Book Review: How to Win Friends

Published on May 24, 2015

Picked up this book by Dale Carnegie, which was first published in 1936, and continued to be a top notch book on self improvement.

It might seems obvious, but most of us are doing it wrong.

Part I: Fundamental Technique

  1. Don’t criticize, condemn or complain
  2. Give honest and sincere appreciation
  3. Arouse in the other person an eager want

Part II: Ways to Make People Like You

  1. Become genuinely interested in other people
  2. Smile
  3. Remember a person’s name
  4. Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves.
  5. Talk in terms of the other person’s interests
  6. Make the other person feel important - and do it sincerely

Part III: How to Win People to Your Way of Thinking

Avoid argument.

You can’t win an argument. You can’t because if you lose it, you lose it; and if you win it, you lose it.

The only way to get the best out of an argument is to avoid it.

Never Say “You’re Wrong”.

It’s better to say “Well, now, look. I thought otherwise, but I may be wrong. I frequently am. And if I am wrong, I want to be put right. Let’s examine the facts…“

Diplomatic, but it shows respect, and a win-win.

Galileo said,

You cannot teach a man anything; you can only help him to find it within himself.

Socrates said,

One thing only I know, and that is that I know nothing.

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