Published January 18, 2021. Updated August 24, 2023.

We've all got a TBR (to be read) pile, but what about a TBRA (to be read AGAIN) pile? Here at Kenwood Management, there's a copy of Bob Burg's book The Go-Giver on all of our bookshelves, and we end up reading it again . . . and again.

Want to know why (and how it influences our approach to the Kenwood Community)? Keep reading, and I'll tell you!

Why We Read This Book (Again and Again)

The book, subtitled "A Little Story about a Powerful Business Idea," disrupts the belief that the go-getters are the ones who will achieve success. Instead, it centers on the idea that to achieve success, leaders must give — and it summarizes some of the core principles we follow. 

What Is a Go-Giver?

To illustrate what it means to be a go-giver, the book outlines the following five Laws of Stratospheric Success: 

  • The Law of Value: Your true worth is determined by how much more you give in value than you take in payment. 

  • The Law of Compensation: Your income is determined by how many people you serve and how well you serve them. 

  • The Law of Influence: Your influence is determined by how abundantly you place other people's interests first. 

  • The Law of Authenticity: The most valuable gift you have to offer is yourself. 

  • The Law of Receptivity: The key to effective giving is to stay open to receiving.

When talented, capable people focus on themselves, they may find some level of success, but they'll rarely blast off into the stratosphere. However, when focusing on how what you offer can help others succeed, you might be surprised at how much your success soars.

Don't Feel Overwhelmed By the Go-Giver Laws

While it's easy to read the book and feel energized and excited about the potential, it's also easy to feel overwhelmed by how you can implement these practices on your teams. Thinking about what you can do for others before focusing on your own success can be intimidating and confusing.

To understand how these laws look in action, consider the following ideas.

1. Being a Go-Giver Means Having People in Your Corner (and Being In Theirs)

Burg, the book's author, emphasizes the importance of networking as the practice of building your trusting connections — people who you know and trust and who know and trust you. With that level of reciprocal trust and affinity, you'll find that you think of each other often and, thus, recommend each other often.

Teams with real go-givers will find that they are often reaching out, recommending, and connecting people from across their networks. 

2. Being a Go-Giver Means Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone

In the business world, it's easy to try to be what other people want you to be, especially if you're trying to secure a sale.

Burg writes, "As long as you're trying to be someone else, or putting on some act or behavior someone else taught you, you have no possibility of truly reaching people. The most valuable thing you have to give people is yourself. No matter what you think you're selling, what you're really offering is you."

However, offering up yourself can feel really scary, especially at first. If you're living into the principles of the go-giver, you're stepping out of your comfort zone and letting people see the real you (after all, that's how you find your trusting network). 

3. Being a Go-Giver Also Means Receiving

Burg writes, "The key to effective giving is to stay open to receiving." Whether it's gratefully accepting advice or enthusiastically following your curiosity (and asking questions along the way), one way to tell if you've got a go-giver culture on your team is to take a look at how graciously you receive.

When you've got the confidence and comfort to accept the gifts of others, no matter what shape they take, you know you're walking the go-giver talk.

Multiple hands together, Kenwood Community go-giver concept.

These Philosophies Guide Kenwood Management Company Everyday

The go-giver laws are at the core of our goals in pursuing a "Kenwood Community."

The saying goes, "Give and you shall receive." As you move forward, try recognizing the ways you can transform your day-to-day activities to focus more on giving rather than getting. You will find that putting other people's needs first will yield unexpected returns for yourself.

We Operate a Little Differently When Inspired by the Go-Giver Laws

Here at Kenwood, we strive every day to add value to the lives around us, which is why The Go-Giver can be found on all our bookshelves. It's a different way of operating as commercial property managers and building owners, but we enjoy helping our investors and tenants thrive guided by the principles in Burg's book.

Want to know more about what it looks like to have a go-giver culture? Follow us on social media for behind-the-scenes glimpses into the Kenwood Community. You can also reach out to us directly to learn more about how we serve tenants and investors through commercial real estate in Baltimore and DC.

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