A

Book
Review

Give and Take

A Revolutionary Approach to Success
Review by Patrick O’Brien Book by Adam M. Grant | Published by Viking Press | © 2013

For anyone in the service industry or in the fields of business or

education, Give and Take dives deeply into the correlation
between our willingness to help others and the attainment of
success for ourselves, others, and our organization.

In Give and Take, author Adam Grant outlines that there are three types of personalities in the
worlds of business, education, and service. He demonstrates through life experiences and
research findings that average people who exhibit the core values of ‘givers’ can achieve
extraordinary results.

Grant introduces and describes the personalities and core values of “givers,” “matchers,” and “takers.”
As he describes these three distinct personalities, he presents us with the reality of complexities
sometimes involved in clearly identifying a leader as a particular personality. Matchers and takers can
be sophisticated enough to put on the façade of being a giver, although Grant assures us that self-
serving individuals (matchers and takers) are readily identified. He further suggests that even with
matchers and takers temporarily acting as givers, there is still the potential for value-added individual
and organizational growth.

Adam Grant is an accomplished researcher and top-rated professor at the Wharton

School. He has been recognized “as Wharton’s top rated teacher for five straight years
and as one of the world’s 25 most influential management thinkers.” In Give and Take,
Grant challenges us to rethink our understanding of what makes successful leaders. The
most successful leaders:

give of themselves and help others drive their success

are unselfish but not to the point of self-harm

enable others while building their own net-worth through problem-

solving, sharing knowledge and information, and providing feedback

influence others and negotiate win-win situations

 Book Review: Give and Take
2

Initial Insights
In Give and Take, Grant takes a fascinating look at the traditionally-held view of successful people and organiza-
tions, and masterfully dispels the mythical perception that successful people, CEOs, COOs, board Presidents,
and people in powerful and influential positions are over-bearing, confident, authoritative individuals. He equally
dismisses the perception that givers are on the bottom of the success ladder. He systematically presents com-
pelling anecdotes and research indicating that givers are far more impactful in helping colleagues reach their
potential. These people embody the core values necessary to create safe and caring environments where people
work in teams, trust in one another, do for one another, and are not afraid to make mistakes. Mistakes are seen
as starting points for further growth.

The Connection Between Individual and Collective Success

Give and Take will assist anyone who would like to design, implement, and sustain positive change in a company,
organization, or social network. The lives and situations of various people are examined while demonstrating
why and how helping others leads individuals and organizations to success. The goals of each chapter are clearly
stated, and the findings are seamlessly and informatively presented
through anecdotes and supported research. Grant convincingly presents
“Seeing the potential in others

the case that givers are most often successful people, and they con-
and helping others succeed leads

tribute positively to colleagues and organizations. Seeing the potential

to a connection between

in others and helping others succeed leads to a connection between indi-

individual and collective success.”

vidual and collective success.

Readers are introduced to the nature of givers, matchers, and takers. Grant describes givers as individuals with
integrity; those who have trust in others, believe in others, and recognize the potential in others. Givers are nur-
turing and encouraging. Matchers will do something for you if they are repaid in kind or better. Takers are self-
serving individuals interested in advancing their own interests. Grant emphasizes that givers are just as ambitious
as takers and matchers, but they go about achieving their ambitions in more productive ways, adding value to
those around them and their organizations.

Give and Take aptly presents situations and evidence that demonstrate the skills and character necessary to be a
successful giver. Each time a giver gives, a new connection is made and it is oftentimes through these connections
and reconnections that givers become powerful and successful. It is our guiding principles that inform our actions
and giving is an important guiding principle. Building nurturing environments where mutual respect is common
is essential for successful, sustainable organizations. Givers work best in networks and help create congeniality.
Givers promote strong networks leading to lasting value. Givers add more to networks and build trust and prestige.
Matchers and takers also give in teams and networks but do so
strategically. They are guarded in their giving and position them-
“Each time a giver gives, a new connection

selves so that they look for what their giving brings back to
is made and it is oftentimes through these

them. Matchers and takers would view interdependence as

connections and reconnections that givers

being weak. Sharing information, seeking advice, and asking

become powerful and successful.”
 Book Review: Give and Take
3

questions are not in their repertoire. Consequently, matchers and takers do not garner confidence and prestige
from their colleagues. Givers deny the notion that interdependence is weak and, rather, see the strength of group
work and collaboration and the strength in working toward the best interests of the group.

The Benefits of Knowing Personality Type

Grant engagingly explains why being a giver and helping others leads individuals and organizations to become
successful. He shows us how knowing the personality type of the people working within an organization helps
to inform decision-making and gives an understanding of what motivates individuals.

Grant discusses the effects givers, matchers, and takers have on individuals and organizations. He describes two
types of givers; “Selfless” givers, or those who have high interest in others and low self-interest; and “Otherish”
givers who have high interest in others, coupled with high self-interest. He insightfully discusses how givers are
most influential and how the giving mentality leads most individuals to success. Givers offer value to you, whereas
takers seize value from you. Takers are involved in zero sum win/lose scenarios, whereas givers are involved in
win/win. Grant cautions against being a “doormat” giver—the selfless givers who allow others to exploit them.

Grant offers numerous strategies used by successful givers to guard against becoming doormats and burning
out. He explains that givers network—they develop new contacts and nurture old ones; and they value and
get involved in teamwork. They develop (or intuitively have) and nurture strong interpersonal skills, while
helping others achieve their potential. Successful givers learn how to effectively evaluate and screen others,
but still allow themselves to be vulnerable, ask
strategic questions, and seek advice. They influ-
“Successful givers learn how to effectively evaluate

ence others and gain prestige in doing so; and they

and screen others, but still allow themselves to be

have, as Grant so aptly describes, grit, which

vulnerable, ask strategic questions, and seek advice.”

includes intense interest, focus and drive.

The “Reciprocity Ring”

Collaboration is the lifeblood of any successful organization. Grant thoughtfully identifies the activity of a “Reciproc-
ity Ring” to help foster a more cooperative environment. In a Reciprocity Ring, everyone in the group makes a
request for assistance in some activity. It could be about finding specific information on something of interest,
making a contact for a job interview, completing a project, or finding a rare part for some hobby you have. The
objective is for everyone to make a request and help in some way. By making the request, you make yourself
somewhat vulnerable through seeking assistance in some form; however, by participating in the Reciprocity Ring,
you also become a giver. It is at that point, according to Grant, that givers have to encourage and allow for the
participation of matchers and takers. This exercise has the power of generating a network with the potential of
long lasting value.
 Book Review: Give and Take
4

Parting Thoughts
Organizations would do well to implement a mechanism of identifying and supporting the givers in their ranks.
Successful organizations want to be seen as caring, productive, growing, and sustainable communities. They
want to be seen as inviting to employees and customers, and responsible to their surrounding communities.
Successful givers embody the spirit of what successful organizations want to be. They demonstrate that caring,
cooperation, self-growth, and interest in the growth of others are beneficial to all.

There is a condemnation against bullying, strong-armed, zero sum leadership, and Give and Take: A Revolutionary
Approach to Success leads us to a different understanding of achieving personal and organizational success.
Provocatively, through case studies, a collation of research, and story telling, Adam Grant convinces us to join
the “Revolution.” Grant rejects the manipulating, scheming, win-at-all-cost style of leadership. There is intriguing
evidence that strong, positive interdependence is a much more powerful strategy in achieving and sustaining
personal and collective success.

About the Author

ADAM M. GRANT is a Wharton University top-rated professor, and a leading expert on
how we can find motivation and meaning to live more generous and creative lives. He
has been recognized as one of the world’s 25 most influential management thinkers and
Fortune’s 40 under 40.

Grant is the author of two New York Times bestselling books translated into 35 languages.
Grant was profiled in the New York Times Magazine cover story, “Is Giving the Secret to Get-
ting Ahead?”. He was tenured at Wharton while still in his twenties, and has received the
Excellence in Teaching Award for every class he has taught. He is the founder and host of
the Authors@Wharton speaker series, and co-director of Wharton People Analytics.

Also by Adam M. Grant

1 Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World (with Sheryl Sandberg), Penguin Books
© 2017, ISBN 978-0143128854.
2 Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success, Penguin Books © 2014,
ISBN 978-0143124986.

Give and Take: A Revolutionary Approach to Success, by Adam M. Grant. Copyright © 2013, Viking Press, 320 pages,
ISBN 978-0670026555.