A Little Story With a Powerful Message - Go-Getter to Go-Giver

Several months ago I began to hear folks in my Master Mind Group talking about the little book the Go-Giver, a business parable that was published in 2007. Then I was able to participate in live conference call interviews with each of the two authors, Bob Burg and John David Mann. I knew I had to read that book.When my copy arrived I began reading immediately. I read a couple chapters and then had other things that needed my attention. At bedtime I decided to read another short chapter. Well, I couldn't put it down and read on until I finished to the end. What a message in just over 100 pages.The story begins with Joe, just an average Joe, frustrated with life in general and his job in particular. He finally goes to an older man in the office to seek his advise. This man links Joe up with a mentor.The story moves forward when Joe meets his mentor. The plan is for Joe to meet with his mentor for lunch everyday for the next week. Each day Joe will meet a different person who wi
ll instruct him in the Law for that day. Then Joe must apply that lesson to some situation in his life on the same day that he has learned the Law. If he is unable to apply that specific lesson he must cancel the luncheon meeting for the next day and cannot continue with any further lessons.We follow Joe as he moves through the process required to learn the Five Laws of Stratospheric Success. Each day Joe meets his mentor for lunch and is introduced to the person who will give him the lesson for that day. We eaves-drop on Joe as he ponders the true meaning of each law and then finds a way to apply it in some situation either at work or at home.The first Law is the Law of Value which states that our true worth is determined by how much more we give in value than we take in payment.The second Law is the Law of Compensation which states that our income is determined by how many people we serve and how well we serve them.The third Law is the Law of Influence which states that ou
r influence is determined by how abundantly we place other people's interests first.The fourth Law is the Law of Authenticity which states that the most valuable gift we have to offer is ourself.As Joe moves through these lessons we, the reader, find ourselves pondering the same issues that trouble Joe and we rejoice with him when he finds ways to demonstrate that he has learned each lesson and is ready to move on to the next step.Four days have passed and Joe is now approaching the final lesson. However, when he arrives to meet with his mentor they begin lunch with no-one else present. Joe keeps looking for the 'Surprise Guest' as they continue to eat and visit. Then his mentor steers the conversation in a new direction and asks Joe to do a some exercises with him. As they move through these experiences Joe learns that there is one more very significant lesson to be learned. This is the Law of Receptivity which states that the key to giving is to stay open to receiving.Joe
is then told that every giving activity can only happen when it is also accompanied by a receiving activity!Joe ponders this for awhile and listens when his mentor continues by saying 'Inside every truth and every appearance, there's a bit of opposite tucked inside."That chapter ends with this very poignant paragraph:"They sat together in silence for a long moment, contemplating the Law of Receptivity and the glorious irony of creation that tucks its greatest truths carefully inside of paradoxes."The final chapter in the book moves forward in time and we learn how each of the people we have met in this parable continue to help many others to move from go-getters to become go-givers.I enjoyed this beautiful little book because it is not only a business parable told with wit and grace but a life lesson that carries an important message for all of us to learn and to put into practice. It is only when Joe understands that the secret to getting is giving. And the secret to giving
is making yourself open to receiving. This is the law of Receptivity.

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