Since the beginning of time, we have placed a strong emphasis on the individual factors that contribute to success: ability, hard work, enthusiasm, and luck. But in today's world, success is directly proportional to the way in which we engage with other people. Interestingly, we can classify most people as either takers, matchers, or givers in their professional interactions. Givers are a rare breed of individuals who offer to others without expecting anything in return. Takers are people who want to obtain as much as they can from other people, while matchers are people who try to trade things out in an equitable manner. Grant demonstrates that these types have a startling influence on success through his own groundbreaking research as the youngest tenured professor at Wharton. Despite the exploitation and exhaustion of some donors, most of them yield exceptional results in a wide range of fields.

This landmark book combines cutting-edge evidence with captivating stories to demonstrate how one of the most successful networkers in the United States of America developed his connections, why the creative genius behind one of the most popular shows in TV history toiled away for years in anonymity, how a basketball executive who was responsible for multiple draft busts transformed his franchise into a winner, and how we could have predicted Enron's demise four years before the company collapsed without ever looking at a single number.
It focuses on the similarities that effective networking, collaboration, influence, negotiation, and leadership skills share. This book, one of the most influential books ever written, presents a method of achieving success that has the potential to change not only people and groups, but also entire communities and organizations.