Givers rule, selfishness fails!
In a McKinsey interview with Wharton’s Adam Grant, he talks about his book, Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success. Grant posits that in the new, flatter organizations, selfishness fails and that working with, for and through others is the recipe for personal and organizational success.
Why?
With the rise in project-based work and with fewer dedicated jobs and long, stable careers, “We’re going to see “giving” skills become more important, because a lot of getting work done then becomes about working with, for and through other people. And the data shows that it’s in interdependent situations that givers thrive…People are willing to support them and champion them.”
Eliminate takers from your team!
In his research, Grant found that,” If you can eliminate takers from your organization, then you have givers and matchers. The givers will act more generously because they don’t have to be paranoid that takers are out to get them and matchers act like givers in the presence of givers.”
Screen out takers!
- Recognize they follow a pattern of kissing up. Takers put on the “good face” to their bosses, however tend to let their true self show when dealing with peers and subordinates.
- They tend to use words such as “I” and “me”.
- They also tend to blame others for failures.
So for all you “givers” out there, feel good, for your reward is coming.
