Title: The Leader In You: How to Win Friends, Influence People and Succeed in a Changing World
Author: Dale Carnegie & Associates
Genre: Non-fiction, Self-help
Published: 1993
BookMarks
A self-help book, a category which I generally try to avoid reading. But this one turned out to be interesting. The key reason being the real-life success stories built in the narrative. These are not the big, famous names who have reached stratospheric heights. Rather these are normal, everyday people who you can see around and probably model your behaviour upon. There is no overnight success formula, but behaviours which can be imbibed so it becomes part of your nature.
Best way to remember anything is to note it down. After all, what is not written fades away. So here are my short pointers from this book.
- Keep your mind open to change all the time. It is only by examining and reexamining your opinions and ideas that you can progress.
- “Never stop being yourself.” The leadership techniques that will work best for you are the ones you nurture inside. Hence the question “What personal qualities do I possess that can be turned into the qualities of leadership?”
- Leaders need to have a keen ability to anticipate change.
- Make communication a top priority by being open to other people and creating a receptive environment for communication. Communication is built on trusting relationships. “We are interested in others when they are interested in us”
- The only way to get anybody to do anything is by making the other person want to do it. Make people feel respected and important.
- Show a genuine interest in people and find out what's important to others
- Listening to others is the single best way to learn and people respond to those who will listen to them.
- Treat individuals as individuals.
- Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Respect dignity for others. Acknowledge that they're human beings who exist outside the work environment.
- People work for money but look for recognition. Share Glory but not blame. Be quick to admit mistakes but slow to criticize.
- Goals keep efforts focused. Goals must be challenging but also realistic and measurable. Work one day at a time. Try to set daily target for yourself.
- Keep time for leisure - balance from work. life doesn't need to be dull or uninteresting. We all need goals and experiences worth looking forward to.
- Our life is what our thoughts make it. You are what you think. What matters is how you react to external influences
- Don't waste time and energy worrying about the things you cannot control. No problem is worth all the worry in the world.
- Genuine enthusiasm is contagious
These are all little pointers which can be easily implemented. No big trainings/workshops required here. Just constant reinforcement.
Previously on BookMarks: The Unusual Billionaires
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