Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success

Adam Grant examines how people approach professional relationships as givers, takers, or matchers and how those patterns affect trust, collaboration, influence, and long-term success. The book is particularly relevant to VMT because altruism is a defining characteristic of the organization and one of the qualities evaluated during mentor selection. Grant also provides an important caution: giving without boundaries can lead to exhaustion, exploitation, or diminished effectiveness. That distinction is valuable to volunteer mentors. The goal is not unlimited availability or solving every problem for the founder, but thoughtful generosity that develops the founder's capacity and preserves the mentor's ability to continue serving others.

Readers will learn how different reciprocity styles affect relationships, why some givers thrive while others burn out, how generosity can be combined with judgment and boundaries, and how collaborative cultures can be developed. Mentors will be encouraged to examine both their motives and the practical effects of the help they provide.