// 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.

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 Startup & Kewirausahaan Kepemimpinan
Publisher HarperBusiness Simon & Schuster

Choose The Hard Thing About Hard Things if…

  • You're interested in startup & kewirausahaan.
  • 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 kepemimpinan.
  • You prefer a shorter read (~7.2 hours).

Key takeaways — The Hard Thing About Hard Things

  • Pahami perbedaan antara Kepemimpinan Masa Damai dan Masa Perang, dan sadari bahwa krisis membutuhkan pergeseran dari konsensus kolaboratif ke pengambilan keputusan yang cepat dan tegas.
  • Kelola Psikologi Pribadi Anda selama 'Perjuangan', dan sadari bahwa kemampuan tetap tenang dan objektif saat organisasi dalam risiko adalah aset strategis terpenting seorang pemimpin.
  • Utamakan Kejujuran dalam komunikasi organisasi, pastikan kabar buruk disampaikan dengan cepat dan setiap karyawan memahami kenyataan tantangan strategis perusahaan.
Read full The Hard Thing About Hard Things summary →

Key takeaways — How to Win Friends and Influence People

  • Laksanakan Apresiasi Radikal dengan mengenali dan mengakui kekuatan tulus anggota tim Anda, yang merupakan cara paling efektif untuk menginspirasi kinerja tinggi dan loyalitas.
  • Kuasi Empati Perspektif dengan selalu berusaha memahami motif dan kebutuhan pemangku kepentingan sebelum mencoba membujuk mereka pada sudut pandang strategis Anda.
  • Hindari Kritik Langsung dan gunakan metode tidak langsung untuk menunjukkan kesalahan, sehingga menjaga martabat orang lain dan memelihara lingkungan kerja yang kolaboratif.
Read full How to Win Friends and Influence People summary →

The verdict

If you want the higher-rated, more acclaimed read, start with The Hard Thing About Hard Things. If you specifically need kepemimpinan, 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 startup & kewirausahaan, while How to Win Friends and Influence People focuses on kepemimpinan. 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.