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001 Adam Grant: Give and Take

Being a giver, not a taker, leads to success in business and life, creating a ripple effect of positivity.

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Adam Grant: Give and Take

Summary

Give and Take explores how success can be achieved by creating a culture of giving. The author presents three different types of people in the business world: givers, takers, and matchers. By examining their behaviors, he argues that being a giver can lead to greater success and satisfaction in the long run. Givers have a giving mindset, which benefits others as well as themselves. Matchers strive for an equal balance between giving and receiving, and takers are focused on receiving. Through various studies and anecdotes, the author demonstrates how givers can create a positive impact in both their personal and professional lives, and how it is possible to be a successful giver without sacrificing personal gain.

About

Title: Give and Take

Author: Adam Grant

Year of Publishing: 2013

Publisher: Viking Adult

Length in hours: 11 hours and 50 minutes

5 main ideas

  1. There are three types of people in the business world: givers, takers, and matchers.
  2. Givers have a giving mindset and strive to help others.
  3. Matchers strive for an equal balance between giving and receiving.
  4. Takers are focused on receiving and are willing to take advantage of others to achieve their goals.
  5. Giving can lead to greater success and satisfaction in the long run, both personally and professionally.
Adam Grant: Give and Take

5 funny quotes

  1. "I have a photographic memory but I always forget to bring the film."
  2. "I was thinking about getting a life, but then I remembered I still have some more books to read."
  3. "I'm not lazy, I'm just on energy-saving mode."
  4. "I told my wife she was drawing her eyebrows too high. She looked surprised."
  5. "My boss told me to have a good day, so I went home."

5 thought-provoking quotes​

  1. "Success depends heavily on how we approach our interactions with other people."
  2. "Givers succeed not because they're selfless but because they're driven by values like fairness and reciprocity."
  3. "Networking is not about collecting contacts. Networking is about building relationships based on generosity."
  4. "The most successful people are those who are good at Plan A but even better at Plan B."
  5. "The difference between extraordinary results and average ones is not talent, but grit."

5 dilemmas

  1. How can we balance the desire to succeed in our own careers with the need to help and support others along the way?
  2. When is it appropriate to say "no" to a request for help, and how do we determine whether we are being taken advantage of?
  3. How can we foster a culture of giving in our workplaces, schools, and communities?
  4. Is it possible to be a giver without sacrificing our own success and well-being?
  5. How can we address the issue of "takers" in our personal and professional lives, and prevent them from taking advantage of our generosity?

5 examples

  1. Lin-Manuel Miranda, creator of the hit musical Hamilton, is a well-known giver who supports emerging artists and encourages collaboration.
  2. Anne-Marie Slaughter, former director of policy planning for the U.S. State Department, believes in integrating family life with career success and advocates for more family-friendly policies.
  3. Ken Frazier, CEO of pharmaceutical company Merck, made the decision to stop the development of a drug that had the potential to generate billions of dollars in order to focus on developing treatments for diseases that were not being addressed by the market.
  4. Jane Goodall, primatologist and animal rights activist, has spent her career studying chimpanzees and advocating for their protection and conservation.
  5. Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, is known for his unconventional approach to business and innovation, often taking big risks and pursuing ambitious projects.

Referenced books

  1. "The Talent Code: Greatness Isn't Born. It's Grown. Here's How." by Daniel Coyle
  2. "Thinking, Fast and Slow" by Daniel Kahneman
  3. "Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion" by Robert Cialdini
  4. "Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success" by David Hamilton
  5. "The Progress Principle: Using Small Wins to Ignite Joy, Engagement, and Creativity at Work" by Teresa Amabile and Steven Kramer

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"Networking is not about collecting contacts. Networking is about building relationships based on generosity."

Adam Grant: Give and Take

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