It's Not About You: A Little Story About What Matters Most in Business [Hardcover]

Bob Burg (Author), John David Mann (Author)

Book Description

Release date: September 20, 2011

From the acclaimed, bestselling authors of The Go-Giver, a new parable about leadership and the power of positive persuasion.

In this inspirational parable, we meet Ben, a young manager charged with persuading five hundred employees of a struggling chair manufacturer to agree to a merger as a way out of their financial woes. Facing what seems like an impossible uphill climb, Ben seeks the advice of Claire, an old friend, who introduces him to an eccentric elderly lady known simply as Aunt Elle.

Over the course of the week leading up to the crucial vote, Aunt Elle teaches Ben about the power of influence and positive persuasion. Ben also meets with each of the manufacturer's four top executives in an effort to sway them to his side, and instead comes away from each meeting with a different leadership lesson. But it's not until Ben reflects on his own experiences that he learns the critical principle so many people in positions of power fail to grasp: it's not about me, it's about you.

Written with the same light touch that made The Go-Giver a hit, this book is sure to resonate with anyone who wants to understand genuine leadership and subtle influence.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Lighter and more readable than many business books, with accessible language and universally applicable lessons."

(Kirkus Reviews )

"This book captures the essence of life and leadership. I recommend it!"

(John C. Maxwell, author of The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership )

"At Zappos, part of my role is about helping to create an environment where employees feel empowered to come up with their own ideas for fulfilling our vision and growing our culture. It's Not About You reveals this same philosophy: Get out of the way, so your employees can lead the way."

(Tony Hsieh, author of Delivering Happiness and CEO of Zappos.com )

"Burg and Mann have, once again, masterfully employed common sense and good judgment to show that success happens when you have an egalitarian spirit, practice Golden Rule behavior every day, and empower your people to make decisions from their hearts and souls. I LUV this book."

(Colleen Barrett, President Emerita of Southwest Airlines )

"It really isn't about you. It's about your team, your customers, your community, and your legacy. Share this book with those you care about."

(Seth Godin, author of Linchpin )

"A manifesto for twenty-first-century leadership packaged in a fun and engaging story. Buy this book and get it in the hands of everyone in your company!"

(Darren Hardy, publisher of Success magazine, author ofThe Compound Effect )

"Bob Burg and John David Mann are wonderful storytellers, particularly when it concerns what matters most in business. It's Not About You is about anyone who wants to be successful and respected. This story has a lesson for everyone."

(Harvey Mackay, author of Swim With the Sharks )

"I'm not typically a fan of business books written in fictional formats, but I love this book. It explains leadership principles I care about deeply, principles that truly matter. Read this book. You'll enjoy the journey and become a better leader and a better person in the process."

(Mark Sanborn, author of The Fred Factor )

About the Author

Bob Burg and John David Mann are the coauthors of The Go-Giver and Go-Givers Sell More. A former top sales professional, Burg is a sought-after speaker and the author of Endless Referrals. Mann has been writing about business, leadership and the laws of success for more than twenty-five years.
Visit thegogiver.com.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Portfolio Hardcover (September 20, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1591844193
• ISBN-13: 978-1591844198
• Product Dimensions: 5.6 x 0.6 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #48,936 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Whether you are looking for a solid guide to leadership or a moving human story, It's Not About You offers both. September 23, 2011

By Art Jonak

Format:Hardcover

"The less you say, the more influence you'll have."

So says Aunt Elle, eccentric mentor and perhaps the most memorable character, in bestselling authors Bob Burg and John David Mann's latest release, It's Not About You. A third in the Go-Giver series, this compact, powerful read follows the precedent set by their first book, The Go-Giver. Written in the easy teaching style of a parable, the book's story unfolds once again in Pindar's town and, while it centers on a mostly new cast of characters, there are cameos and subtle references to the earlier book that Go-Giver fans will have fun detecting.

Reminiscent of Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People, It's Not About You focuses on influence by becoming a servant and leadership. It compares the general cubicle-job employee and manager's idea of leadership (manipulating and convincing people) to the true responsibilities of genuine leadership (making others' concerns a priority and maintaining strong character), while also demonstrating the long-term rewards of being a great leader.

Some books we love simply because of their entertaining plot or intriguing characters; It's Not About You not only includes these elements, it also imparts timely and timeless leadership lessons by taking the reader on a transformational journey. Over the course of one week, Ben, the main character, tries to convince a struggling company to agree to a merger with his firm. Instead, he finds himself undergoing a crash course in leadership, from a variety of characters and life circumstances, that leaves him in a very different place by week's end.
What makes the book so impactful is its way of storytelling that draws us in and lets us identify with Ben's journey on a personal level, making the lessons both easy to remember and readily applicable to situations in our own lives.

Ben keeps a journal about the tips he gains every day, summarizing Burg and Mann's main points at the end of every chapter. This ordinary-man point of view keeps the book from being a lecture, allowing us to learn the lessons along with Ben and take them in as if they had come from our own personal experience.
As the authors put it, "Leadership is not something you can put on and take off, like a set of clothes. Your capacity to influence is not something you can rehearse, like a speech in a play."

Darren Hardy, publisher of Success magazine, hails the book as "a manifesto for twenty-first-century leadership." Dr. Mollie Marti, coauthor of The 12 Critical Factors of Business Success, calls it "[a] powerful story that will stay with you long after you turn the last page." Both descriptions work, and that is precisely the book's strength: whether you are looking for a solid guide to leadership or a moving human story, It's Not About You offers both.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars People are a critical piece... September 20, 2011

By John Burwell Jr

Format:Hardcover

Most are looking for the quatum leap or quickest route to results never recognizing and maybe forgetting the piece people play. It can be identified in their latest book how important of a piece this is and when we listen to people we are actually getting to where we want to go, quicker and effectively. The deliberate lessons in this book can be applied to all areas of our life, bringing great impact. This is more than just a must read, it is a critical and important read for your personal growth and those you influence day to day. This book compliments the G0-Giver with another example of Bob Burg and John David Mann's sharing (go-givertude). Thank you again guys!!!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Are you Focusing On Your Client's Needs or Your Own? September 20, 2011

By Christine

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Having read The Go-Giver and Go-Givers Sell More I had high expectations for It's Not About You. I was not disappointed. It focuses on the Law of Influence and how important it is in building your business. It teaches how to put others needs ahead of yours, not to forget about who you are as a business person, but that your main focus is to put your client's interests first. It's Not About You asks important questions, forces you to reflect on how much you focus on your client's needs and is a great, entertaining story overall. Bob Burg and John David Mann have successfully created another must have book for every business person's library.