Can I Ask You a Favor?

So let's say someone asks you for help. For a favor, let's say. What's your first reaction? Is it, "Sure! No problem! I'd love to help!"

Perhaps most of us would like to think that's how we respond. Could your response vary, based on the situation?

Let's modify the scenario. Let's say this person who is asking for help seems, in your mind, to have very little potential to help you in any meaningful way--now or in the future. Regardless of how you made that assessment, in economic terms, this favor would appear to have very little perceived return on investment.

So, would you still help? Or would you scramble for an excuse to step away?

  Welcoming back Dr. Adam Grant

My guest in this episode is Dr. Adam Grant. We talk about his new book released just this week entitled Give and Take: A Revolutionary Approach to Success. In this episode you'll hear Adam talk about givers, takers, and matchers, three reciprocity styles that form the basis of the book.

I invite you to visit the book's website at at http://www.giveandtake.com. You can take his self-assessment on that site to learn your preferred style. Also, Adam mentions work done by Alison Fragale at University of North Carolina. Here's a link to an article summarizing her work regarding powerless communication: http://www.kenan-flagler.unc.edu/news/2010/07/the-power-of-powerless-speech

Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

  Adam Grant on Success

Here's a 5 minute clip of Adam summarizing the reciprocity styles.

{youtube}CLsqiRPiKD0{/youtube}

How can you avoid being a doormat?

{youtube}zL8CsfJiKH4{/youtube}

Magic of Fog by Rushus is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License.

The Giving and the Taking by Dolly Parton from the album Kenny & Dolly

Additional music from Music Alley.