One of the first bestselling self-help books of all time ever published is the How to Win Friends and Influence People. The
book was written by Dale Carnegie and was published in 1936.
Man is a social animal. Communication is very important in the life of human beings. Through communication human beings can express their feelings and send across or share information with each other. The manner in which human beings communicate is also very important. Very often people fail to communicate in a proper manner. This book is a complete guide to develop one’s own personality. It provides you with the tips to deal with people. There are certain simple techniques mentioned in this book that will help a person to become successful in life. This book has the potential to change your life.
In today’s world these kinds of books are very important. People who are entrepreneurs or businessmen are on a constant lookout for prospects or clients. They need to make more and more friends and develop good relations with them. To convince a person to buy your product becomes very difficult if you don’t know how to deal with that person. This book helps you in dealing with people in a very diplomatic way.
The book has four main sections. The first section teaches you the basic techniques in handling people. They are enlisted below:
• Don't criticize, condemn or complain.
• Give honest and sincere appreciation.
• Arouse in the other person an eager want.
The second section gives you six ways to make people like you. They are given below:
• Become genuinely interested in other people.
• Give a genuine smile.
• Remember that a man's name is to him the sweetest and most important sound in any language. Always call people with their proper names.
• Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves.
• Talk in the terms of the other man's interest.
• Make the other person feel important and do it sincerely.
The third section deals with twelve ways that enable you to win people to your way of thinking.
• Avoid arguments. Try and be diplomatic
• Show respect for the other person's opinions. Never tell someone they are wrong.
• If you're wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically.
• Begin in a friendly way.
• Start with questions the other person will answer yes to.
• Let the other person do the talking.
• Let the other person feel the idea is his/hers.
• Try honestly to see things from the other person's point of view.
• Sympathize with the other person.
• Appeal to noble motives.
• Dramatize your ideas.
• Throw down a challenge.
The forth section consists of nine ways that can help you to Change People without Giving Offense or Arousing Resentment.
• Begin with praise and honest appreciation.
• Call attention to other people's mistakes indirectly.
• Talk about your own mistakes first.
• Ask questions instead of giving direct orders.
• Let the other person save his face.
• Praise every improvement.
• Give them a fine reputation to live up to.
• Encourage them by making their faults seem easy to correct.
• Make the other person happy about doing what you suggest.