Midweek Update: Funding the Kryptonite

One of my friends who has been my most loyal reader and promoter, hands down, has himself decided to start blogging. I like to think that it was my influence that catalysed this decision.
He's got an interesting concept for his blog - discussing the plans of comic book super villains from a business perspective.  He calls it Funding the Kryptonite.  I think it's the most brilliant thing ever.  Check it out!

What's the ROI on kryptonite?

The Carnegie Project update

As many of you know, I'm reading through Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People, one chapter per week, and writing my reflections on it.  Thanks for following along.

One thing I really appreciate about this book, is that the chapters are simply stories from people's lives, short anecdotes about how the principle applies.  It's a light read.

Previous Principles

Part A: Fundamental techniques in handling people

1. Don't criticize, condemn or complain

2. Give honest and sincere appreciation

3. Frame things in terms of what other people want

Part B: Six ways to make people like you

4. Become genuinely interested in other people

5. Smile

6. Remember people's names

7. Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves

Last week I did make an effort to put this into practice.  I got invited to a gala for students who won scholarships to meet with the people and businesses who had donated the money to create the scholarships. I was the recipient of the TD Financial Group Scholarship in Business Education, though the representatives from TD did not show up.  I did, however, strike up a conversation with the founders of Surface3, a company that does interior design for offices, restaurants and other professional spaces. Their website is under construction.

Anyway I tried to continue asking questions all evening rather than blathering on about myself, and I learned tons about the design business, and we ended up talking for most of the evening.  So it looks like this particular principle is very useful.

In addition, Sherri tried putting this into practice in the English conversation group she runs.  She told me that it worked really well and that people felt heard, welcome and that they got a lot out of  the event.  So there you go.

This week's principle

Principle 5 - Talk in terms of the other person's interests.

General idea:  

• Find out what the other person is interested in

• Read up on it

• Talk about that.

Like last week, it makes sense.  If you see in someone's office they have something framed, talk about that.  I was once told that if you're trying to meet a keynote speaker at an event, their bio will often tell what charities they give to. Read up on them and talk about those, because these are often causes they care deeply about. When in doubt, ask about peoples' children.