Dale Carnegie in our Digital Age

(left)The 'new' How to Win Friends and Influence People in the Digital Age
and (right) a copy of the classic given to my late father as a birthday present in 1959

Title of Book:            How to Win Friends and Influence People

Subtititle:     in the Digital Age

Author : Dale Carnegie and Associates  - Brent Cole

Publisher : Simon and Schuster UK Ltd 2011

ISBN:  978-0-85720-728-9

- Unputdownable

Genre:    Human relations and how to do it better

Style: Soul help book rather than 'self help'

Contents page: Clear Introduction. Core of Book in Four parts - chapters with page numbers

Index:             No Index. Great pity for those of us who like to dip in and out and go back for the golden nuggets.

"Perennial truths" of Dale Carnegie old and new

Flick through eye appeal: No visuals . Good  sized type face

Time for a breather Stops : None but each chapter is bite sized with well crafted summaries by Brent Cole with final sentences capturing the essence of each chapter succinctly.

Golden Nuggets: This book is a treasure chest of golden nuggets

Topic Summary:  Four parts - ( 1.) Essentials of engagement, ( 2.) 6 ways to make a lasting impression, (3. ) How to merit and maintain others' trust and (4. ) How to lead change without resistance or resentment

War Stories: Plenty . Well written and relevant with natural bias to the Good and Great in USA past and present- plus quite number of Baseball and Basket ball stories none the worse for that because one gets the gist of the learning point. Ends on modern heroes notably our own Sir Richard Branson page 227
" How companies adapt to this energetic and sometimes chaotic world will define their future success. The website, Facebook page, blog, Twitter feed are no longer add-ons to a business's communication budget: They should be central to its marketing strategy, and used in coordination with other marketing efforts. "  Feb 8th 2011 http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/218098

Illustration: None

Quotes: Loads and Loads - all relevant and powerful .

Short Review: Every sales professional should read a copy of Dale Carnegie's Classic " How to win friends and influence people" but if the writings from the early part of the last century seem dated try this version for the Digital age. Most of the stories and quotes in this adapted re-write of the classic by Dale Carnegie are based on spiritual wisdom and common sense. Having read the original some years back, I found the return to the principles profound . Those of you who have read the classic will find like the prodigal son you are welcomed home by the father. Those of you who have not read the original this adapted version to our digital age is excellent. As Brent Cole concludes in this updated version: " It is true that the world is open for business, but your first task remains the business of humanity. The greatest endeavours are always and will always be interdependent and interactive. In the end , the art of winning friends and influencing people in the digital age is summed up in the activity of connecting and staying connected on common ground." Some of the learning points struck home so strongly that I did find myself weeping. As a "Brit",I guess I must acknowledge  with humility that classic 'Motherhood and Apple pie' is both encouraging, engaging and enabling.

In short buy, borrow or download  a copy of this book but most importantly read the lessons within it and apply them from then on by sharing its principles.


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“I often went fishing up in Maine during the summer. Personally I am very fond of strawberries and cream, but I have found that for some strange reason, fish prefer worms. So when I went fishing, I didn’t think about what I wanted. I thought about what they wanted. I didn't bait the hook with strawberries and cream. Rather, I dangled a worm or grasshopper in front of the fish and said: "Wouldn't you like to have that?"

 Why not use the same common sense when fishing for people?”

Page 52 of my Father's copy of Dale Carnegie  "How to win friends and influence people"  1958 reprinted edition (c)  1938 published by The World's Work (1913) ltd Kingswood , Surrey. Printed in Great Britain by Richard Clay and Company Ltd., Bungay ,Suffolk

Related sites

Dale Carnegie

www.dalecarnegie.com

Simon and Schuster   Businesswww.simonsays.co.uk

Richard Branson " Social Relations"

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/218098

Virgin Group
http://www.virgin.com/

Richard's blog
http://www.virgin.com/richard-branson