3 leadership lessons from Dale Carnegie

Public relations execs looking to improve their relationships should borrow a page from the author of ‘How to Win Friends and Influence People.’

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Times have changed, but one thing does remain the same: how you should treat people.

In “How to Win Friends and Influence People,” published in 1936, Dale Carnegie shares tried-and-true lessons from his years of extremely successful leadership.

These lessons aren’t focused on stealing power or schmoozing prospects. Instead, Carnegie found that to become more powerful and win at business, you have to treat people with nothing less than kindness. Here’s how.

1. Think beyond yourself.

It’s easy to experience life from your point of view, perceiving situations and conflicts from your perspective alone. It’s what the majority of people do, and, as Carnegie notes, it’s the reason differing opinions can result in controversy.

In Al Capone’s mind, his crimes were justified. Breaking the law was his way of making a living, and he had, to his thinking, a justified reason to do so. Now, you (hopefully) don’t deal with the likes of Al Capone, but Carnegie’s insights remain valuable in less drastic situations.

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