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Reflections from Our Bookshelf: Never Eat Alone

Reflections from Our Bookshelf: Musings on how we view reading a bit differently

 

In this edition of Reflections from Our Bookshelf, our summer intern, Jennifer, shares insight on a universally beneficial book for any life stage. Jennifer is a rising Senior at Clemson University majoring in Financial Management.

 

Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time
By: Keith Ferrazzi
Reflection By: Jennifer Hagadorn

 

Why I read it? Reaching out and talking to new people has always been slightly out of my comfort zone. As I enter the workforce, I know I need to work harder to put myself out there and build relationships. This title really grabbed my attention as a potential resource to help me think about networking in a new way.

 

What is it all about? This book is a collection of personal experiences from the author and anecdotes about historical or famous figures that have employed his strategies in their lives. These all serve as evidence to show the utility of Ferazzi’s many tips and philosophies. Ferrazzi focuses on the power of creating genuine and intimate relationships, rather than just racking up meaningless contacts or connections on LinkedIn. The way he writes and the stories he tells make this process seem a lot less daunting.  

 

What caused me to pause? Ferrazzi came from a poor family and made his way up to become the CMO at Deloitte, then the CEO of two start up companies. He explains how he accomplished this—not through wealth or brains—but through building and harvesting meaningful relationships beginning when he was a caddy at a country club in high school. Knowing this backstory made it easy to relate to the author. The reader feels like they, too, can use these skills to create a fulfilling life and career built upon relationships. The author included success stories (and failures) about himself as well as other notable individuals, keeping the reader’s attention and adding depth to his many words of advice. The chapters detail how to build successful relationships,  how to build your brand, mastering the art of small talk, how to keep a relationship going, and even how to (and how not to) use social media to enhance relationships.

 

How this book will change my habits? Not only was this book fun to read, but it has motivated me to tweak a few things in my own life. The author emphasized a few main points that I plan to utilize daily in my own life: .

  1. Always offer a way to help others, even if you don’t need anything from them in return. This helps build meaningful relationships.
  2. Don’t stick to boring small talk. Be yourself and even be a little vulnerable to establish trust and a deeper relationship.
  3. “Ping constantly”—keep in touch and reach out to your contacts on a regular basis, not just when you need something from them.

 

Add this to your reading list if…you need a little push out of your comfort zone to build strong, rewarding relationships both personally and professionally. This book gives the reader great tips, as well as helps them build the confidence to initiate these relationships.

 

Pickle Rating 3.75/5   

Shannon Dermody

Shannon DermodyTEST

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