REVELATIONS
Win people over
The Subtle Art of Dealing With People
Author : Aruna Joshi
Price: Rs 295
Pages: 198
Paperback
Publisher: Embassy Books
By- Jyotsana Nair
A friend gifted me a book, The Subtle Art of Dealing with People. The title sounds similar to the bestseller by Mark Manson. Ah! A me-too book, I thought. Not being a great fan of non-fiction, especially not the doling-out-advice types, I kept it aside to read later. It was lying on my desk for a while, and I picked it up without much enthusiasm. However, the book grew on me, and I found myself finishing it in one go.
It is a practical, honest, well-written book on managing human emotions. Whether you are trying to secure that job, struggling to effectively manage your team at the office, or even coaxing your precocious three-year-old brat to eat her broccoli, you are dealing with human emotions every day. And that makes learning the art of dealing with people an important aspect of your success in life.
This is a good book for self-improvement with a lot of relatable examples that the author shares from her own life. The advice given is constant and timeless. The suggestions such as “you make a person feel valued and he would walk that extra mile for you” make perfect sense. You are compelled to reflect on your own life and understand how you could have handled situations differently and learn to handle them well in future.
What is unique about the book is that at the end of every chapter there is a tailpiece on how to apply that skill in the digital age. Each chapter concludes with ‘Key Takeaways’ and ‘Try This,’ which capture the essence of the chapters, and are easy references when you want to go back to them.
The core message of the book is about focussing on others, operating from an egoless space when dealing with people, and always striving to be a better person than you are today. The author addresses some basic issues we all face while dealing with people, such as difficulties in saying no, handling criticism, and dealing with difficult people, and also gives valuable tips on how to address them.
This book is a must-buy, especially for people who work in corporates and deal with people, both external and internal stakeholders. This book teaches you to speak your truth but say it with conviction and say it with love. If you, like me, are having trouble dealing with people and mending relationships, this book is the gold standard.