A Foolproof Rule for Communicating with People from Different Walks of Life
People at different levels speak different languages.
When Dale Carnegie was young, he attended a charity gala.
The banquet was packed with guests from all walks of life, chatting in small groups.
Carnegie didn’t rush to join in. Instead, he quietly inquired about the guests’ backgrounds.
After figuring out everyone’s situation, Carnegie approached the groups to start conversations.
When talking to common folks, he shared his own struggles to build rapport.
When talking to business elites, he discussed finance and economic trends with them.
When talking to government officials, he debated policies and societal issues.
By the end of the evening, everyone, from the powerful to the ordinary, felt comfortable talking with him.
Carnegie wrote about this experience in his autobiography, saying: “Successful relationships are built on understanding the other person’s needs, not just expressing your own.”