to be a very useful frame to get to an even deeper understanding of people's worldviews based on observing an individual or group's environment, culture, life, etc. Maybe the foundational principle to helping someone create positive change in their life is receptivity - it goes without saying that someone who isn't open, who is defensive, isn't going to change. And creating receptivity starts by you, the change agent, being receptive to the person you're wanting to help. In the words of Stephen Covey, 'seek first to understand, then to be understood.'
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