What can the business leaders of today learn from Dale Carnegie?

Most business leaders will have heard of Dale Carnegie’s seminal work ‘How to Win Friends and Influence People’, but have you considered how it could still have relevance to the growth of your business?

Based on a personal development course Carnegie offered in the 1930s, ‘How to Win Friends and Influence People’ hinges around the idea that good manners, tact and courtesy are all key to getting ahead in all areas of life – especially business.

So what are the key points that you, as a business owner or manager, should take away from Carnegie’s work to help your business to grow?

Leave people feeling better for having met you – Don’t just hinge your business efforts around the hard sell; use your interaction to give them something they need, whether that be advice, a way to access your services, or a free sample of a product. Ultimately if you put the time in to them, you will see a much higher return.

Show respect for the other person’s opinions. Never say “You’re Wrong.” – This can be applied to managing staff, dealing with other businesses, and speaking with clients. Always remember that your way of thinking and working is not the only way, and that new opinions can refresh your business.

Change people without giving offense or arousing resentment – Carnegie dedicated a whole section of his book to this concept. His ideas are relevant when thinking about how to deal with staff: when giving critique, begin with praise and talk about your own mistakes (perhaps admitting to how they have impacted a situation) before calling attention to other people’s mistakes. Then use encouragement to help the staff member to rectify their mistake.

Carnegie’s work offers many more insights into how to influence people, many of which can be transferred into the world of business.

If you are looking to gain further business advice in order to get the best results for your company, RVR Management have a range of ways to support you.

Contact Rakesh Shah : 0778 555 8344

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