How to Win Friends and Influence People - Book Report/Review Example

"How to Win Friends and Influence People" by Dale Carnegie Introduction and Summary Strategy to win the war is liable to be changed often, depending upon the requirements and developments in a particular front. It also moves in tandem with the overall war objectives. Winning is not a static but dynamic concept. Take any segment of life. Winning is one of the biggest and toughest challenges. Winning is a perennial desire and objective of humankind. It was so when Dale Carnegie (1998) first released the book in 1934 How to win friends and Influence People. It is so even now. With the technological advances and the internet revolution, the ‘tools’ needed to hit the winning goal have changed. Dale Carnegie is aware of the fact and as such with each new edition of the book he has kept up the momentum of revising the contents. The fact that the book has sold 15 million copies by now is the barometer of its popularity. It is reasonable to assume that majority of the readers must have liked it. Key Findings With a galaxy of ‘do’s and not-to-do things enumerated in the book throughout its length and breadth it assumes the shape of a moral treatise and Carnegie’s enunciations are difficult to implement in totality. Yet he claims, “And this is an action book” (1998, p. xxi). In another context he asserts, “Only knowledge that is used sticks in your mind” (1998, p. xxv). These are great observations that will hold good for all time to come in any business and secular environment. These also reveal the mindset of the author that he is a practical man. In Chapter I he lays the perfect foundation for the edifice of his book, by highlighting the damaging consequences of ill-founded criticism. He writes, “Criticism is futile because it puts a person on the defensive and usually makes him strive to justify himself. Criticism is dangerous because it wounds a person’s precious pride, hurts his sense of importance, and arouses resentment.” (1998, p.5) Conversation is an art. A honey-tongued individual is likely to win the arguments as compared to an individual who takes the attacking standpoint on a given issue. Wearing the mask to impress the opponent and telling something which is not actually there, only to win the situation, may sound materialistic, but it has become the trend that is difficult not to pursue. Application - what might readers find valuable? Carnegie articulates, ‘what you speak is no doubt important; but how you speak, what you speak is more important.’ Meaning, he gives much importance and pleads for improvement in communication skills. A good conversationalist has won half the battle, according to him. Elaborating the theme he writes, “The ability to speak is a shortcut to distinction. It puts a person in the limelight, raises one’s head and shoulders above the crowd. And the person who can speak acceptably is usually given credit for ability out of all proportion to whether he or she really possess.”(1998, p.242) Meaning, one who possesses excellent communication skills, enjoys a permanent bonus in life in public interaction situations. Carnegie gives much importance to the keyword ‘smile’ and that is a very valuable contribution to humankind which desperately needs to smile in this world engulfed with violence and negativities. Criticism: What would you like to see in the book? Do you disagree with anything? The book is mainly written from the view point of business people. Carnegie articulates often that wealth is the measuring rod of success of an individual, which I totally disagree. Aggrandizement for wealth and fierce competition in business to outsmart the competitor has been considered as the traits to be appreciated in an individual. Such attitudes are responsible for the miserable plight of the society, viewed from any angle. Much difference exists as for influencing an individual and trying to outsmart one, by psychological maneuverings. A person should not make another feel important or elevate him to a pedestal of significance but with the hidden agenda of pulling the rug below his feet. That is manipulation and a negative human trait. Truth should never be sacrificed in the process of influencing an individual. Personal Reflection: What did you learn? How do you plan to use it? What will you do differently, after reading the book? This is an interesting travel book and one never gets bored to go through the contents. Innumerable examples from the lives of renowned persons from all walks of life, makes one wonder whether this is a business book, historical document or a sociological research paper. The book contains valuable suggestions to build teamwork, clear understanding of work dynamics, improve interpersonal skills, cultivate trust within a team, to develop patience and keep the big picture in mind etc. Dale Carnegie must have read some good books on philosophy to finalize the manuscript of this book or he must be a regular visitor to the sermons in the Church. This book will pass any test, religious, business, political, advertisement, or self-help book. It also has a good collection of anecdotes and abundant examples form the real life of renowned personalities and persons who have achieved important positions in life. It enumerates many points that are needed to change one, but by reading them alone, one cannot undergo inner transformation or change for the better. Popularity begets popularity and it is like the contagious disease. The book has done so well for the last about 8 decades and must have become the household name in some of the countries. But its content is not the final world on the subjects that it has dealt with. It is just another book and Dale Carnegie must be having the traits of an intelligent salesperson when he promoted his book in the initial stage of its publication. I am not willing to put the book in the category of ‘spectacular literature.’ The suggestions in the book are useful but there are always other approaches to the issues, depending upon the situation and the person/institution with which you are dealing with. But the age-old truths mentioned in this book are still valid today in the world impacted by social networking and internet revolution. Reference Cited Carnegie, Dale (1998).How to Win Friends and Influence People: New York: Simon & Schuster; Print Read More