How to Talk to Anyone: 92 Little Tricks for Big Success in Relationships

Remember, repeating an action makes a habit. Your habits create your character. And your character is your destiny. May success be your destiny.

Do you have a store clerk, accountant, law firm junior partner, tailor, auto mechanic, maitre d’, massage therapist, kid’s teacher – or any other worker you want special attention from in the future? The surefire way to make them care enough to give you their very best is send a Buttercup to their boss.

Be the first clapper no matter how small the crowd, no matter how informal the talk. Don’t wait to see how everyone else is going to respond. Even if it’s a small group of three or four people standing around, be the first to empathize with the speaker’s ideas, the first to mutter ‘good idea’. It’s proof positive you’re a person who trusts his or h

Whenever you catch someone lying, filching, exaggerating, distorting, or deceiving, don’t confront the dirty duck directly. Unless it is your responsibility to catch or correct the culprit – or unless you are saving other innocent victims by doing so – let the transgressor out of your trap with his tricky puss in one piece. Then resolve never to ga

Whenever you make a mistake, make sure your victim benefits. It’s not enough to correct your error. Ask yourself, ‘What could I do for this suffering soul so he or she will be delighted I made the flub?’ Then do it, fast! In that way, your goof will become your gain.

Facts speak. Emotions shout. Whenever you need facts from people about an emotional situation, let them emote. Hear their facts but empathize like mad with their emotions. Smearing on the EMO is often the only way to calm their emotional storm.

If you need information, let people have their entire say first. Wait patiently until their needle is on empty and the last drop drips out and splashes on the cement. It’s the only way to be sure their tank is empty enough of their own inner noise to start receiving your ideas.

If you’re selling, negotiating, or in any sensitive communication with someone, do NOT capitalize on a chance meeting. Keep the melody of your mistaken meeting sweet and light. Otherwise, it could turn into your swan song with Big Player.

The most guarded safe haven respected by Big Winners is the dining table. Breaking bread together is a time when they bring up no unpleasant matters. While eating, they know it’s OK to brainstorm and discuss the positive side of the business: their dreams, their desires, their designs. They can free associate and come up with new ideas. But no toug