Category Archives: Bob Burg

Attitude, Belief Systems, Bob Burg, Choices, Value

The Fragility of Receptivity

Go-Giver-Print

Todays guest post is by my friend and mentor, Bob Burg.
He talks about the vulnerable place from which receptivity comes. Those who know me well, know that I stand on the fact that vulnerability is strength. And in this case, vulnerability is financual success. If you have The Go-Giver book, today is the release date of the Expaned Edition.

The Fragility of Receptivity
by Bob Burg

In John David Mann’s and my book, The Go-Giver we discuss the fifth and final law, that of Receptivity and how challenging it can be for so many.

In one sense, the abundance of lack messages permeating our daily lives can create a focus on what is missing rather than on all the natural prosperity surrounding us.

Then, there are worthiness issues that rear their ugly heads from time-to-time. “Am I deserving enough to receive?”

Adding to the above receptivity challenges is that they both typically work on an unconscious level where the person is not even aware that the issues exist!

There’s another aspect to receptivity though that can also stand in the way. While it’s on more of a conscious level, it also means we knowingly have to face some possible fears.

Receptivity can be a fragile thing, because to be receptive, you must leave yourself open. Keeping yourself genuinely open to a yes also means you expose yourself to a possible no.

Having the courage to embrace an unexpected path also means embracing the risk that this path may lead nowhere — or nowhere good.

Perhaps this is the most challenging thing about being receptive: it means allowing yourself to be vulnerable.

The key is to embrace that vulnerability and, rather than letting potentially uncomfortable experiences diminish your joy and sense of fulfillment, let them deepen your ability to receive the abundance you desire…and that you deserve.

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The Go-Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea by Bob Burg and John David Mann is now available in an expanded edition. It includes a Discussion Guide, Author Q & A and a Foreword by Arianna Huffington. You can receive Chapter One by visiting www.thegogiver.com/tggee

Adversaries Into Allies, Bob Burg, Communication, family, Relationship, Story

When “On It” Does Not Mean “Under You.”

I called Mom who answered her phone sounding hurried. She said she was looking for her phone but couldn’t find it. I said, “Mom you are on it.” She said hold on I will look. I could hear shuffling, then she said, “No, I am not on it.”

Screen Shot 2014-06-08 at 10.22.05 AM I looked at my cell phone to see what number I had dialed, then asked what phone she was looking for. She said “My cell.” That is the phone I was talking to her on. I giggled and insisted that she was “on it.” She sounded irritated with me, but called to my stepdad saying, “Ray, Amy insist that I am on it, will you come look under me?”

I now had a full blown belly laugh going. She was so irritated with me as she said she was “in a hurry and had to hang up so she could find her phone.” Knowing dang well that she was looking under her body, each time I told her she was on it, I said it one more time.

“Mom you are ON IT.” LOL “Amy I AM NOT, we looked.”

I know that hitting the target is not the targets responsibility. In Bob Burg’s book, Adversaries Into Allies, he says, “One surefire way of successfully taking responsibility for hitting the communication target is to avoid giving-or accepting-mixed messages.”

To be more clear in my communication, I asked her what hand she was holding her phone with. She answered “My left. Amy, I am in a hurry.” I said, “Okay okay, look at your left hand, and you will find your phone.” I heard her voice fade as she pulled the phone from her face saying, “Oh look Ray, Amy found my phone.”

Sometimes saying the same thing, the same way, over and over are again, is not effective communication. If I miss my target, I am the one who must adjust.