In his book, Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin and Other Writings (www.executivebooks.com), the inventor, statesman, and diplomat tells of an incident with a man who opposed his being re-chosen as Clerk of the General Assembly of the Pennsylvania House. Although he did manage to keep the office, Ben knew that this person, whom he described as "a gentleman of fortune and education with talents that were likely to give him, in time, great influence in the House," could be trouble later on. He aimed to insure that didn't happen by making, of an enemy, a friend.

Let's let Ben tell us how he did it:

"I did not, however, aim at gaining his favour by paying any servile respect to him, but after some time took this other method. Having heard that he had in his library a certain very scarce and curious book, I wrote a note to him expressing my desire of perusing that book and requesting he would do me the favour of lending it to me for a few days. He sent it immediately - and I returned it in about a week with another note expressing strongly my sense of the favour. When we next met in the House, he spoke to me (which he had never done before), and with great civility. And he ever afterwards manifested a readiness to serve me on all occasions, so that we became great friends, and our friendship continued to his death.

"This is another instance of the truth of an old maxim I had learned, which says, 'He that has once done you a kindness will be more ready to do you another than he whom you yourself have obliged.' And it shows how much more profitable it is prudently to remove, than to resent, return, and continue inimical proceedings."

I'm glad to have you with us. Have an awesome WINNING WITHOUT INTIMIDATION week!