“Give and Take”, and the Successful Leader
There
are always new books being published about what makes people successful, how to
win, how to climb the corporate ladder, how to influence, how to lead and mange
and myriad other options to create wealth and success. As an executive coach, I read many of these
books to learn about the most recent research and how it can be helpful to my
clients. Since I am also an executive coach at the Wharton School’s MBA
Program and heard Adam Grant, a renowned social scientist and the youngest
tenured professor at the University of Pennsylvania, speak to our group; I was
especially intrigued to read his new book, "Give and Take". His
concept of giving as a more productive way to work, was highlighted in a recent
cover story in the NY Times Sunday Magazine article:
His
basic premise is that the "givers" in the world are happier, have
more focus and willpower, create more successful teams, are better negotiators
and make more money. The ‘givers” care about others, go out of their way to
develop people, are fair and honorable in what they do, are empathetic in their interactions,
and view the world as a trustworthy place. They are authentic in their
"giving" behavior as opposed to being a "Matcher", (you do
for me and I will do for you,) or a “Taker” who tries to fake giving in order
to get what they want with little regard for others. Givers need to be able to
ascertain between “takers” and matchers or else they risk landing at the bottom
of the success ladder and becoming “Chumps not champs”
Many
of my coaching clients are senior executives, either CEOs, vice presidents, CIOs, CTOs, directors
of risk, cyber security or IT audit. Since I teach a class at Temple University's
Fox School of business to Master students in IT audit & Cyber Security. I
was particularly interested in how Dr. Grant’s book would work within the
specialized IT arena.
Knowing
that the CIO and the IT team have many goals in the organization that require
setting internal and external strategy, anticipating new and necessary
technology to both internal partners and external customers, while maintaining
the highest levels of security, I was curious if Dr. Grant's “Give and Take”
would answer the question of how the IT organizational and it's leaders can be
successful givers. When I asked Dr. Grant about this, this was his response” For
IT and CIOs: "Building a culture of givers is a key step toward
encouraging knowledge sharing, which in turn promotes creativity and
innovation.” This is vitally important especially in the IT world.
“Give
and Take” is easy to read, filled with interesting examples and convincing
arguments supported by well documented, cutting edge research that looks at the
world of work and how "giving" impacts all aspects of life, team
success, salary, and happiness.
Some
of the surprising insights in this amazing book about "Givers” include :
1)
“Powerless communication makes people look more approachable, warmer, more
trustworthy and humble. When givers use powerless speech, they show us that
they have our best interests at heart" according to Dr. Grant. A
giver leader can use powerful speech and powerless speech as well.
Here
is a link to Adam grant giving a TEDx talk on Powerless Communication
2)
“Takers” typically spend more time talking and less time listening. They
also have a more difficult time accepting others ideas if they conflict with
their own. Dr. Grant writes" whereas takers often strive to be the
smartest people in the room, givers are more receptive to expertise from others
even if it challenges their own beliefs". For the CIO and the IT team to
succeed, the best ideas must be heard regardless of where they come from.
3)
Givers seek advice from others by asking questions, asking for input and recommendations.
Doing this type of questioning will have an influencing affect on them.
"When we seek advice from others, they feel flattered, and are more
inclined to take our perspectives and become our advocates "so writes Dr. Grant.
4)
Offer help and seek help as well.” If you want other people to be givers, one
of the easiest steps is to ask for help” writes Dr. Grant. This gives people a
chance to feel valued and needed. Reunite with dormant colleagues and offer to
help them or connect them with others.
People
who are givers do these things naturally. Research has shown that givers
are represented at the top of organizations in the same proportion as takers.
One of the major differences is that givers cared about those around them, their
teams, their partners in the business, their customers, as well as those not
directly related to them. Givers were other directed not self-directed, while takers
care more about themselves.
As
the CIO and the IT team must listen and ask questions, be influential in their
impact, have teams that are valued and trusted, it is not only possible but
necessary that the IT world should be filled with "other focused
individuals" who are givers. After all, their job is to make the
organization, both their internal intellectual capital and their external
customers, secure and safe in this Internet, digital, computerized, selfless
technological world. So are you a “Giver, a Matcher or a Taker”?
If
you want to see if you are a giver or a taker, Dr. Grant has a free on line
survey on his website. www.giveandtake.com
He
also lists 10 different websites in the last chapter of his book that offer
many other ways to collect information. This becomes very useful for anyone
interested in setting up a culture of giving.
