The Go-Giver by Bob Burg and John David Mann

Note: I don’t review substandard books. I make time to read a lot, but I don’t have a lot of time to review books, so what I do share, I’m sharing because the book has been very influential and helpful to me in my life, and I believe it will also help others. If you want to become a thought leader these are must-reads.

Quick links/info:

• Buy the book >>
• My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
• Not just a nice idea–it works.
• Author Twitter Profiles: Bob Burg, John David Mann
• Tags: Success, sales, management, startups, entrepreneurship, business in general.

How to know if this book can help you:

• You’re in sales or otherwise making deals.
• You’re an entrepreneur of any type (restauranteur, law firm partner, SEO professional, etc.).
• You’re married or in a serious relationship.
• You’re disillusioned with the business world, think it’s all corrupt, and are ready to throw in the towel.

Review:

In their best selling book The Go-Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea, authors Bob Burg and John David Mann use a fictional story to illustrate a true principle–those who give a lot of value, get a lot in return. They share five “laws” for achieving success in business:

1. Value. Your worth, professionally speaking, is determined by how much more you give in value than what you take in payment.
2. Compensation. How much you get paid is a result of how many people you serve and how well you serve them.
3. Influence. Your influence grows as you place other people’s needs first.
4. Authenticity. It’s difficult to provide great value if you have no passion for your work. Successful people are genuinely excited about what they do, get excited about what they do, or they find something else to do. They don’t fake it.
5. Receptivity. If you don’t know how to comfortably receive from others, you don’t understand how to give value effectively.

The real key of the book is to not focus on money or your own success. Instead, focus on others and the value you can provide to them. If you provide great value, money and success will take care of themselves. If you don’t believe it, try it for a month and see what happens. But read the book first. It’s short, enjoyable (sometimes a bit cheesy, but look past that), and to the point.