Give and Take

Give and Take

by Adam Grant

Give and Take is a great book by Adam Grant, who is now a Wharton professor studying organizational behavior. He writes this book as a very young PhD who studied the difference between ‘givers’, ‘takers’ and ‘matchers’ within organizations.  While almost everyone would assume that ‘givers’ are traditionally seen as ‘doormats’ in the business world, Grant argues otherwise.  In this compelling best-selling book, which is so helpful to anyone who leads an organization, Grant provides data points AND real life stories to illustrate the importance of ‘givers’ in the world.  Givers are not only people who provide time and energy mentoring, but also do the extra things to ensure that the entire team wins, not just the individual, when we create ways to give back.  He has a robust resource website, www.giveandtake.com, that explains relevant concepts and illustrates how “reciprocity rings” can be helpful.  He concludes with some helpful hints on how to be a better ‘giver’:

·         Test your quotient of giving

·         Run a reciprocity ring

·         Help other people craft their jobs – or craft yours to incorporate more giving

·         Start a love machine

·         Embrace the five-minute favor

·         Practice powerless communication

·         Join a community of givers

·         Launch a personal generosity experiment

·         Help fund a project

·         Seek help more often

I plan on using this book in my RA talks summer when they return for the fall.  A great read for all as our society has really stopped putting others first.