Gift-giving is a highly symbolic form of communication. Are you a good gift giver? In this podcast you will learn how to think about gift-giving more rationally, with research-based tips about what matters and what doesn’t. Here’s a hint: We should worry less about how much money we spend. It’s typically the “low substance, high sentiment” gifts that are appreciated. It really is the thought that counts!
? Link to Podcast HERE
Printable PDF of ShowNotes HERE
CONTENTS

* Summary
* References & Links
* Transcript


 GIFT GIVING SUMMARY
Gift-Giving is Significant

* Gift-giving is a form of communication.  It is highly symbolic.
* Gift giving is prevalent, accounting for approximately 10% of retail-sales.  We give birthday gifts, wedding gifts, thank you gifts, Christmas gifts, hostess gifts,…
* There is a perpetual system of gift-giving in our culture: giving, receiving, reciprocating.

Symbolism in Gift-Giving

* Gifts represent the giver’s self-identity, his or her feelings about the receiver, and his or her feelings about their relationship.
* Gift-giving is emotion-laden and impacted by rituals and traditions that are formed by individuals’ culture and personal family upbringing.

The Gift-Giving 2×2 Matrix


* Receivers typically do not appreciate the extremes (too expensive or too cheap, too much thought & effort, or no thought & effort). People generally prefer gifts somewhere in the middle.
* The most appreciated gifts are often the low substance, high sentiment gifts (bottom right).  “It’s the thought that counts!”

Gift-Giving Anxiety? NO WORRIES!

* We should worry less about how much money we spend. Low substance, high sentiment gifts are appreciated – it really is the thought that counts!)
* As for those gift registries and wish lists – just buy from them! Stop trying to go above and beyond. Just give them what they want.

 

References & Links
Gift-Giving

* Mauss, Marcel (1924) THE GIFT https://archive.org/details/giftformsfunctio00maus/page/n9
* Belk, Russell W. (1976) “It’s The Thought That Counts: A Signed Digraph Analysis of Gift-Giving” Journal of Consumer Research
* Belk & Coon (1991) “Can’t Buy me Love: Money, Dating & Gifts” Association for Consumer Research
* Geisler, Markus (2006) “Consumer Gift Systems” Journal of Consumer Research
* Sherry, John F. (1983) “Gift-Giving in Anthropological Perspective” Journal of Consumer Research
* Sherry, McGrath & Levy (1993) “The Dark Side of the Gift” Journal of Business Research
* Ward, Morgan K., & Broniarczyk, Susan M. (2011) “It’s Not Me, It’s You: How Gift Giving Creates Giver Identity Threat as a Function of Social Closeness” Journal of Consumer Research
* Wooten, David B. (2000) “Qualitative Steps Toward an Expanded Model of Anxiety in Gift-Giving” Journal of Consumer Research

Professor Russell Belk

* Professor Belk’s York University Schulich faculty page
* Talk About Talk episode #17: What Our Possessions Say

Talk About Talk & Dr. Andrea Wojnicki

* Free Weekly Email Blog – <a style="color: #000000;" href="https://talkabouttalk.

#38 GIFT-GIVING

Dr. Andrea Wojnicki is a Harvard-educated executive communication coach whose research focuses on interpersonal communication and consumer psychology.   Learn the communication mindsets and tactics that will help you accelerate your career trajectory. Based on her research and guest interviews, Andrea will coach you on topics including: • overcoming imposter syndrome and communicating with confidence  • developing executive presence and leadership skills • communicating with precision • building your personal brand  • how to leverage storytelling  • improving your listening skills  • how to Introduce yourself and more!   Focusing on your COMMUNICATION SKILLS means elevating your confidence, your clarity, your credibility, and ultimately your impact.  Subscribe to the Talk About Talk podcast and don’t forget to sign up for the free communication skills newsletter –  it’s free communication skills coaching in your email inbox!

Education

Training

Language Courses

Higher Education

K-12

Educational Technology

Business

Investing

Careers

Management & Marketing

Business News

Shopping

How To

Self-Improvement

Think, Do, Say with Ron Tite (ep.159)

7 Ways to Boost Your Confidence & Your Credibility (ep. 158)

Credibility in the workplace starts with confidence. Andrea shares two mindsets and five tactics to help build your confidence and credibility. Her challenge to you is to identify a few suggestions from this list that will help you establish credibility.
 
CONNECT WITH ANDREA & TALK ABOUT TALK

* LinkedIn Andrea –  https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreawojnicki/
* LinkedIn Talk about Talk – https://www.linkedin.com/company/talkabouttalk/
* Website: TalkAboutTalk.com
Newsletter:  https://talkabouttalk.com/blog/#newsletter-signup

Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@talkabouttalkyoutube/


TRANSCRIPT
Recently, I was hired by a CEO to coach one of his middle managers. The CEO told me that this manager was an emerging leader. He was showing signs of being ready for promotion, but he really needed to demonstrate credibility and leadership.
Last week when we were in our third 1:1 coaching session, this young emerging leader admitted to me that he often feels imposter syndrome, and he could use a confidence boost. He and I decided to create a list of strategies for him to improve his confidence and credibility. His list included many many mindsets, frameworks, and tactics that we went through one by one. After our coaching session, I thought: gosh this would be a great list to share with the talk about talk listeners! so what I’ve done is I’ve taken the seven of the strategies on this list and I’m gonna share them with you now. These are the seven strategies that I personally use and that seem to get the most traction with my clients.
This list includes two mindsets and five tactics. My challenge to you is to identify a couple of the things on this list that you can use to help you boost your confidence and your credibility. Are you ready?
 
Welcome to Talk about Talk Podcast Episode #156 Five ways to reinforce your Professional identity. In case we haven’t met, my name is Doctor Andrea. Wojnicki please just call me. I’m your executive communication. I coach and business executives like you to improve their communication skills so you can communicate with confidence and clarity. Credibility. And then you can create impact, ultimately achieving your career goals. Sound good? If you want to learn more, check out talk about talk.com. I’ve got lots and lots of resources for you there. I’ve got one-on-one coaching, bootcamps, online courses, information about corporate workshops, the archive of this bi weekly podcast, and when you’re there, I really hope to sign up for my email newsletter. That newsletter is your chance to get free communication program from me every two weeks. Sound good? 
 
OK let me start with a quick story about my own confidence or lack there of. Some of you may have heard this story before. Early in my career when I was working in brand management at Kraft foods, I was asked to speak at a national sales conference. This was a great honour for me. As you can imagine, I prepared myself thoroughly. When the day finally came, I stepped out on stage… And I completely lost it. My face turned red. My hands turned clammy. I had sweaty armpits. And I was shaking. It was a lovely site. Let me tell you. It was all I could do to walk across the stage grasp onto the podium and read my presentation. Word for Word from my written notes. Pathetic. When I was done, I ran off stage and my boss Sandra asked Me Andrea are you OK? No I’m definitely not. I went to a quiet place and collected my thoughts. First of all,

Self-Improvement & The Possible Self with Professor Maja Djikic (ep.157)

5 Ways to Reinforce Your PROFESSIONAL IDENTITY (ep.156)

Talk About Talk - Communication Skills Training

#38 GIFT-GIVING

Download our free app to listen on your phone