Probably my favorite book of all time is Dale Carnegie's How To Win Friends and Influence People. Carnegie published his seminal work in 1936 and it has sold over 15 million copies!

The book is based on countless hours of observation that Carnegie made as to how people interact. After reading the book, I created a summary that I reviewed each day for THREE YEARS—it's that good!

Without further ado, here's a quick summary of Carnegie's work:

Fundamental Techniques in Handling People

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

Six Ways to Make People Like You

Principle 1:      Become genuinely interested in other people.
Principle 2:      Smile.
Principle 3:     Remember that a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.
Principle 4:      Be a good listener.  Encourage others to talk about themselves.
Principle 5:      Talk in terms of the other person’s interests.
Principle 6:      Make the other person feel important—and do it sincerely.

Win People to Your Way of Thinking

Principle 1:      The only way to get the best of an argument is to avoid it.
Principle 2:      Show respect for the other person's opinions. Never say, “You’re Wrong.”
Principle 3:      If you are wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically.
Principle 4:      Begin in a friendly way.
Principle 5:      Get the other person saying “yes, yes” immediately.
Principle 6:      Let the other person do a great deal of the talking.
Principle 7:      Let the other person feel that the idea is his or hers.
Principle 8:      Try honestly to see things from the other person’s point of view.
Principle 9:      Be sympathetic to the other person's ideas and desires.
Principle 10:    Appeal to the nobler motives.
Principle 11:     Dramatize your ideas.
Principle 12:    Throw down a challenge.

Be a Leader

Principle 1:      Begin with praise and honest appreciation.
Principle 2:      Call attention to people’s mistakes indirectly.
Principle 3:     Talk about your own mistakes before criticizing the other person.
Principle 4:      Ask questions instead of giving direct orders.
Principle 5:      Let the other person save face.
Principle 6:      Praise the slightest improvement and praise every improvement. (Be “hearty in your approbation and lavish in your praise.”)
Principle 7:      Give the other person a fine reputation to live up to.
Principle 8:      Use encouragement. Make the fault seem easy to correct.
Principle 9:      Make the person happy about doing the thing you suggest.

I've attached a one-page summary of the book that you can print and/or share as you see fit:

• PDF Summary of How to Win Friends and Influence People

Hopefully, you'll find it as useful as I have.

Good reading!

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