Five Principles to Make Others Like You

Aug 14, 2024

How to Actually Make People Like You

Introduction

  • Common belief: There's nothing we can do to make others like us.
  • Mistake: We can actually make anyone like us by following simple principles.
  • Source: Principles from Dale Carnegie's "How to Win Friends and Influence People."
  • Aim: Transform from shy to confident, make new friends.
  • Application: Visualize applying principles in personal life.

Principle 1: Encourage Others to Talk About Themselves

  • People love talking about themselves; makes them feel important and listened to.
  • Personal story from Swedish army: Engaging a superior by asking about history, leading to a positive interaction.
  • Application: Encourage others to speak about themselves to make them like you.

Principle 2: Give Sincere and Honest Compliments

  • Importance of appreciation: Study on runaway wives showing lack of appreciation as a key reason for leaving.
  • Power of a sincere compliment: Can make someone's day or week.
  • Implementation: Compliment genuinely, not flattery; apply everywhere, anytime.
  • Challenge: Create a positive butterfly effect by giving compliments.

Principle 3: Avoid Arguments

  • Arguments are unproductive: Often reinforce both parties' belief in their own rightness.
  • Winning an argument can make the other person feel inferior.
  • Strategy: Avoid arguments, seek common ground, be objective.

Principle 4: See Things from the Other Person’s View

  • Understanding others: Even if they are wrong, they believe they are right.
  • Avoid criticism, be wise by understanding their perspective.
  • Practice empathy: Ask "How would I feel or react in their situation?"

Principle 5: Smile

  • Smile’s impact: Non-verbal cue indicating happiness and friendliness.
  • Smiling can make both the giver and receiver feel happy.
  • Action: Smile to express liking, happiness, and joy.
  • Emotional control: Happiness is determined by internal conditions; smile even if you don't feel like it.

Conclusion

  • Recap: Five principles to make people like us.
  • Encourage people to talk, give compliments, avoid arguments, see others' viewpoints, and smile.
  • Challenge: Spread happiness by giving sincere compliments.