Book Review: How to Win Friends and Influence People

One of the best books I've ever read.  A potential life changer.  The title kept me away from this book for a while but I kept seeing it on every leadership book list on the Internet.  I ran across the book at a Goodwill so I picked it up and finally read it.  Highly recommended.  Below are the book notes from the book.  

Part I:  Fundamental Techniques in Handling People

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

Part 2:  Six Ways to Make People Like you

1. Become genuinely interested in other people
2. Smile
3. Remember that a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language
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 3:  How to Win People to Your Way of Thinking

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

Part 4:  Be a Leader

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