Review:  Globe and Mail

Joe was an ambitious, young go-getter. But as the quarter neared its end, things were falling apart. He was in danger of not making his quota for Clason-Hill Trust Corporation. He was doing a lot of going, but not a lot of getting.

He sought help from a mysterious man known simply as Pindar or The Chairman. The guy had major clout — had struck it rich, and now was a heavy hitter, pulling in huge consulting fees from the top firms.

But he graciously received Joe at his mansion, and over the next five days took him to lunch each day, introducing him to friends who had also become highly successful. But they weren’t go-getters. They were successful because they were go-givers. They followed the Five Laws of Stratospheric Success, a trade secret they shared that was being willingly offered to Joe for free — and to you, if you read the fable by Bob Burg and John David Mann, The Go-Giver:

1. The Law of Value: Your true worth is determined by how much more you give in value than you take in payment. If you find some way to serve people, you will be rewarded. All the great fortunes on the world have been created by men and women who had a greater passion for what they were giving — their product, service, or idea — than what they were getting.
2. The Law of Compensation: Your income is determined by how many people you serve and how well you serve them. You can determine your own compensation — which is unlimited — by finding more people to serve.
3. The Law of Influence: Your influence is determined by how abundantly you place other people’s interests first. Forget about fifty-fifty or win-win when working with others. Focus 100 per cent on the other person’s interests, and you will develop a network of individuals who treasure you and work on your behalf.
4. The Law of Authenticity: The most valuable gift you have to offer is yourself. We are constantly told these days we can excel by adding value. The value come from within, your authentic self, which you must give to those you work with. “No matter what you think you’re selling, what you’re really offering is you,” Joe is told by one of his lunchtime advisors, a fabulously successful real estate salesperson.
5. The Law of Receptivity: The key to effective giving is to stay open to receiving. It’s not better to give than to receive. Both go together. Receiving is the natural result of giving.

The fable is well constructed, tight and clear with some emotionally touching spots. In just one week, Joe turns everything around, making his numbers by becoming a go-giver. Whether it will work quite as dramatically in real life, of course, is not as guaranteed as the happy ending to a fable.

– Harvey Schachter, Globe and Mail