Give and Take: A Revolutionary Approach to Success

[en] Z jednej strony książka, po której przeczytaniu możesz poczuć się lepiej, z drugiej w ostatnim rozdziale dość dobrze podsumowuje dlaczego jedno podejście (give) może być lepsze od drugiego (take). Tak kapitalistycznie lepsze. W kilku miejscach przekroczona granica śmieszności, bo tak niezwykłe sytuacje jak opisane w książce sponsorowanie przez firmę lotów prywatnym samolotem... Nie, nie miałem takie propozycji.

Adam Grant is the youngest tenured professor at The Wharton School. He's written a fascinating book about his research on giving and success. It's a quick read with lots of real-life examples.

(Before you read any further, you may want to take his assessment to learn your style of give and take. You can find it here: http://www.giveandtake.com/Home/ChooseAssessment)

He essentially argues that there are three types of people: givers, takers and matchers. Surprisingly, those with greater long-term success are most likely to be givers than matchers or takers. Not surprisingly, those at the bottom are also givers! His book discusses how to be more like successful givers if you're a matcher or a taker. And, how to be a more successful giver, if you're the type of giver who is what he calls “selfless.”

I found his advice particularly relevant to very caring (giving) mothers and women. I write more about it on my blog. (Each month I write Book Notes on what I believe are useful to talented and caring women and parents and summarize insights that would be relevant to them.) To read my Book Notes on this book, please visit: http://lifejunctions.wordpress.com/2014/04/10/booknotegivetake/