// 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 Startups e Empreendedorismo Liderança
Publisher HarperBusiness Simon & Schuster

Choose The Hard Thing About Hard Things if…

  • You're interested in startups e empreendedorismo.
  • 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 liderança.
  • You prefer a shorter read (~7.2 hours).

Key takeaways — The Hard Thing About Hard Things

  • Entenda a diferença entre Liderança em Tempo de Paz e Liderança em Tempo de Guerra, reconhecendo que uma crise exige uma mudança da busca por consenso colaborativo para a tomada de decisões diretiva, em alta velocidade.
  • Gerencie Sua Própria Psicologia durante “The Struggle”, reconhecendo que a capacidade de manter a calma e a objetividade quando a organização está em risco é o ativo estratégico mais crítico de um líder.
  • Priorize A Verdade na comunicação da sua organização, garantindo que as más notícias circulem rapidamente e que cada colaborador entenda a realidade dos desafios estratégicos da empresa.
Read full The Hard Thing About Hard Things summary →

Key takeaways — How to Win Friends and Influence People

  • Pratique Reconhecimento Radical identificando e reconhecendo as forças sinceras dos membros da sua equipe — essa é a forma mais eficaz de inspirar alto desempenho e lealdade.
  • Domine a Perspectiva Empática, buscando sempre entender os motivos e as necessidades das suas partes interessadas antes de tentar persuadi-las a partir do seu ponto de vista estratégico.
  • Evite Críticas Diretas e, em vez disso, use métodos indiretos para apontar erros, garantindo que você preserve a dignidade da outra pessoa e mantenha um ambiente de trabalho colaborativo.
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 liderança, 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 e empreendedorismo, while How to Win Friends and Influence People focuses on liderança. 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 BookHub.