Give and Take: A Revolutionary Approach to Success

Give and Take: A Revolutionary Approach to Success

by Adam M. Grant
4.07 (37K)  •  2013

Related videos

13:29
Author defines givers, takers & matchers + slides in TED format
3.9M    96K
Jan, 2017
Spoiler: Grant teaches the audience how to recognize givers, takers, and matchers (those who give and take equally) and how each influences company culture, team dynamics, and eventual success or failure. He says givers are prone to burnout; the key to a successful business that includes givers is to make it okay for them to ask for help as well as offering it. That is, givers make an organization better but sacrifice themselves in the process and should be protected in order to preserve their positive influence.
7:33
Key concepts from Grant’s book, explained in animated format
129K    3K
Sep, 2016
Spoiler: In every interaction, we can choose to be either a giver, a taker, or a matcher (giving and taking in equal measure). However, we each have a default mode that kicks in when we meet someone new. Grant set out to discover which mode leads to clear success and/or failure. Successful givers ask three questions before giving: why, when, and for whom? He found that givers who have a strong “why” avoid the burnout of givers who give out of obligation or without clarity.
5:53
Excerpt from speech about what goes into success + slides
55K    446
Apr, 2013
Spoiler: “Givers” look to help those around them and are typically averse to asking for help in return. “Takers” are the opposite. Most of us fall not at either extreme but are “matchers,” expecting favors in return for those that we give. The work of givers can suffer from spending too much time helping others; for example, a study of medical students found that the givers had the lowest grades, suggesting that the most competent doctors may not be the most altruistic.
98:11
Author presentation plus slides and audience Q&A
26K    192
Jun, 2013
Spoiler: Grant defines givers, takers, and matchers, then examines the nuances of each one. For example, narcissists are the most obvious form of takers but there are also takers who are former givers; these are people who got burned one too many times or simply got exhausted from over-giving and decided to go to the other extreme. He warns that a person’s outer veneer cannot be used to judge whether they are a giver or a taker, noting that many takers appear to be warm and charming but are actually selfish opportunists.

Follow the author

Other books by Adam M. Grant

4.15 (118K)   •   2021
3.96 (55K)   •   2016
4.12 (34K)   •   2023

Ask Albert:

Rate the book