Our leadership team recently launched a book club—a space where we can slow down, learn together, and grow not just as professionals, but as people. Our current read is a timeless one: How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie.
I read this book years ago, and it left a mark. It shaped how I communicate, how I lead, and how I relate to people in both my professional and personal life. So when it came time to choose a book that could benefit our whole leadership team, it felt like the right one to revisit.
Wanting to refresh my memory, I downloaded the audiobook version and dove right in.
But here's the twist… I downloaded the wrong version.
Without realizing it, I started listening to How to Win Friends and Influence People in the Digital Age—a modern update to Carnegie’s original work. It wasn't until our team discussion that I figured it out. I was quoting examples and insights that no one else had read, and the confusion was real.
And honestly? It was one of the best mistakes I’ve made in a while.
A Classic, Reimagined for Today
The digital-age version takes Carnegie’s timeless principles—empathy, authenticity, listening, connection—and applies them to the world we now live in. A world where conversations happen in texts, emails, DMs, and comment threads. Where your ability to connect can be either amplified or destroyed with a few keystrokes.
The message is the same: People matter. Relationships matter.
But the context has changed—and this version speaks directly to that shift.
From navigating difficult conversations online, to building trust without a handshake, to showing genuine appreciation in a world that often favors speed over sincerity—it’s all in there. And it’s relevant for every single one of us.
Why This Matters for Leaders
In leadership, your ability to connect with others is everything. Influence isn’t about titles or authority—it’s about relationship equity. It’s about how well you understand people, and how well they feel understood by you.
In today’s digital-first world, those relationships are often built and maintained through screens. If you’re a leader, a business owner, a team member, or simply a human trying to do life with other humans—this updated version is a must-read.
The Takeaway
Sometimes the best insights come from the most unexpected places—even from a simple download mistake.
If you’ve read Carnegie’s original, I highly recommend giving the digital-age version a listen (or read). And if you’ve never read either, now is a great time to start. Your relationships—both in and outside of work—will be better for it.
Have you ever accidentally stumbled onto something better than you expected? Or re-read a book at just the right time in your life? I’d love to hear about it.
- Katie