Achieve the success you want! What does this person teach about mastering the art of human relations?

Monday: MicroBusiness and Marketing Marvels FROM THE DESK OF MILES EVERSON: Happy Monday! We hope you all had a great weekend. Let’s start the week with inspiration from our “Marketing Marvels”—outstanding people in the fields of business and marketing. Every Monday, we highlight these people’s contributions and impact on society. Read on to know more about this “Marvel” and how his teachings and principles contribute to every professional’s career development. CEO, MBO Partners Chairman of the Advisory Board, The I Institute

Achieve the success you want! What does this person teach about mastering the art of human relations? Dale Carnegie: Writer and Lecturer who Developed Courses on Career Development What comes to your mind when you hear the word, “Marketing?” Brands? Products? Services? It’s common for some to immediately associate these things with marketing. After all, businesses use this term when thinking of ways to promote their offerings. … but did you know marketing doesn’t only apply to brands and businesses? It also applies to the microlevel (an individual’s career), especially when talking about a professional’s “marketable skills.” Here’s one of the legendary writers and lecturers whose teachings and published works focused on career growth and development, particularly in the areas of salesmanship, corporate training, public speaking, and interpersonal skills: Dale Carnegie! Carnegie (November 24, 1888 to November 1, 1955) was a writer and lecturer who developed courses on self-improvement, interpersonal communication, marketing, public speaking, etc. He authored several bestselling books, including: Public Speaking: A Practical Course for Business Men (1926) Lincoln the Unknown (1932) Little Known Facts About Well Known People (1934) How to Win Friends and Influence People (1936) How to Stop Worrying and Start Living (1948) One of the core ideas in his books is it’s possible to change other people’s behavior by changing one’s behavior towards them. From a Farm Boy to a Marketing Marvel: The Story of Carnegie As a youth, Carnegie enjoyed public speaking and that compelled him to join his school’s debate team. During those days, he would also get up at 3 a.m. to feed the pigs and milk the cows in his parents’ farm before going to school. When he entered high school, his passion for public speaking remained strong and this time, he got interested in the speeches at various Chautauqua assemblies. [Chautauqua: An adult education and social movement that was popular in the U.S. in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Chautauqua brought entertainment for the whole American community.] By attending these assemblies, Carnegie became more inclined to public speaking and learned to interact with people from all walks of life. Fast forward to his first job… After graduating from college in 1908, Carnegie worked as a salesman. He sold correspondence courses to ranchers, and moved to selling bacon, soap, and lard for consumer goods company Armour & Company. He excelled in his craft as a salesman to the point his sales territory—South Omaha, Nebraska—became the national leader for the firm. This experience exposed him not only to the ins and outs of marketing but also to various observations about people and their behaviors. In 1911, Carnegie left his salesman job to pursue his lifelong dream of becoming a Chautauqua lecturer. However, he ended up as an actor at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. While working as an actor, Carnegie got the idea to teach public speaking, and persuaded the academy manager to let him instruct a class in exchange for 80% of the net proceeds. During the first session, he instructed students to speak about something that makes them angry. There, he discovered the technique made speakers unafraid to address an audience. From this experience, the Dale Carnegie Course came to life, and it tapped into an average American’s desire to have more confidence in themselves. By 1914, Carnegie was earning USD 500 (nearly USD 15,000 in today’s currency) a week. [Fun Fact: Warren Buffett, one of the world’s greatest investors, enrolled in Carnegie’s course at the age of 20. It’s no wonder that the investing giant also has a way with his words and communication skills in general!] All of Carnegie’s public speaking lessons and principles in life were packaged into his bestselling book, “How to Win Friends and Influence People.” Let’s take a look at some of these lessons: Talk in terms of the other person’s interests. Carnegie said when communicating with others, you have to focus on or start with what the other person is interested in. It doesn’t matter whether or not you’re a public speaker. Whatever your career or job title is, this tip is important. Why? Talking to people about their interests or in a way that interests them makes them feel valued. Once you ease your way into the talk, you may start transitioning to more serious matters or the main message you want to convey. According to Carnegie, this is the interpersonal equivalent of knowing your audience when presenting an idea. By meeting people where they are and in a manner that speaks to their wants and needs, you’ll not only make a good impression but also establish good connections with them. As Carnegie said: “If you want to know how to make people shun you and laugh at you behind your back and even despise you, here is the recipe: Never listen to anyone for long. Talk incessantly about yourself. If you have an idea while the other person is talking, don’t wait for him or her to finish: Bust right in and interrupt in the middle of a sentence.” Be a good listener . Carnegie knew good conversationalists start by being good listeners. He strongly believed learning to listen well is key to positive relationships. He said even the most ill-tempered person or the most violent critic will be subdued in the presence of a patient, sympathetic listener. Take for example the case of a store clerk: If the clerk constantly interrupts and irritates customers, those customers will more likely start arguments and bring their complaints to the store manager. On the other hand, a clerk who is always willing to listen could calm even a customer who enters the store already angry. Try to see things from the other person’s point of view. According to Carnegie, one of the fundamental keys to successful relationships is understanding that other people may be wrong about something, but instead of condemning them, you try to understand them. By asking yourself: “How would I feel or react if I were in his/her shoes?” … you’ll prevent yourself from getting frustrated easily because you understand another person’s perspective. In other words, your success in dealing with people lies in you having a clear grasp of others’ viewpoints. So, whatever your status or job title is, learn to welcome other views and opinions. Determine what you say by what you want to hear if you were the listener. While these skills may take time to develop, they will help you avoid conflicts and get better results in the long run. For Carnegie, winning other people over is an incredibly valuable and marketable skill in all aspects of life. So, the next time you’re interacting with your family, friends, and colleagues, remember the tips above and apply them to your conversations. Carnegie said even if you only increased your success by 10% with the help of these tips, that still meant you’ve become 10% more effective as an individual than you were before. … and with that, people may start to see you as someone they can rely on, trust, and listen to. Be patient in applying Carnegie’s tips to your personal life and career. Once practicing these principles becomes second nature to you, you’ll soon master the art of human relations and effectively market your skills as a professional. Have a great start to the week! Hope you’ve found this week’s insights interesting and helpful. Follow us on LinkedIn.     Stay tuned for next Monday’s Marketing Marvels! Do you have a great idea you want to share with the world? Learn more about Bill Bowerman and NIKE on next week’s Marketing Marvels!