The Best Quotes From “Skill With People”

06 May, 2008 by John Hawkins

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It has been a while since I’ve read Les Giblin’s very short classic on people skills, “Skill With People,” and this time around, I decided to post a few of the best quotes from the book to RWN. Enjoy!

“People are primarily interested in themselves, not you. Putting this same thought another way — the other person is ten thousand times more interested in himself than he is you.” — P.1

“So — would you be skillful in human relations, be sure to make people feel important. Remember that the more important you make people feel, the more they will respond to you.” — P.5

“As long as you live, never forget that any fool can disagree with people and that it takes a wise man, a shrewd man, a big man to agree — particularly when the other person is wrong.” — P.7

“The more listening you do, the smarter you will become, the better you will be liked, and the better conversationalist you will be. A good listener always winds up far ahead of a good talker in the affections of people. This is because a good listener always allows people to hear their favorite speakers, themselves.” — P.9

“Then you can move them by telling them what they want to hear. You simply show them how they can get what they want by doing what you want them to do.” –P.11

“Be generous with your praise. Look for somebody and something to praise and then do it. But — the praise must be sincere. Praise the act, not the person.” — P.21

“Preface criticism with a kind word or compliment…Make the criticism impersonal — criticise the act, not the person…one criticism to an offense.” — P.23-24

“If you are grateful to people, if you let those people know you are grateful, almost always they will give you more the next time. If you don’t show your gratitude (even if you are grateful) chances are that there won’t be a next time or that you will end up with less.” — P.25

“Be proud of yourself (but not conceited), of who you are, of what you do, of where you work. Don’t apologize for your station in life or for yourself. You are what you are — so handle yourself with pride and respect.” — P.27

“People have a strong tendency to balk at any action which they feel you are ‘red hot’ for them doing. Their instinct will be to get suspicious or to drive a harder bargain.” — P.28