Building Relationships for a Lifetime of Success

CareerCast - Life-long Career Development

Bob Burg Do you ever start a conversation with someone new and in the back of your mind think, “What’s in it for me?” You are not alone. But Bob Burg, consultant, speaker, and author of The Go-Giver, would tell you that your approach is backwards. Give first, and there will be lots in it for you—now and for years to come. In this CareerCast, Bob shares how to develop relationships for a lifetime in which your giving is the fuel for career advancement, success, and significance.

Aired November 2011

Bob Burg is an advocate, supporter, and defender of the Free Enterprise system, believing that the amount of money one makes is directly proportional to how many people one serves—and it’s all about the relationships a person creates.

As owner of Burg Communications, Inc., Bob regularly addresses audiences ranging in size from 50 to 16,000. His business has been built by developing long-term relationships and providing great value to those with whom he works.

Although for years he was best known for his book Endless Referrals, over the past few years it’s his business parable, The Go-Giver (coauthored with John David Mann) that has captured the imagination of his readers. It shot to No. 6 on the Wall Street Journal’s Business Bestsellers list just three weeks after its release and reached No. 9 on BusinessWeek. It’s been translated into 21 languages. It is his fourth book to sell over 200,000 copies.

He and John David Mann have just released their newest book, another business parable focusing on influence and leadership. Entitled It’s Not About You, it shows how focusing on others is the best way to obtain stratospheric success in your own life and business.

A lover of animals, he is a past member of the board of directors for Safe Harbor, which is the Humane Society of Jupiter, Florida.

How to Win Friends and Influence People in the Digital Age by Dale Carnegie & Associates (2011)

It’s Not About You: A Little Story About What Matters Most in Business by Bob Burg and John David Mann (2011)

Go-Givers Sell More by Bob Burg and John David Mann (2010)

Networking Like a Pro: Turning Contacts into Connections by Ivan Misner, et al. (2010)

The Seven Levels of Communication: Go from Relationships to Referrals (2010)

Breakthrough Networking: Building Relationships That Last by Lillian Bjoresth (2009)

How to Instantly Connect with Anyone: 96 All-New Little Tricks for Big Success in Relationships by Leil Lowndes (2009)

The Language of Emotional Intelligence: The Five Essential Tools for Building Powerful and Effective Relationships by Jeanne Segal (2008)

Results through Relationships: Building Trust, Performance, and Profit through People by Joe Takash (2008)

The Go-Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea by Bob Burg and John David Mann (2007)

Endless Referrals: Network Your Everyday Contacts into Sales (Third edition) by Bob Burg (2005)

How to Talk to Anyone: 92 Little Tricks for Big Success in Relationships by Leil Lowndes (2003)

Conversationally Speaking: Tested New Ways to Increase Your Personal and Social Effectiveness by Alan Garner (1997)

Bob Burg The Go Giver

Read an excerpt from The Go-Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea by Bob Burg and John David Mann.

Read the excerpt