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One train journey at a time can help create a greener future.

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This is Everything Happens. I'm Kate Boehler.

Something you may have noticed if you've been listening for a while is that one of the most difficult things to get right in tough times is communication.

How do you talk to someone who's going through their own version of Horrible?

So I'm not just talking about skills or not of family and friends who do, for the most part, gather round with love and prayer and usually whine and cookies, and for that I am eternally grateful.

But the communication skills of medical personnel or others can be, let's just say, wanting.

Sometimes, weak, sometimes, wonderful, but what makes the difference?

I'm lucky enough today to talk to Alan Alda who is just crazy famous. He is an actor and director, winner of seven Emmy Awards and star of the classic TV show Mash and many movies, including crimes and misdemeanors.

Everyone says I love you and bridge of spies.

Alan Alda has spent a long time trying to train doctors and scientists how to communicate with their patients, their peers, and the public.

I'm hoping he's got some real advice for us today.

Alan, I'm so honored to speak with you.

Oh, it's great to talk to you, Kate. Thank you.

Well, I was excited to learn that your dad was a Vodville star and you grew up in this world of theater.

And you've said that you learned a lot about communication and empathy from acting and in particular improv.

I think some people might be really surprised by that. So what did improv teach you about empathy?

You know the essence of improv. What improv teaches you is that you must focus on the other person and the other person comes first.

One of the principles is you make your partner look good.

I like that. You don't look good at your partner's expense. You don't deny what your partner comes up with.

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