Let's start with the seminal, 'How To Win Friends and Influence People' by Dale Carnegie.
"It's a proven fact that it's the sweetest sound to a person's ear is the sound of their own name."Really Dale? Dale don't you think that constantly saying Dale to your face might begin to annoy you Dale? Dale? Dale where are you going?
Well Dale, Have you got any other useful advice?
"Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all."As I start trying to strike a match on this bar of soap, how long do I need to keep doing it Dale? Surely we achieve more by creativity, good planning and operating within budget. Hopelessness cannot be the ideal place in terms of organisational health (its true home is in Hollywood movies and its actual home is in small local authority run museums in the UK).
A contemporary of Carnegie was Napoleon Hill, another early guru of 'self-help', what advice did he have?
"Action is the real measure of intelligence."Never put that idiot in a china shop with a hammer. Surely its not the amount of action that is important it is the appropriateness of the action that would be a better measure of intelligence.
Mr. Hill seems to be concerned with 'the physical'.
"Victory is always possible for the person who refuses to stop fighting."All I can say is "It's just a flesh wound!" and "I'll bite your legs off!" © Monty Python 1975
How about someone a little more recently deceased? Zig Ziglar (d. 2012) famous U.S. motivational speaker (note I'm just using dead people as an example, just in case I get sued)
Let's try this for size.
"People don't care how much we know until they first know how much we care."What bobbins! I am more than happy to 'pick the brains' of people who know stuff regardless of their attitude to me and I certainly am asked for my knowledge by visitors/volunteers/staff/ fellow professionals who I don't give a tinker's cuss about. What sort of world would it be if we cared about people rather than knowledge (viz. museums in 21st Century)?
Anything else Zig?
"Speakers who talk about what life has taught them never fail to keep the attention of their listeners."Has this man been responsible for more interminable presentations than any other? Be relevant and engaging not self centred. I'm nodding off just writing this.
Anything alliterative Zig?
"Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude."How many seriously deluded people have you met who believe this? Certainly make the most of what you have, but you can't make the most of what you haven't got. How many Olympic high jumpers are there under 5 feet tall? Your attitude AND your aptitude will be more significant.
What about us leaders?
"It is true that integrity alone won't make you a leader, but without integrity you will never be one."Nixon, Clinton, Bush, Blair, de Guzman, Boesky, Milken, Ebbers, Andersen, Fuld, Hayward, Goodwin and God help us Trump? I could go on. What we wish to be true and what is true are two entirely different things.
Anything else Zig?
"You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want."Did you try that yourself Zig? How many times have you helped someone and got nothing in return? How many times have you helped someone and got everything you want in life in return? Extreme selflessness exists only in mental hospitals as it is an attitude that cannot function in modern society.
This soundbite approach by Mr. Ziglar without thought to the possible consequences is dangerous.
So what have we learned? Bring your own intelligence and common sense to theses motivational and self improvement books.
I'm indebted to an article by Geoffrey James in Inc. Magazine which forms the basis of this blog
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