When any staff member starts working at my firm, I give them a copy of the book by Dale Carnegie called How to Win Friends and Influence People.  The cover has a very nice quote from the second richest man in the world at the moment, although for many years he is the richest man, namely Warren Buffett where he says, “Carnegie changed my life.”  I think it is a bit of a dated book now, and I am sad that there is not a version for younger people, because it has some key truths in dealing with people.  

It tells you for example that you cannot win an argument, that when you are wrong you should learn to admit it, and that you need to know how to make a good impression, to remember people’s names and deal with them kindly.  I do think that if more people, including me, followed the principles, the world would certainly be a better place and if the world cannot be a better place, at least one’s workplace would be a far better and more peaceful place.  There is so much to learn from books like this and there had been many more in recent years, and we are so fortunate that we live in a time and age where we can often gain a lot of wisdom simply by purchasing a book and reading what may have taken many other people decades of research and time to find out.  Many people forget that this book was ultimately inspired by a wealthy industrialist who wanted to work out what the secrets to success were and arranged for Dale Carnegie to interview all the most successful and wealthy people in America at that time and the book condenses that knowledge.  It is timeless classic and although it is a bit dated it is one that every person would benefit from reading and people like me who have read it before, would benefit from re-reading it.  Ultimately, a chapter or so every week would be of benefit to anybody.