Givers and Takers

I worked with a Sales Executive at a company a few years back. Very smart, very nice guy. He was always affable, treated everybody with dignity and respect, and tended to be very philosophical in his approach to work. He was also incredibly successful…and I attribute much of that to his human approach to his role.

He did a presentation for leadership that really stuck with me. It was about givers and takers. In every situation in life – whether at work, on a school board, volunteering at a nonprofit, in our family…you name it – we encounter givers and takers. And many times our own happiness and success depends upon how we navigate givers and takers. 

So, what is a giver? What is a taker? This is more than just somebody asking for money. Or somebody willing to give money. This is an all-encompassing approach to life. Let’s start with takers.

Takers:

• They tend to be naysayers and find fault with every idea, plan, and project.

• They tend to say “I” over “we” – even when a team worked on a project collectively.

• They tend to be selfish and focused on self-promotion to rise through the ranks – whether in life or at work.

• They will exploit others and provide offers of assistance for personal gain and personal benefit.

• They “take” all the good, positive energy in a group setting to turn the spotlight toward themselves.

Givers:

• Are generally supportive of ideas, plans, and projects – and will ask clarifying questions to ensure success.

• They tend to be inclusive of everyone’s participation in a project or idea, promoting the success of the team (the “we”) over the individual.

• They tend to help others because there is joy in doing so.

• They want to see everyone succeed.

• They “give” all the good, positive energy in a group setting to turn the spotlight on the collective.

I’m sure you know exactly what I’m talking about. And certain people you know may even jump to mind. “Yea, they’re definitely a taker.” In the work environment, in my experience, the worst managers I’ve had are takers and the best leaders I’ve had are givers (I use manager and leader here deliberately).

I’m confident every person reading this newsletter is a giver. 😃 And it can be hard to stay the course as a giver when takers are trying to steal the spotlight and jump ahead of everyone else.

Are there boundaries to being a giver? Absolutely. Be realistic about what you can and can’t give in terms of time, money, resources, emotional energy, etc. Saying “no” is actually a good thing. It helps you focus your giving energy on activities that can have the most positive impact.

Can takers become givers? I would say yes. Self-awareness is part of the human journey if we’re willing to put in the work, if we’re open to change, and if we’re open to growth.

Until next week.

Cheers,

Andy

(All written content created the old-fashioned way.)