Give and Take - Adam Grant

According to the author, there are three types of profiles, or three types of interactions that you can adopt when meeting a person: being a giver, a taker or a matcher.

A giver is interested in how he can help other people in how his attitudes will contribute to the company, the team or even a group of friends.

A taker is the opposite side of a giver. Takers are selfish. They believe they will succeed by being better than others. The thoughts that move their minds are: "What am I getting out of this? Will this action be of value to me? Is it worth my time and energy?".

The matcher seeks reciprocity. They also help others but expect to receive something in return for it. If you do a favor to a matcher, he will be happy to return it.

The book "Give and Take"

Released in 2013, it was written by Adam Grant. In this version (2014) it is composed of 288 pages and nine chapters. The book "Give and Take" presents a revolutionary approach to success and highlights the importance of teamwork.

Critically acclaimed and praised by social scientists, business theorists, and business leaders, Grant reveals that the most successful individuals, regardless of area, are not the most selfish and ruthless.

"Giving and Receiving belies the old belief that the 'world is smart. ' Over the years, I have realized that generosity is an asset of irrefutable value. Grant's fascinating research, in addition to representing a validation of this principle, also offers the knowledge and techniques to apply it more effectively. This is a super manifesto for great achievements." - David Allen.

Who is Adam Grant?

Adam Grant, American born in 1981, is recognized as one of the ten most influential management thinkers in the world by magazine Fortune. He has been the best-evaluated teacher of Wharton for seven years in a row.

The Wharton School is a college of management education linked to the University of Pennsylvania. His courses are among the best considered in the world.

Adam Grant is author of three best-selling books of the New York Times, which sold over a million copies and have been translated into 35 languages. They are: "Give and Take", "Originals" and "Option B", in partnership with Sheryl Sandberg.

Why should I read the book?

According to Robert Sutton,

"This book has profound implications for how we manage our careers, deal with our friends and relatives, raise our children, and design our institutions".

If you want this for your life, this book is for you.

What are the key ideas of the book "Give and Take"?

• You can be a "giver", a "taker" or a "matcher";
• Givers occupy the top of the scale of success, such as the base. In other words, givers are the most successful, as well as the most unsuccessful;
• Show the difference between the two types of givers and put into practice the strategies of the winners;
• The middle of the scale of success is filled with takers and matchers;
• You will enrich your life, your work, and your community by becoming a giver;
• Givers encourage creativity and excellence in the people who are close to them;
• You will be exhausted if you only think about the interests of others;
• Ponder how you are wasting your time and energy.

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Givers, Takers and Matchers

Author Adam Grant presents in his book three types of people: the givers, the takers and the matchers.

He states in his book "Give and Take" that:

"Takers help others strategically so that the benefits to themselves outweigh personal costs".

But "givers", think otherwise, they act "when benefits to recipients outweigh personal costs".

Matchers act on the balance between giving and receiving; they help others by expecting something in return. Adam says these are the most common in the professional arena.

To clarify a bit more about how each of these three styles works, let's see in practice how they behave.

Let's say you work on a carrier and are taking delivery to Ms. Sandra. Unfortunately, the data is wrong and you took the order to Mr. Carlos.

In that case, if Mr. Carlos is a "giver" he will help you find Mr. Sandra's correct address. Now, if Mr. Carlos is a "taker" or a "matcher," he will do nothing to help you. That's because there is no gain for them.

Overview: "Networking"

Obviously, givers, takers, and matchers build their networks, otherwise known as networking, in different ways.

Starting with the matchers, they focus on the immediate benefit in every trade. Their networking is built on reciprocity. Then, a matcher will expect the request to be accompanied by a donation.

Typically, the "takers" are actively related. However, they are reserved for the most influential and powerful people, clearly pursuing selfish goals. As they get rid of other people, their networks of relationships fade with time.

On the other hand, we have the giver who uses networking to give more than receiving. In 2011, magazine Fortune sought to identify the best networker in the United States.

His name is Adam Forrest Rifkin, "Rifkin had more connections on LinkedIn with the 640 most powerful people on the Fortune list than any other human being."

He explains that his "connections developed gradually, actually a little bit each day, through small gestures and acts of kindness over many years."

Overview: "The Art of Preserving Motivation"

Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but if you keep donating, someday you'll win. However, even the largest giver can run out. Givers should remain energized at all times.

According to Adam,

"Givers do not have to work fewer hours, they have to see more of the impact they make when they help others."

So, find a way to see the change you generate often. Thus, you will keep your energies high so that you can donate regardless of time.

Another difference between successful and unsuccessful givers is that the successful ones care about their own interests as well as the interests of others.

So it takes a bit of selfishness to keep the takers from exploiting you. If you allow yourself to be exploited, you will become exhausted, that is, without energy, thus becoming an unsuccessful giver.

The giver needs to adjust and defend against the takers. To do this, givers can become matchers to deal with takers, that is, to make takers to give so they can receive.

Grant also says that our style of giving is not fixed, but it can change. We change constantly, even if we do not realize it. In that way, no matter what style you're in today, it's never too late to change.

Books about habits

Charles Duhigg in the book "The Power of Habit" teaches how habits have a powerful influence in our lives. You want to be successful no matter what segment of your life? Start by changing your habits!

Talking about habits, James Clear shows in the book "Atomic Habits" that even those little habits you think may not change anything, do change a lot in your life! So learn to value and practice them!

No one is perfect, this is one of the truths that rule the world. But everyone can be brave in many situations, tiny and great ones. Learn to overcome your fears with this summary of the book "Brave, Not Perfect" by Rehman Seujani.

Okay, but how can I be more successful?

The book has a section called "Impact Actions" intended for you that wishes to "apply the principles of this book to work or personal life. Many of these actions are based on the strategies and habits of successful givers."

"Test Your Giver Quotient (GQ)". Adam Grant has developed tools to help you determine your style (giver, taker, and matcher). Just visit the website www.giveandtake.com and make an evaluation.

"Promote the Rings of Reciprocity." Gather a group of people at least once a week for the purpose of asking for tips and aids.

According to Grant:

"Each person submits a request to group members who make contributions: they use their knowledge, resources, and connections to help respond to requests."

Another point is to help others find more interesting activities for themselves, that is, activities that match their abilities and interests.

"Spread messages of solidarity. In many organizations, givers are ignored. To address this problem, some companies are launching peer recognition programs to identify donations."

"Adopt five-minute favors." If someone asks you a favor that takes five minutes or less of your time to satisfy him, you should do so.

After all, that was how Adam Rifkin was recognized as the best networker in 2011 by Fortune.

Another strategy indicated by Grant is to talk less and listen more. According to him:

"It is almost always possible to exert a greater impact when you know what to ask instead of what to say."

Finally, Adam also suggests that you "Join a giver community", "Launch a personal bounty experiment", "Help fund a project" and "Seek help more often".

"Help with generosity without thinking of retribution; but also ask frequently, whenever you need it".

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