Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success

Wharton School professor and scientist Adam Grant uses storytelling combined with social science research to challenge the idea of what it takes to get ahead in business. His premise is that success comes not only from hard work, talent and luck, but also how we approach our interactions with other people. By categorizing people into givers, takers or matchers, he demonstrates shifts from one reciprocity style to another in different relationships.

Grant shows that givers are more likely to climb to the top of the success ladder due to their ability to build networks, collaborate, communicate, influence and help others to achieve their potential.

Check out giveandtake.com to test your giver quotient and learn more.

Our favorite insights:

1. Givers are top sellers due to powerless communication (They ask questions, listen to the answers and seek advice.

2. The 100-hour rule of volunteering is the range that is maximally energizing and minimally draining (2 hours a week).

3. Givers enhance the success of the people around them.

4. Professionally, most people are matchers. They strive to preserve an equal balance of giving and getting.

5. Natural talent matters, but grit is a major factor that predicts how close people get to achieving their potential.