Always make the other person feel important. John Dewey, as we have already noted, said that the desire to be important is the deepest urge in human nature;

If we want to make friends, let's put ourselves out to do things for other people — things that require time, energy, unselfishness and thoughtfulness.

If a man's heart is rankling with discord and ill feeling toward you, you can't win him to your way of thinking with all the logic in Christendom. Scolding parents and domineering bosses and husbands and nagging wives ought to realize that people don't want to change their minds. They can't be forced or driven to agree with you or me. But they may possibly be led to, if we are gentle and friendly, ever so gentle and ever so friendly.

We ride roughshod over the feelings of others, getting our own way, finding fault, issuing threats, criticising a child or an employee in front of others, without even considering the hurt to the other person's pride. Whereas a few minutes' thought, a considerate word or two, a genuine understanding of the other person's attitude, would go so far toward alleviating the sting!

It enriches those who receive, without impoverishing those who give. It happens in a flash and the memory of it sometimes lasts forever.

Wouldn't you like to have a magic phrase that would stop arguments, eliminate ill feeling, create good will, and make the other person listen attentively? Yes? All right. Here it is: "I don't blame you one iota for feeling as you do. If I were you I would undoubtedly feel just as you do.

I had the blues because I had no shoes, Until upon the street, I met a man who had no feet.

Make the other person feel important — and do it sincerely.

But it takes character and self-control to be understanding and forgiving.

Let me repeat that. You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.

Dealing with people is probably the biggest problem you face, especially if you are in business.

Don't criticise them; they are just what we would be under similar circumstances.