How to Win Friends and Influence People: Chapter 21

Coaxing, swearing and cussing doesn't yield much cooperation with people. Neither do threats or the promise of money.

So What Does Work?

Keeping score. Recording performance and trying to beat it.
That's one way of motivating your people - trying to get them to beat their own performance.

Carnegie quotes Charles Schwab who said,

"The way to get things done is to stimulate competition.

Not in a sordid, money-getting way, but in the desire to excel."

Which means you need to throw down a challenge...

That's why in many sales organizations they have a leader board. It's because everybody wants to see themselves at the top. Nobody wants to see their name at the bottom. Which means the competitive spirit is stimulated, and the results will start pouring in.

A challenge is not always about pitting one person against another.

It's also about helping the one person step out of his comfort zone and overcome his fears.

"All men have fears, but the brave put down their fears

and go forward, sometimes to death, but always to victory."

- Greek quote.

Carnegie says,

"What every successful person loves is the game. The chance for self expression. The chance to prove his worth, to excel, to win."

Every person has the desire to feel important. And so when you throw down a challenge, you draw out his desire to excel. Nothing says I'm important more than being number one, and staying number one amid all the competition and folks scheming and plotting to remove you from the throne.