How to Win Friends and Influence People

Not many things have maintained their relevance since 1936, but Dale Carnegie’s classic, How to Win Friends and Influence People, continues to not only inspire countless leaders, but also intrigue and empower them.  With its focus on genuine empathy and selflessness, it makes sense that, despite it being often considered the first self-help book, Carnegie disliked that term, preferring the term “soul-help.”  As explained in the introduction to the updated 2011 edition called How to Win Friends and Influence People in the Digital Age, there are countless resources today on “renting out” influence with aggressive advertising and smooth sales presentations, but the kind of genuine connections Carnegie was interested in, can’t be faked.  And, simply knowing about these “soft skills” isn’t enough; you need to consciously practice them every day until they become a fundamental part of your being.

This is indeed well worth the effort, and your first step to applying these principles is to learn or relearn them with fresh ears.  So, listen to this summary with an open mind. And, if you have never read How to Win Friends before, you’re in for a new world full of leadership knowledge.

Carnegie himself wrote over 100 books in his lifetime for Simon & Schulster, including How to Stop Worrying and Start Living, The Sales Advantage, and, of course, How to Win Friends & Influence People.  Its value is amply demonstrated by the acclaim and impact it has received; the Dale Carnegie Group has been training leaders for over a century with millions of trainees, worldwide