You’ve likely heard of him, but do you know what he was all about?
Dale Carnegie (1888-1955) pioneered the field of self-improvement, and became famous for courses he developed that focused on public speaking and interpersonal skills. Famous for many of his teachings, the core idea threading Carnegie’s books is that it is possible to change other people’s behavior by changing one’s reaction to them – now called responsibility assumption.
The Dale Carnegie Course, with which most people link Carnegie’s fame, is a self-improvement program that uses a standard curriculum by certified trainers throughout the world.
The course is built around five objectives: developing improved (1) self-confidence, (2) communication skills, (3) people skills, (4) leadership skills, and (5) skills for controlling stress.
Much of the content of the course is based on Dale Carnegie’s teachings over the years which started in 1912 as a public speaking course and then grew into controlling worry & stress. He compiled his thoughts in three books which form the basis for much of the program. They are: How to Win Friends and Influence People (first published in 1937 and has sold over 10 million copies), How to Stop Worrying and Start Living, and The Quick and Easy Way to Effective Speaking. Course are given reading assignments from these books, as homework, over the twelve weeks.
As the course continues, participants work on larger relationship challenges, including the relationships where they need active cooperation from others and the relationships where they need to change someone’s viewpoint. The same format is followed of identifying a goal, developing a plan, making a commitment and sharing results.
This approach for identifying and solving issues is a lesson in how to deal with life in an accountable way, both personally and professionally. The goal of the course is not only for participants to have a successful experience during the time they’re in class; it’s to improve the life they lead in between class sessions and after they the course is complete.
In addition to working on improved relationships, the course also works on improving enthusiasm for those things we don’t have a natural enthusiasm for, and it asks participants to focus specifically on areas of their lives where they need to deal with stress and encourages them to set goals, develop plans and make commitments for using the course ideas to improve these areas.
By all accounts, the Dale Carnegie Course has achieved a high rate of success for a number of reasons. The most important reason is that the course is customizable, as participants are asked to evaluate their own personal and professional opportunities for improvement, to write a vision statement (Business Achievement Project) of what their lives will look like when those improvements are made and to make a commitment to work towards making their vision statement a reality. Each course session includes steps towards achieving that vision.
For more information on Dale Carnegie or to register for a course, visit www.dalecarnegie.com.
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