Throughout Dale Carnegie’s book, How To Win Friends & Influence People, he gives multiple principles. The principles help the reader win friends and influence people. I cannot give this book enough praise. Often self-improvement books make some good points coupled with mediocre advice. Thankfully, that is not the case with this book. Every single chapter is informative. It’s also beautiful that at the end of every chapter, he summarizes his main point. In this business assignment, I will list some of Carnegie’s key points, and break down which principle will be most difficult for me to follow.
Here is a brief list of the principles:
- Don’t criticize, condemn, or complain and give sincere appreciation.
- Become genuinely interested in other people.
- Remember that a person’s name is to that person, the sweetest and most important sound in any language.
- Be a good listener, and talk in terms of other person’s interests; Sincerely, make other people feel important.
- The only way to get the best of an argument is to avoid it; Show respect for other person’s opinions.
- If you are wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically.
After looking at this list for a couple of minutes, I think it’s pretty obvious which principle I struggle with the most. While growing interested in people is easy, and remembering names can be done, admitting that I’m wrong is going to be difficult. I’ve admitted fault occasionally, but not emphatically. We’re simply all born with that desire to never admit wrongdoing. Pride is the simple reason admitting wrongdoing quickly and emphatically will be the most difficult principle to implement.
Asher Sisneros 