The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-12-14
TELLS HOW. TO
INFLUENCE MEN
General and Specific knowledge the
Things That Count, Prof. Winnings
Message To Realty Board.

The monthly meeting of the Rea
Estate board OF Detroit. held Monday
evening. in the Hotel Cadillac. Was
one OF the most successful of the year
The reason for the special interest
In this meeting was the reputation oil
the speaker OF the occasion, who made
great impression on the real estate
men by his address AT the national
convention in Minneapolis last sum
mCH
The preliminary business OF the
meeting was rushed through. Presl
dent Harmon first introduced William
b. Van Akin, educational secretary
of the Y. NJ. c. A, who spoke brieny
on the proposed course in real estate
which will he inaugurated by the as
sociaton. Jan. IL. 1911. He told OF the
success OF "A similar course which has
been given by the Y. NJ. G. 4. in New
York for the past six years, and asked
the cooperation of the local real es'
tate men In making the course valu-
able TO the young men who take IL.
In introducing Prof. |. T.. NininS, OF
New York. the speaker of the even
ing, President Harmon. dwelt upon the
pleasure aud instruction that the De-
troit delegation to the national con-
vention had received from his adj
dress there. Prof. Vining returned
the compliment by telling OF his in
terest in Detroit. which had been re-
doubled since he had the opportunity
of seeing the city.
His subject was The art of know
ing and influencing men, He drew
the parallel between the modern fight
in the business world and the fight
for supremacy that was waged be
tween primeval men.
I'm meeting other meE" he said,
I'VE are too prone TO look for the diff
ferences. the points OF antagonism
just as the primeval man did when
he met one not of his tribe. What
we should look for. il we are to influ-
ence men and know them, are the
points OF likeness, the points OF con-
tact II is through these that you can
gain the confidence OF the stranger
whom you meet. and if you have his
confidence, il is but step 10 bust
ness.
There are three factors which
make up man. which make the
fers from other men. The first is a
broad general knowledge, a knowl-
edge that cannot be taught but must
be caught by contact and experience
with the world. The second is spe-
cial knowledge of some particular
thing that you are able TO do for the
world better than any one else. and
the third is ability 10 mingle with
men and put this special ability or
yours before them. This can be &C
complished only by multiplying the
points OF contact be:we you and
your fellows. These factors 90 TO
make up personality, but behind per-
sonality is temperament, fundamental.
basic, the thing that determines what
sort of a man you are
IF | could by wave OF my hand
draw out from your brains this even
ing the wealth of knowledge stored
up there. knowledge of which you are
in no way conscious, you would stand
aghast at your possibilities. In the
mind of every man there is this great
store OF unconscious power. power to
achieve if we could only bring our
selves to throw off the fear OF critic
ism, the bonds of conventionaiity
that hamper us. This is the power or
the superman."
At the close of the address. which
was received with enthusiasm by the
members present, Prof. Vining was
rendered a vote of thanks. Prof. Vim
ing has recently severed his connec-
ton with Columbia university, where
he has been a member of the teach
ing staff, TO devote his time to lee
turing throughout the country on
Dsychological subjects.