In one “Peanuts” cartoon, Linus makes the mistake of telling his big sister Lucy that he wants to be a doctor when he grows up. Lucy is flabbergasted and laughs at him, saying, “You could never be a doctor! You know why? Because you don’t love humankind!”

Linus responds, “I love humankind! It’s people I can’t stand!”

Many of us struggle with relationships, yet building relationships -- networking -- is one of the most important skills we need to develop.

It is so significant that the key line in my networking book, “Dig Your Well Before You’re Thirsty,” is this: “If I had to name the single characteristic shared by all the truly successful people I’ve met over a lifetime, I’d say it is the ability to create and nurture a network of contacts.”

My passion for networking led me to a new book that I highly recommend. “What’s in It For Them?” by Joe Polish shows how success comes from winning the right friends and influencing the right people. He has created a framework for filtering right-fit people from wrong-fit ones.

Polish writes: “Any relationship that’s ‘ELF’ (Easy, Lucrative and Fun) is the right fit, and any relationship that’s ‘HALF’ (Hard, Annoying, Lame and Frustrating) is the wrong fit.”

Each chapter explores core principles of connection and highlights key takeaways or “dominoes” throughout and points out the downsides and potential pitfalls. There are specific exercises and action steps at the end of each chapter to enhance learning.

Polish is the founder of Genius Network, a high-level entrepreneurial group and connection network with the goal of building better entrepreneurs. In short, the group is about investing in yourself, your business and your relationships.

Polish is a big believer in my Mackay 66 Customer Profile (free on my website, www.harveymackay.com, under Resources), which aims to get close to your customers, suppliers or anyone in your network. He looks for the hot buttons that are key to people. He describes a dinner party with Sir Richard Branson where most of the attendees were asking serious questions about climate change, business strategy and so on. Polish had done his homework and knew Branson signed the hard rock group the Sex Pistols when he ran Virgin Records, so Polish asked him what it was like to hang out with Sid Vicious and Johnny Rotten. He gained Branson’s attention and his email address for future correspondence.

Another point in the book that stuck with me was situational awareness. Early in his career, Polish met with networking guru Dan Sullivan and commented that his company’s marketing “sucked.” Polish didn’t realize that Sullivan’s marketing director was also in the meeting. Big mistake! You don’t influence people by telling them what’s wrong and how to fix it. You tell them what’s right and how to enhance it. Bottom line, do your homework.

Polish points out that you want to be memorable in a positive way. The person who stands out is often the most likely to be remembered. He calls it the “Happy Client Experience,” which means going above and beyond what is expected. I call this delivering more than you promise, which is the subtitle of my book, “Beware the Naked Man Who Offers You His Shirt.”

Networking is about appreciating people. Polish is in constant contact with all kinds of people -- not just his close friends -- sharing articles, videos, podcasts and jokes. It’s a form of communication that helps him get things done and builds bonds through mutual appreciation.

He writes: “I do it in a genuine way by making sure the other person is getting what they want as well. An easy way to think of it is with the book’s title question: ‘What’s in it for them?’ The point of asking that is not to make everything transactional but to guard against being manipulative or one-sided in your own actions.”

He adds: “One of the most common reasons people go unappreciated is because they give everything they have away for free to the wrong people. There are plenty of times that I’ve been targeted or manipulated by takers despite my best intentions.”

The key for Polish is to get as close to in-person as you can. Strive to close the distance between you and another person by making all experiences with people as impactful as they can be. Send heartfelt notes instead of stock emails or messages. There’s nothing better than the personal touch.

Mackay’s Moral: Networking is not collecting contacts. Networking is about planting relationships.

One summer night at an all-girls summer camp, the campers were gathered around in a circle for nighttime conversation. The counselor asked if any of the girls wanted to share something that had happened that day that impacted her. One camper raised her hand and said a girl from another cabin had said something that hurt her feelings, and she was really upset about it.

The camp counselor went to the bathroom to grab a tube of toothpaste, then took the tube and squeezed out just a bit. She then tried to put the toothpaste back in the tube, but it just created a mess. Then she squeezed the tube even more, pushing more toothpaste out and creating even more of a mess, but none of it would go back into the tube.

The counselor told the campers, “This toothpaste represents the words you speak. Once you say something that you want to take back, it’s nearly impossible to do so, and only creates a mess. So think before you speak, and make sure your words are going to good use before you let them out.”

I remember when I was young and kids used to say, “Sticks and stones can break your bones, but words will never hurt you.” Wrong! I think the saying should be “Sticks and stones can break your bones, but words can really hurt you.” Words hold tremendous power. They can shatter or make a career, kill or nurture a relationship, or break or heal a heart.

There are all kinds of words: words of wisdom, words of encouragement, fighting words, words to live by, foreign words, simple words, big words, naughty words, strong words, last words. They all serve a purpose. Choose the right words for your situation.

Research has found that the people who talk trash about someone else unwittingly paint themselves with the same brush. On the bright side: The same is true when the talk is positive.

In my case, my mother, who was a teacher, set me straight around the tender age of 12. At that time, my idea of a vocabulary upgrade consisted of adding to the string of cusswords I could say without repeating myself. A colorful skill, but of limited value in mixed company and one that put me at personal risk within the Mackay household.

Over the years, I have learned the value of using the right words at the right time. I choose words every day. When speaking, writing, requesting and deciding, I use some words, and not others. You do, too. The words we choose create meaning and mission in our lives. Every word and phrase you choose conveys mood, tone and meaning.

Remember, customers and colleagues come in every possible stage of enthusiasm, anxiety, understanding and confusion. Pay attention! When you are offering, asking, responding, explaining, invoicing, installing or advising -- choose the words you use with care.

“Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them,” said entertainer Andy Rooney.

Here are three simple tips to consider:

1. If you don’t have anything positive to say, it’s better to say nothing at all. Take your emotions out. Too often, we want to get our opinion out and slam the other person or try to get even. Social media has really exacerbated this problem.

2. Be aware of your influence. This is especially true for authority figures like role models, parents and teachers. Your words mean a great deal. To most people, you might be just another person, but to certain people, you might be the world.

3. Respond rather than react. Too many people just say things off the cuff and then realize they can’t take them back. It’s like trying to put toothpaste back in the tube. If you want your words to work for you, work for your words. The result will pay off big time.

Mackay’s Moral: Your words say a lot about you -- choose them wisely.

A shopkeeper was dismayed when a brand-new small business, much like his own, opened next door on his left and erected a huge sign that read BEST DEALS.

He was horrified when another business competitor opened on his right, and announced its arrival with an even larger sign, reading LOWEST PRICES.

The shopkeeper panicked, until he got an idea. He put the biggest sign of all over his own shop. It read MAIN ENTRANCE.

There is no substitute for creativity. That shopkeeper could have spent a year’s profits on an ad campaign, mailings, giveaways, you name it, and probably wouldn’t have made as large an impact. A stroke of brilliance kept his business humming.

There is no correlation between IQ and creativity. Every single person has the potential to become more creative than they think they are. The key is developing a mindset that enables them to look at things from new perspectives.

Creativity and innovation are important to business success. If your organization needs to devote the resources necessary to support a creative atmosphere, take these factors into account:

Money -- Creativity and innovation can’t breathe in an atmosphere of budget cuts and downsizing. You may produce creative ideas to get around lack of funds, but in the long run, you won’t get many practical ideas unless you’re willing to spend cash on developing and testing them.

Elbow room -- Cramming people into tight little cubicles is no way to get their imaginations working. Give them room to move around: conference rooms to spread out in, windows to stare out of and the freedom to work in different environments that spark innovative ideas and insights. In this age of working from home, be open to allowing people to escape the distractions of the office to do some brainstorming outside the confines of the workplace.

Freedom -- Part of this is related to the space issue -- freedom to work in nontraditional surroundings. But more important is freedom to suggest changes and question assumptions. Don’t challenge people to think creatively only to squash their ideas with “But that’s not how we do things around here.” Keep your eye on the prize and consider innovative ways of reaching that goal.

Risk -- Remember how many times Thomas Edison tested his first lightbulb? You can’t generate creative thinking if people don’t feel comfortable taking chances and failing. You should tolerate intelligent risk -- and even celebrate failure -- if people are acting in good faith while trying to help the organization grow. Failure is not fatal; it’s just proof that there’s another solution out there.

Advertising genius Alex Osborn, considered the “father of brainstorming,” devoted his life to promoting and teaching creative thinking. He believed the fiercest enemy of creativity was criticism: “Creativity is so delicate a flower that praise tends to make it bloom, while discouragement often nips it in the bud. Any of us will put out more and better ideas if our efforts are appreciated.”

Make creativity a core value. There is no business that cannot benefit from creative thinking. Talk about the power of ideas and the benefits of innovation. Provide training that hones people’s thinking. Reward creative efforts, even when they fail, to reinforce the value you place on imagination and creative thought. Sometimes a minor tweak can make a major difference.

As a manager, it’s critical that you model creative thinking. If your staff hears you express not-so- traditional ideas, they will be more inclined to share their thoughts.

Here's another story to illustrate my point. A real estate tycoon from New York City visited a Miami bank and said his wife wanted to fly over to the Bahamas, so he needed a fast $3,000. The banker said, “I don’t know who you are.”

He said, “I have a very successful real estate office in New York City.”

The banker said, “That doesn’t matter. I’d have to have some collateral.”

“Well, I’ve got a brand-new Cadillac outside.”

The banker took the Cadillac. A week went by, and the New Yorker returned, paid off the $3,000 note and $25 interest for the week.

The banker said, “I don’t understand, sir. I looked at your application and called New York City. You’re a very successful real estate operator. Why did you have to come into my bank and borrow a paltry $3,000?”

“Can you think of a better place to keep my car for seven days for $25?”

Mackay’s Moral: A spark of creativity can ignite a blazing business success.