1. Become genuinely interested in other people
“You can make more friends in two months by showing genuine interest in other people, than you can in two years trying to get other people interested in you.” — Dale Carnegie, from How to Win Friends + Influence People
Andrew Carnegie—“The Steel King,” didn’t know much at all about steel…
But he sure knew how to handle people.
When he was a kid, he got a hold of a mother rabbit.
Before he knew it, he had a nest full of little baby bunnies, but had nothing to feed them.
So, he told all the kids on the block that if they’d collect enough food to help him feed the bunnies, he’d name the bunnies in their honor.
He had enough food to feed his bunnies in no time.
Years later, he used this same exact technique to make himself hundreds of millions of dollars by naming factories and steel mills after prospective business associates and/or partners.
Franklin D. Roosevelt is remembered by subordinates, maids, mechanics, and more — not because he was the President — but because he remembered their names, acknowledged them sincerely and made them feel important no matter what they did or where they came from.
People make excuses about not being able to remember people’s names… These folks simply haven’t taken the time and effort to do it.
If Franklin D. Roosevelt had enough time to do it, so can you.
Actionable insights
When you meet someone for the first time, take note of their name and remember it on your next interaction with them. One of the greatest ways to show people you appreciate them is to remember their names.
This habit can have a profound impact on your life (both in your personal relationships, as well as your professional ones).
People are often shocked and honored when I call them by their first name after having met them only once.
Remembering names matters and makes a difference because pretty much every one of us loves the sound of our own name.
So let’s do our best to remember/pronounce/spell names properly.
That’s all for this lesson!
In our next lesson on How to Win Friends + Influence People, we’ll get into the art of listening.