Givers, Takers, and Matchers

Adam Grant, in his book Give and Take, describes three types of people---givers, takers, and matchers. He studied organizations, engineering firms, and hospitals to discover that the givers are both the most and least productive people. How can we create a world where more of the givers get to excel? We must recognize that givers are the most valuable people in any organization. We must create a culture where it's okay to ask for help. This changes everything, and allows the givers to help more. Adam Rifkin, successful entrepreneur, says his secret is five-minute favours or strategic giving to help another. It is conscious giving---identifying what he can do that will help another and contribute without overextending himself. The key to creating a successful team is not to bring in more givers---it's to weed out the takers. This can be tricky, because agreeable people may not always be givers.