'GIVE & TAKE'―Why Do "Givers" Succeed?

A book for thinking about the next stage of communication.

This time, we will discuss Adam Grant's Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success (Mikasa Shobo).

Why did this book, which is neither an advertising book nor a marketing book, become a topic of conversation at the lab? It all started when we read a book called Twitternomics (by Tara Hunt, published by Bungeishunju) at the lab's book club. This book, which is about human relationships in the age of social media, introduces the keyword "Uffy," which left a strong impression on the members.

"Uffie" is the name of a virtual currency from a science fiction novel. It's a currency circulating in the future, replacing economic "money." Every time you perform a good deed for someone else, you accumulate "trust" or "reputation," and all transactions are settled based on the amount of this reputation. In other words, the higher your reputation, the richer you are; the lower your reputation, the poorer you are.

In the social media era, the development of open networks allows the "reputation" of individuals and companies to circulate rapidly. 'Twitternomics' predicts that while the monetary economy will persist, connections mediated by "reputation" – which could also be called an "evaluation economy" – will become increasingly important.

This is where 'GIVE & TAKE' comes in. Building on the characteristics of the social media era, it empirically demonstrates, through abundant case studies, that people who give generously to others (Givers) are ultimately the most successful in the long run. It argues that "people who think of others and give first" (Givers) can become happier and more successful than "people who always prioritize their own interests" (Takers) or "people who weigh the gains and losses between themselves and others" (Matchers).

Historically, especially in business, give-and-take was the conventional attitude. In the book's classification, "matchers" were the mainstream, and it was often thought that "givers," who only give, might lose out. However, the author points to three shifts in the times.

First, as mentioned earlier, the proliferation of the internet and social media has drastically shortened the time it takes for positive reputations to form and circulate. Second, in business, teamwork has become more prevalent than individual work, creating more opportunities for "Givers" to demonstrate their true value. Third, service industries have become dominant (now employing over 80% of Americans), making prioritizing customer benefit over company or personal gain the key to success.

Against this backdrop, the other-oriented "Giver" gains the reputation of colleagues and customers, ultimately achieving success.

However, beyond this "reputation-building" narrative, the more fundamental point is that "givers" succeed because they don't view business as a zero-sum game; they seek to increase the overall pie.

A "zero-sum game" is one where one party's gain is another's loss (the total sum of gains equals zero). The author explains, using several concrete examples, that business is not necessarily a zero-sum game.

For instance, in a limited market, there may be a struggle for a fixed pie. But if you introduce new value to that market and expand the overall pie, everyone can benefit more than before. Or, in teamwork, rather than individuals operating under competitive principles, helping and supporting each other to grow significantly boosts the team's overall performance...etc.

In other words, the "Giver" mindset seeks ways to increase profits together, moving beyond the traditional worldview where one party's win means another's loss.

Furthermore, "Givers" view networks and communities as crucial spaces that bring benefits to everyone involved. The author states that in today's world, where teamwork is increasing and 80% of work is service-oriented, the key to success lies in how effectively you build networks with colleagues and customers and create new value that benefits everyone within those networks.

 

"A network should not be built for oneself, but as a tool to create value for everyone."

 

The above words come from Rifkin, the ultimate "giver" featured in this book. They pinpoint the essential value of social media, distinct from so-called "networking" driven solely by personal gain.

　　　　　　　【Dentsu Inc. Modern Communication Lab】