Official Review: People Centricity by Stephen Hewett

[TarinaJ]

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "People Centricity" by Stephen Hewett.]

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2 out of 4 stars

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People Centricity: The Incredible Power of Putting Other People First by Stephen Hewett is a non-fiction self-help book that delves into the concept that by putting people first, you will become a happier person. By understanding the motivations of others you can work toward a mutually beneficial relationship with yourself and the people in your life, whether they be family, co-workers, or acquaintances.

As an active duty military member with more than 20 years of service, I am always looking for books to help me improve my leadership, followership, mentorship, and management skills. Unfortunately, People Centricity did not provide any new insight; rather it is a broad summarization of existing philosophies, specifically that of positive thinking.

People Centricity stresses the philosophy of ‘you get back what you put out into the world’.  If you think happy, you will find happiness; if you think love, you will find love; or if you think money, money will come to you. Hewett presents several concepts that focus specifically on the theory that by satisfying the wants and needs of others, you will fulfill yours.  He does not suggest doing this to the point of making yourself miserable; rather he points out some people will never be happy regardless of what you do. However, he does postulate a person will be miserable if he/she does not make an attempt to make others happy.

The author provides recommendations on how to apply People Centricity in everyday life including work, family and romantic relationships. He emphasizes that by determining the wants and needs of a friend, co-worker, acquaintance, or a complete stranger, you will be able to manage your interactions and reach the mutually beneficial outcome necessary to both parties.

I give People Centricity 2 out of 4 stars. The author does not present any new concepts not already available through many other avenues. The discussion of the concepts is very repetitious, and the author rephrased the same thing multiple times in multiple ways. While he claims to show evidence of the concepts presented, they are anecdotal rather than supported, researched based facts. A good portion of the book summarized several pieces of fictional literature, movies, and plays the author used as anecdotal evident to support his concepts. In the end, People Centricity is a very long dissertation on the Golden Rule - treat others as you would like to be treated. While I would recommend this book as a starting point for anyone interested in a beginning self-help book, I don't feel it is a good fit for the experienced self-helper.

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People Centricity
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Like TarinaJ's review? Post a comment saying so!

[Tanaya]

I am not a fan of redundancy so that aspect would certainly bug me. You did a great job of clearly explaining your negative criticisms, while also pointing out some good aspects to be fair. Doesn't sound original, but I like the positive message that the author is trying to get across.

[TarinaJ]

Thanks, Tanaya. I tried not to be too negative. The book was not what I was expecting. I had many issues with some of the concepts the author presented, but I tried to be as objective as possible with the review. I know there are people who will get something out of it, I'm just not one of those people. :/

[AuPhalanx]

Thank you for your review of "People Centricity." It was balanced and fair. As Tanaya indicated, you wonderfully explained your criticisms while staying overall positive. I look forward to reading more reviews by you. All the BEST!

T.

[chytach18-]

It`s nice philosophy but very impractical. Fantastic review! The part I like the best: "In the end, People Centricity is a very long dissertation on the Golden Rule - treat others as you would like to be treated." Wonderful summary!

[TarinaJ]

Thank you for your review of "People Centricity." It was balanced and fair. As Tanaya indicated, you wonderfully explained your criticisms while staying overall positive. I look forward to reading more reviews by you. All the BEST!

T.

Thank you and welcome to OBC!

-- 21 Sep 2015, 20:48 --

It`s nice philosophy but very impractical. Fantastic review! The part I like the best: "In the end, People Centricity is a very long dissertation on the Golden Rule - treat others as you would like to be treated." Wonderful summary!

Thank you. There are some aspects of the philosophy I agree with. For instance, just being a nice person to others. There is research that shows positive thinking can have a positive effect on someone. That being said, I've thought about money a lot and I'm no richer than I was before!

[chytach18-]

Me neither.