Status
Available
Publication
Viking (2013), Edition: Edition Unstated, 320 pages
Description
Business. Nonfiction. HTML:A groundbreaking look at why our interactions with others hold the key to success, from the bestselling author of Think Again and Originals For generations, we have focused on the individual drivers of success: passion, hard work, talent, and luck. But in today�??s dramatically reconfigured world, success is increasingly dependent on how we interact with others. In Give and Take, Adam Grant, an award-winning researcher and Wharton�??s highest-rated professor, examines the surprising forces that shape why some people rise to the top of the success ladder while others sink to the bottom. Praised by social scientists, business theorists, and corporate leaders, Give and Take opens up an approach to work, interactions, and productivity that is nothing short of revoluti… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member porch_reader
Using scientific evidence and lots of stories, Grant explores the impact of giving on success. Grant argues that there are three types of people in the workplace - givers, takers, and matchers. And he finds that good guys (the givers) finish first. . . and last. Some givers are able to manage their
Full disclosure - I know the author of this book. He's a management professor at the Wharton School of Business (University of Pennsylvania), and we're in the same professional organizations and have served on some committees together. He's a serious scientist with the ability to translate what he's learned from research into practical insights. This is one of those rare business books that is built on a scientific foundation, but is easy to read and apply.
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giving in a way that serves both the interests of others and their own interests, making them successful in the workplace, while others are consumed by serving the demands of others to the detriment of their own success. Grant provides lots of practical tips on how to manage giving behavior so that you can reap the psychological benefits of helping others and the practical benefits of succeeding at your own aims. Full disclosure - I know the author of this book. He's a management professor at the Wharton School of Business (University of Pennsylvania), and we're in the same professional organizations and have served on some committees together. He's a serious scientist with the ability to translate what he's learned from research into practical insights. This is one of those rare business books that is built on a scientific foundation, but is easy to read and apply.
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LibraryThing member plappen
American business is supposed to be a tough, ultra-competitive arena where only the strong survive, and nice guys get trampled, right? According to this book, that is not totally true.
This book looks at three different kinds of people. Takers claim as much value for themselves as possible. If, for
Matchers aim to trade value evenly, as if they want to keep their spiritual inbox and outbox equal. Givers contribute to others without expecting anything in return.
The giving could involve something like arranging a business introduction, or mentoring a younger employee. There is a fine line between being a giver and a doormat; a giver must also make sure that their business duties are not being ignored. In the short term, takers may do better than givers, but, in the long term, a giver's networking, collaboration and leadership skills will come to the forefront. A giver uses words like we, us and ours.
How can a person increase their giving capacity? Take a test to see just how much of a giver you really are. Start a reciprocity ring at work. A group of employees meet weekly to make requests of each other. The intention is that everyone do what they can to fulfill those requests. It may seem a bit silly, but someone in your circle may know someone who knows someone who can fulfill your request. Publicly recognize givers at work. If you would rather give on your own, start a Personal Generosity Experiment.
This is a very thought-provoking book, which shows that nice people can finish first. The average CEO, or division head, could do a lot worse than read this book, and start to implement its recommendations.
This book looks at three different kinds of people. Takers claim as much value for themselves as possible. If, for
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instance, they are the CEO, they are the sort of person who has a full page picture of themselves in the company's annual report, where most other CEO's will have a much smaller picture in their annual report. Takers are very deferential to superiors, and very mean and inconsiderate to subordinates. They use words like I, me and mine, as if they single-handedly caused their company to have a profitable year.Matchers aim to trade value evenly, as if they want to keep their spiritual inbox and outbox equal. Givers contribute to others without expecting anything in return.
The giving could involve something like arranging a business introduction, or mentoring a younger employee. There is a fine line between being a giver and a doormat; a giver must also make sure that their business duties are not being ignored. In the short term, takers may do better than givers, but, in the long term, a giver's networking, collaboration and leadership skills will come to the forefront. A giver uses words like we, us and ours.
How can a person increase their giving capacity? Take a test to see just how much of a giver you really are. Start a reciprocity ring at work. A group of employees meet weekly to make requests of each other. The intention is that everyone do what they can to fulfill those requests. It may seem a bit silly, but someone in your circle may know someone who knows someone who can fulfill your request. Publicly recognize givers at work. If you would rather give on your own, start a Personal Generosity Experiment.
This is a very thought-provoking book, which shows that nice people can finish first. The average CEO, or division head, could do a lot worse than read this book, and start to implement its recommendations.
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LibraryThing member ohernaes
Convincing about the benefits of being a "giver". Grant's management research provides the basis for this thought provoking book about working styles. Most people are takers, givers or matchers (some of both). It turns out being a giver characterizes many of both the most succesful and the least
Organizes his discussion around four areas in which givers have a unique approach: networking, collaborating, evaluating and influencing.
Networking. Grant tells us about "Fortune 500's best networker" - Adam Rivkin, a universally appreciated nice guy who always has found it worthwhile to help others out and making matches between people and suggests making keeping in touch a habit. Reconnecting is key, and that is easier for givers, who have shared resources and knowledge before.
A first teacher in some field is not necessarily important for the skills that he or she teaches, but for giving motivation. Grit is a powerful predictor of success. To connect with an audience, it may be good to establish both vulnerability and credibility.
Givers should keep their own interest in mind, but when they do that, they are "other-ish" givers that "find ways of expanding the pie."
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succesful in different working places. Concern for others can be dysfunctional and lead to getting little done oneself, but if you do it right, you get more in return in the long run. And not only that, you drag your surroundings with you. It is obviously difficult to identify causality here, but Grant evidently firmly believes that giving causes success, and some of his evidence suggests that giving behavior can be learnt and effects identified. Organizes his discussion around four areas in which givers have a unique approach: networking, collaborating, evaluating and influencing.
Networking. Grant tells us about "Fortune 500's best networker" - Adam Rivkin, a universally appreciated nice guy who always has found it worthwhile to help others out and making matches between people and suggests making keeping in touch a habit. Reconnecting is key, and that is easier for givers, who have shared resources and knowledge before.
A first teacher in some field is not necessarily important for the skills that he or she teaches, but for giving motivation. Grit is a powerful predictor of success. To connect with an audience, it may be good to establish both vulnerability and credibility.
Givers should keep their own interest in mind, but when they do that, they are "other-ish" givers that "find ways of expanding the pie."
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LibraryThing member debnance
There are givers. There are takers.
Who loses? Who wins?
As you might suspect, the givers lose.
But here’s a surprise: the givers also win.
Lots and lots here for those who own companies or manage people or just want to know more about human nature.
Who loses? Who wins?
As you might suspect, the givers lose.
But here’s a surprise: the givers also win.
Lots and lots here for those who own companies or manage people or just want to know more about human nature.
LibraryThing member Egon_Spengler
Pretty repetitive, on the whole.
LibraryThing member Fouad_Bendris
Absolutely amazing book for understanding generosity from totally another angle.
For anyone who has been on a self-discovery journey to ascertain his success and failures, this book provides for an illuminating answer !
Absolutely fascinating and comprehensive research on givers, takers and matchers
The most inspirational book I have read in years ;()
Aug, 21 st - 2015
For anyone who has been on a self-discovery journey to ascertain his success and failures, this book provides for an illuminating answer !
Absolutely fascinating and comprehensive research on givers, takers and matchers
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- That unveils how the world really works … The most inspirational book I have read in years ;()
Aug, 21 st - 2015
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LibraryThing member jpsnow
Do Givers win or do Takers win? Or is it the people in the middle. The results are surprising until you learn how other factors matter. This book backs a simple concept with empirical research and plenty of practical examples. What I valued most from it was a technique of making interpersonal
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negotiations more objective by imagining giving advice to someone else. Show Less
LibraryThing member open-leadership
This book does an amazing job of talking about how giving is the best strategy to build most benefit for all. This is a very OPEN idea!
LibraryThing member CassandraT
It's tough to rate this book, because there's a lot I disliked about it. I felt that chapters 2-5 could be skipped. It makes some claims that are debunked later or only apply to CEOs/bosses. He states that takers are easy to spot in chapter 2 but then backtracks in chapter 7. The thesis of the book
Essentially,
Give freely and trust people
But once you realize someone is a taker, be arrive about exclusions if reciprocity and matching
Givers ask for what they need because they invest in themselves as much as others
Givers are not limited to tit for tat, they also pay it forward
Avoid burnout by dedicating time to activities that make the benefits of your giving/work apparent so you feel that what you do is important
Find things that you have in common with people
Find clever ways to meet your needs and others without sacrificing; think outside the box about studying motivations and making each of your jobs easier and achieving all the goals
Ask for help and advice
Don't worry so much about power language because to can be off-putting and you want to express your interest in investing in the team, others and yourself as a win win
Generally, life is not a zero sum game.
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is good, that establishing norms of helping others helps ourselves. He provides some evidence that people who give often are more valued and receive benefits that move them forward in their careers. He never really qualifies giving for say women who are expected to be more giving, or people who dont have many skills or resources. It seems that effective givers are creative on also making asks. He gives little information to understand how effective givers also take, just less than they give, and they pay it forward and ask others to give or pay it forward as well. Essentially,
Give freely and trust people
But once you realize someone is a taker, be arrive about exclusions if reciprocity and matching
Givers ask for what they need because they invest in themselves as much as others
Givers are not limited to tit for tat, they also pay it forward
Avoid burnout by dedicating time to activities that make the benefits of your giving/work apparent so you feel that what you do is important
Find things that you have in common with people
Find clever ways to meet your needs and others without sacrificing; think outside the box about studying motivations and making each of your jobs easier and achieving all the goals
Ask for help and advice
Don't worry so much about power language because to can be off-putting and you want to express your interest in investing in the team, others and yourself as a win win
Generally, life is not a zero sum game.
Show Less
LibraryThing member deo808
It's the topic I was needing to read. The author goes on to conclude that giving, when done right, it's a powerful way to succeed in life.
LibraryThing member Skybalon
A well written and researched book that shows that acting in a manner that looks out for others results in success. Not always, and one must still understand one's goals, but it works. Well worth the read.
LibraryThing member moukayedr
The premise of the book is good but loses narrative energy in part.
The examples from the sporting field are hard to relate to for a reader outside of North America, and some business word examples are also very specific to the US.
The examples from the sporting field are hard to relate to for a reader outside of North America, and some business word examples are also very specific to the US.
LibraryThing member DianeVallere
I loved this book. You might wonder why a former business person turned full time writer picked it up. It came recommended by an old friend, and a cursory glance told me I'd like the message. The recommendation was right; I was right. "Business" these days is not all about buying, selling, and
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making a buck. It encompasses all of our interactions with the rest of the world. I expected the book to tell me that givers are destined to occupy the bottom rung of the food chain. I was delighted to learn that was not true. This book helped me feel better about wanting to support others by giving back, but also opened my eyes to the fact that some people give, some people take, and success isn't necessarily earned through reciprocity. I have a new outlook on networking (it's not about what someone else can do for you, it's about what you can do for someone else), and also on knowing when to say yes and when to say no. Highly recommended. (Thanks, Ted!) Show Less
Awards
Financial Times and Schroders Business Book of the Year (Longlist — 2013)
Language
Original language
English
Physical description
320 p.; 9.28 inches
ISBN
0670026557 / 9780670026555