Carnegie 28.4.7: How to Win Friends and Influence People – PRINCIPLE 7 Give the other person a fine reputation to live up to.- Give a Dog a Good Name

Pages 267 – 271

Carnegie’s chapter title refers to an ‘old saying’ that I’d never heard.  The best quote of the chapter is from Shakespeare, “Assume a virtue, if you have it not.” The focus of the chapter is to project onto others the virtue you wish they had.  This works as long as the other person has the inclination and the capability to follow your lead.

This rule – like much of Carnegie’s guidance – can fail spectacularly if the other person receiving the projection is not interested.

Best Quote(s)

“Shakespeare said, “Assume a virtue, if you have it not.”” Page 268

Page by Page

Page 267

“Mr. Henke had given him to live up to, how could he do anything else but turn out work comparable to that which he had done in the past.”

Page 268

“Shakespeare said, “Assume a virtue, if you have it not.””

“Give them a fine reputation to live up to, and they will make prodigious efforts rather than see you disillusioned.”

269

“I have respected the fact that you are always willing to listen and are big enough to change your mind when the facts warrant a change.”

270

“There is an old saying: “Give a dog a bad name and you may as well hang him.” But give him a good name—and see what happens!”

271

“With that reputation to live up to, even a nine-year-old couldn’t let her down—and he didn’t.”

PRINCIPLE 7 Give the other person a fine reputation to live up to.