“At the end of the day it does not matter if you are a technical genius if you cannot work well with other people.” – Bryce Ward 8/28/2020

I came across my family’s copy of How To Friends and Influence Others by Dale Carnegie today. I couldn’t help but realize that this is the book that has been the biggest influence in my life. Of the twelve lessons Dale Carnegie teaches in his book there are two which has had the biggest impact in my life and have shaped whom I am today.

Don’t criticize, condemn or complain

Criticism is futile. When one condemns the actions of another they will simply seek to defend themselves and find justification for their actions. This does not mean that it is bad to offer feedback and help them learn from their mistake. Rather you should not seek to condemn them for their mistakes otherwise they will be doomed to repeat that mistake simply to prove you wrong or will become discouraged from continuing their project.

“Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain-and most fools do.”

Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves.

Many people want to talk about themselves so let them. In jobs interviews if you are talking with the founder or anyone for that matter you are more likely to get that second interview if you can get them to speak more than you do. Everyone loves to have their ego stroked and your interviewer will see you in a better light if you are able to connect yourself with their stories. For example, when I am being interviewed for a job opening my goal was to get my interviewer to talk more than I did. This way I was able to uncover more about the company and how it’s employees felt about their work. Those whom talked less than myself where not excited about their work and seemed to be only there for a paycheck. I avoided theses companies like the plague and now I have an amazing job working with Stupid Raisins.

“The man who talks only of himself, only thinks of himself.”

Thank You!

Hey, thank you for reading this week’s post. Have you read How To Win Friends & Inspire Others? If so what lesson has had the biggest impact on your life? I would love to hear of your experiences down in the comments!

Thank you again for your time and for reading this post!

Have a fantastic day!

Sincerely,

-Bryce Ward