{"id":28922,"date":"2021-03-15T08:05:41","date_gmt":"2021-03-15T12:05:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=28922"},"modified":"2021-03-21T22:34:53","modified_gmt":"2021-03-22T02:34:53","slug":"the-go-giver-questions-and-answers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/the-go-giver-questions-and-answers\/","title":{"rendered":"The Go-Giver: Questions and Answers From the Authors"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Have you read The Go-Giver <\/em>and have questions about the topics in the book? Are you looking for The Go-Giver <\/em>questions and answers?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the business parable The Go-Giver,<\/em> the authors teach the Five Laws of Stratospheric Success<\/a>. Below are The Go-Giver <\/em>questions and answers from Burg and Mann to clear up any questions you may have about their messages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Continue reading for The Go-Giver <\/em>questions and answers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

The Go-Giver <\/em>Questions and Answers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Go-Giver<\/em> by Bob Burg and John David Mann is a business parable that contradicts the notion that to be successful, you need to be a go-getter, a competitive hard-charger focused on getting new clients and making ever-bigger deals. Instead, the authors contend you should make <\/strong>giving<\/em><\/strong> rather than <\/strong>getting<\/em><\/strong> your first priority in business and in life\u2014and success will follow<\/strong>. Becoming a \u201cgo-giver\u201d means giving value to others, not as a strategy or quid pro quo,<\/em> but as a way of leading a satisfying life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the parable\u2014in which a mentor guides a frustrated go-getter named Joe to success and fulfillment\u2014the authors explain why and how to become a go-giver by practicing the Five Laws of Stratospheric Success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Below are The Go-Giver<\/em> questions and answers from the authors about what it means to be a go-giver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q&A<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Is being a go-getter a bad thing?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first of The Go-Giver <\/em>questions and answers says that there\u2019s nothing wrong with being a go-getter\u2014they get things done. However, being a go-getter won\u2019t get you what you want if you don\u2019t focus first on giving value to others. Giving makes you a more effective go-getter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The opposite of a go-getter isn\u2019t a go-giver but a go-taker\u2014someone looking only for how the world can serve them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is the moral that nice people finish first?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The go-giver success formula isn\u2019t about being nice. Being nice, or genuinely considerate, is great but it isn\u2019t what makes you successful. Many nice people are struggling financially. Success is the result, not of niceness, but of creating value, touching many lives, putting others\u2019 interests first, being authentic, and being open to receiving (the Five Stratospheric Laws of Success).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Does giving to charity make you a go-giver?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

People often think of giving as making a financial contribution to charity, but the go-giver concept is broader. As Arianna Huffington described it in the book\u2019s foreword: giving encompasses giving thought, attention, care, focus, time, and energy\u2014value\u2014to others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Isn\u2019t it easier to give after you\u2019ve become wealthy\/successful?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s the reverse. Being a giver<\/a> creates wealth and success. You don\u2019t need money to start adding value to other people\u2019s lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Does being a go-giver mean not caring about making a profit?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the contrary, go-givers make a profit because they provide value to their customers. When you focus on providing a great customer experience<\/a>, profits usually follow. But when you focus on profits first, you miss chances to create value and your profits reflect that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do you become a go-giver in a small business without \u201cgiving away the store\u201d?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can provide value with whatever you sell. Both a fine-dining<\/a> establishment and a hot dog stand can provide value for customers<\/a>. Value differs from price. Ernesto gave customers, not just hot dogs for a price, but also the value of a dining experience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Does being a go-giver mean you should give away your products\/services for free?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

No\u2014there\u2019s nothing wrong with making a profit. A business has to be sustainable. Ernesto charged for his hot dogs. Again, go-giving is a matter of priority\u2013putting giving before making money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Does the Law of Compensation<\/a> imply that being a good person doesn\u2019t matter?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Being a good person is important, but it\u2019s not what determines your income. Your impact determines your income.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Does putting another\u2019s interests first mean sacrificing your own?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Placing others\u2019 interests above your own doesn\u2019t mean negating your interests<\/a>. It means trusting that when you focus on others\u2019 needs, your needs will also be taken care of. As you develop a reputation for putting others\u2019 needs first, you\u2019ll find that\u2019s what happens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you follow the \u201claws\u201d of giving, doesn\u2019t it take longer to get results?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Go-Giver <\/em>questions and answers states that a giving approach often brings results in less time. Readers of this book report that shifting their focus to others gets dramatic, often immediate results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Isn\u2019t it naive to think you can give without thinking about results?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can\u2019t suppress self-interest\u2014it\u2019s part of being human, but you can set it aside or suspend your self-interest while you focus fully on the other person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is the book saying that all you need to do is give and you\u2019ll receive?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Success still requires dedicated effort and a good business<\/a> plan. Being a go-giver doesn\u2019t mean doing random good deeds. Helping an elderly person across the street is kind, but it\u2019s not a business strategy. Success takes work. All the characters in the book worked hard. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What makes the law of receptivity<\/a> challenging?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many readers find it challenging or uncomfortable to stay open to receiving because we view giving and receiving<\/a> as being in conflict. But one can\u2019t operate without the other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doesn\u2019t the Bible say it\u2019s better to give than to receive?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What the Bible actually says is that it\u2019s more blessed<\/em> to give than to receive. The Greek word for blessed means fortunate, rewarded, prosperous, and happy. In other words, if you focus on giving, you end up with greater rewards than if you\u2019d focused on receiving. The root of the Greek word for blessed means to grow larger\u2014when you give, you become a bigger person in terms of success, influence, and fulfillment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How have people applied the laws?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can start by applying them in your everyday life. Try making a habit<\/a> of performing a go-giver act each morning. For instance:<\/p>\n\n\n\n