John D. Rockefeller once said, “The ability to deal with people is as purchasable a commodity (日用品) as sugar or coffee. And I will pay more for that ability than for any other under the sun. ”

    Wouldn't you suppose that every college in the land would conduct courses to develop the highest-priced ability under the sun? But if there was one, it would not escape my attention.

    The University of Chicago conducted a survey to determine what adults want to study. That survey cost $ 25,000 and took two years. The last part of the survey was made in Meriden, Connecticut. It had been chosen as a typical American town. Every adult in Meriden was interviewed and requested to answer 156 questions such as “What is your business or profession? Your education? How do you spend your spare time? What is your income? Your hobbies? Your ambitions? Your problems? What subjects are you most interested in studying?” and so on. That survey revealed that health is the prime interest of adults and that their second interest is people; how to understand and get along with people; how to make people like you; and how to win others to your way of thinking.

    So the committee conducting this survey decided to conduct such a course for adults in Meriden. They searched for a practical textbook on the subject and found none. Finally they approached one of the world's outstanding authorities on adult education and asked him if he knew of any book that met the needs of this group. “No,” he replied, “I know what those adults want. But the book they need has never been written.”

    I knew from experience that this statement was true, for I myself had been searching for years to discover a practical handbook on human relations. Since no such book existed, I have tried to write one for use in my own courses. And here it is. I hope you like it.