Book Recommendation: Adam Grant’s Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success

Are we as lawyers more inclined to be givers, takers, or matchers (reciprocators)?

How do we define personal and professional success in our own lives?

The author, Adam Grant, is The Wharton School’s highest rated full Professor and a riveting and engaging writer who uses true stories, science, and real evidence to carefully explain how giving in the long run benefits us, while taking has a short-term boom, but peters out.

Without using the familiar and oft over used chapter headings such as: How do we influence people, become successful leaders, seek advice, mentor, make a difference, prevent burn out? Professor Grant answers these questions practically and empirically yet turns some of our conventional assumptions on their heads.

Who would have thought that showing genuine vulnerability might help a trial lawyer, that taking on more projects might help overextended medical professionals and teachers prevent burn-out?

We learn facets about Abe Lincoln, the writers for the Simpsons, successful well-known CEO’s as well as venture capitalists, politicians, trial lawyers, the health care and teaching professions that we weren’t privy to, along with lessons we can incorporate to help others and thrive.

Without trying, this book helps us examine our own lives, contemplate changes, and is one of the very few books that I found myself recently giving to close family, friends and even Bar Leaders.

An uplifting, useful and riveting read, it made me think of (while not at all mentioning) Mr. Rodgers famous quote to “look for the helpers.” 

Michael B. Goldenkranz is a retired curmudgeon, who has enjoyed frequently volunteering with KCBA Neighborhood Legal Clinics for two decades, and being silly with his grandkids.