Adam Grant's Chump Change

There are times when we experience events where our perspective of life changes and makes us change how we respond to new circumstances we encounter. In chapter seven, “Chump Change,” of Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success, the author, Adam Grant, describes two people as “failure givers” for caring about others more than themselves when it comes to their professional situations. These individuals went from being doormats, submissive people letting others dominate them, to successful givers, when they experienced disadvantages for helping others too much. For these individuals being a giver meant to help others in spite of sacrificing their own good. They were not aware that their perspective of giving would hurt their professional

These examples remind us of how a change of perspective in giving can impact an individual’s professional situation when facing disadvantages. The way we think can greatly change our performance and attitude towards others. Givers are the most successful and non successful people in the world. For non successful givers to become successful they must change the way they view others. One example that Grant gives to demonstrate how a giver can change from being a doormat to a successful giver is Lillian Bauer. Bauer is a hardworking manager of a firm. She identifies herself as a giver because she likes to help people. However, her devotion to helping others was holding her back from being promoted to a higher position. One of her colleagues said, “She was so generous and giving with her time that she fell into the trap of being a pushover” (187). Bauer was a

Audet was a financial adviser. He was several times fooled by what Grant calls “takers,” or people who take advantage of others. At first, his definition of giving meant to help those who were in trouble. He helped due to sympathy. However, as he saw that his own friends and colleagues were taking advantage of his generous acts he stopped helping. These experiences changed his perspective on how to help others, including takers. He has started to think like a taker. Audet says, “ when we engage in perspective taking, considering our counterparts’ thoughts and interests without sacrificing our own interests, we’re more likely to find ways to make deals that satisfy our counterparts without sacrificing our own interests” (197). He considers takers’ interests as well as his own and thinks about ways for both to win. Audet has learned that one can keep being a giver but there has to be a way where both the helper and the receiver can