// Book comparison
The Hard Thing About Hard Things vs How to Win Friends and Influence People
Which should you read? A side-by-side comparison of The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz and How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie.
The Hard Thing About Hard Things
by Ben Horowitz
★ 4.9/5
How to Win Friends and Influence People
by Dale Carnegie
★ 4.9/5
At a glance
| The Hard Thing About Hard Things | How to Win Friends and Influence People | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ★ 4.9/5 | ★ 4.9/5 |
| Pages | 304 | 288 |
| Reading time | ~7.6 h | ~7.2 h |
| Published | 2014 | 1936 |
| Author | Ben Horowitz | Dale Carnegie |
| Category | Startups & Entrepreneurship | Leadership |
| Publisher | HarperBusiness | Simon & Schuster |
Choose The Hard Thing About Hard Things if…
- → You're interested in startups & entrepreneurship.
- → You want the higher-rated book (4.9/5).
- → You want the more recent perspective (2014).
Choose How to Win Friends and Influence People if…
- → You're interested in leadership.
- → You prefer a shorter read (~7.2 hours).
Key takeaways — The Hard Thing About Hard Things
- ✓ Understand the difference between Peacetime and Wartime Leadership, recognizing that a crisis requires a shift from collaborative consensus to directive, high-velocity decision-making.
- ✓ Manage Your Own Psychology during 'The Struggle', recognizing that the ability to stay calm and objective when the organization is at risk is a leader's most critical strategic asset.
- ✓ Prioritize The Truth in your organizational communication, ensuring that bad news travels fast and that every employee understands the reality of the firm's strategic challenges.
Key takeaways — How to Win Friends and Influence People
- ✓ Practice Radical Appreciation by identifying and acknowledging the sincere strengths of your team members, which is the most effective way to inspire high performance and loyalty.
- ✓ Master Empathetic Perspective-Taking by always seeking to understand the motives and needs of your stakeholders before attempting to persuade them to your strategic viewpoint.
- ✓ Avoid Direct Criticism and instead use indirect methods to point out errors, ensuring that you preserve the other person’s dignity and maintain a collaborative work environment.
The verdict
If you want the higher-rated, more acclaimed read, start with The Hard Thing About Hard Things. If you specifically need leadership, How to Win Friends and Influence People is the better fit. Both summaries are free — no signup required.
❓ FAQ
Is The Hard Thing About Hard Things or How to Win Friends and Influence People better? +
The Hard Thing About Hard Things has the higher reader rating (4.9/5 vs 4.9/5), but "better" depends on your goal. The Hard Thing About Hard Things focuses on startups & entrepreneurship, while How to Win Friends and Influence People focuses on leadership. See the verdict below.
Which is shorter, The Hard Thing About Hard Things or How to Win Friends and Influence People? +
How to Win Friends and Influence People is shorter (288 pages, ~7.2 hours) compared to The Hard Thing About Hard Things (304 pages, ~7.6 hours).
Should I read The Hard Thing About Hard Things or How to Win Friends and Influence People first? +
If you want the quicker, higher-rated read, start with The Hard Thing About Hard Things. Otherwise read whichever matches your current goal — both summaries are free on BookHubs.