Foreword by Dr. Taibi Kahler

A NOTE FROM THE ORIGINATOR

I just returned from visiting the man I admire most, Dr. Terry McGuire, former Lead Psychiatrist for Manned Space Flight at NASA (1957–1994). His supportive and courageous wife Toni recently passed away from a nine-year battle with cancer, and it was important that he and I spend time together. He had always been there for me.

At ninety-one, Terry’s mind is marvelously active as ever, reading two to three books a week ranging in topics from the latest research in neuroscience, to trivia and humor. He is the most remarkable person I have ever known and at the same time the humblest. It was more than ten years after we met that I found out Terry had invented the first high-altitude space suit and the external heart defibrillator, both while at NASA.

As I was taking in the many pieces of NASA memorabilia in the room—his awards, autographed pictures from astronauts, models of jets and shuttles—Terry remarked, “I owe a lot to you.”

Quizzically, I turned my gaze to him. He continued, “I want to thank you again. The heads of NASA thought I was a magical prophet when I was accurate in predicting that of the five flight missions where there was conflict, I had advised them of the possibility, including which astronauts would be involved as well as the dynamics of their conflict. I did it using your Process Communication Model.” I felt honored, and thanked him for all he has done at NASA—inventions, interactions with the astronauts and their families, contributions to the entire program.

We spoke of many things in those two days—Toni, lessons of life, altruism, honor, and the value of humor. Terry creates several “cartoons” daily, often with witty and poignant aphorisms. Always with a keen insight into human behavior, his observations are well-thought through, as is the case with most highly intelligent people who are also wise.

“Taibi, the business of people is communication. That’s why everybody needs to know PCM.” I repeated that in my head: “the business of people is communication.” Hmmm. Business: the trade we are in; that in which a person is principally and seriously concerned; being rightfully concerned about as a service. …

I immediately thought of my view of business just as a profession, but Terry was being Terry, speaking in a metaphor. And he was not only effective, but correct. Profoundly correct.

I reflected on the interesting and serendipitous data that we received from our PCM management seminar participants. In addition to scores of 9.4 on a scale of 10 in value to them professionally, 50 percent of all of these “business” people in those seminars commented at the end in written evaluations how important the information was to them personally—what a difference it could have made and will make in their lives with children and spouses.

I began to think metaphorically: “PCM is the science of communication. PCM is the GPS of relationships. PCM is the MRI of personality structure.” I was in a Terry loop, gleeful of the fabric of life that PCM describes.

My friend and colleague Dr. Nate Regier describes such PCM fabric in this easy-to-read book, taking us into the intimately personal and business professional lives of the characters. His narrative style invites us into the minds, hearts, and actions of the individuals, allowing us to identify behavior in ourselves and in others. As the characters learn to apply PCM in their daily lives, we realize the value of how to talk and interact more effectively with others in our own lives. And with the turn of each page, have more insight into ourselves. Thanks, Nate!