In this book, Bob Burg tells us a story.
It’s the story of Joe, an ambitious young man who is known to be a go-getter. He wants to meet Pindar, who could help him win a deal that he was desperate to win. Pindar is a hugely successful person and well respected in the industry.
The story depicts how he gets transformed from a Go-Getter to a Go-Giver. And, what happens during this journey that makes him gain tremendously in the process?
Joe gets his first surprise when he experiences how easy was it to get access to Pindar and how quickly Pindar agrees to meet Joe. (How often we want to get in touch with a highly successful person and hesitate thinking, will they find time for me? Will they meet me?)
Joe is shocked even more when Pindar says “the more successful people are, the more they are willing to share their secrets with others.”
When Joe asks him his secret to success, Pindar responds, ‘Giving’.
Pindar reminds Joe, that “What you focus on is what you get”, “Ultimately the world treats you the way you expect to be treated.”
Before sharing all the secrets of success with Joe, Pindar asks him to give him a week and asks him to accept his ‘condition’. While Joe thinks that he will ask for huge sums of consultation fees or some crazy favours, Pindar only asks Joe to promise him that he will use the rule immediately after he learns about it. Else he won’t get another meeting with Pindar.
Pindar says “He doesn’t want to see Joe wasting his time”.
Throughout the whole of the week, Pindar makes him experience five laws of success.
- The Law of Value – Your true worth is determined by how much more you give in value than you take in payment. Joe leans “people do business with and refer business to those people they know, like and trust”. He also learns why giving immense value is the golden rule of success.
- The Law of Compensation – Your income is determined by how many people you serve and how well you serve them. While experimenting with the law of compensation he realizes that “sometimes you feel foolish, even look foolish, but you the thing anyway”
- The Law of Influence – Your influence is determined by how abundantly you place other people’s interest first. Joe learns the real meaning of network (It’s not how many people you are connected to on social media, but how many people know you, like you and trust you). He also learns that win-win is a bad idea for a business, the focus needs to be on other’s win. A winning proposition is 100%, not 50-50.
- The Law of Authenticity – The most valuable gift you have to offer is yourself. Joe learns being authentic and vulnerable works like a charm and he learns to be the best version on himself every time. Understanding this law helps him loosen up and share his challenges with his arch-enemy easily.
- The Law of Receptivity – The key to effective giving is to stay open to receiving. Joe learns every giving can happen only because it is also receiving. Pindar asks him a powerful question. “When someone gives you a gift, who gives you the right to refuse it, their right to give that gift?”
Final Words:
To me this was a reassurance that yes, giving works. It puts a structure in my mind about giving well, and giving right. The book made me feel great, there was a perpetual smile on my face as I read the book.
Highly recommended read. You may pick up the book, here.
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