12/05/2026
Most people struggle with talking to new people — especially in networking events, meetings, or professional settings.
One book that genuinely changed the way I think about communication is How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie.
One idea from the book stood out to me:
Most people enter conversations thinking about themselves.
What should I say?
How do I sound smart?
How do I impress this person?
But the real shift happens when you stop focusing on yourself and start focusing on the other person.
What are they interested in?
What are they passionate about?
What problems are they trying to solve?
Listen more than you speak.
Ironically, people often like you more when you give them space to talk.
There’s also an interesting connection to The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins — the idea that self-interest is deeply wired into human behavior.
So if you can genuinely become less self-centered in conversations, you immediately stand out.
That single shift can improve:
networking
leadership
sales
friendships
business relationships
Highly recommend reading this book if you haven’t already.
