The Go-Giver, my brother, and the homeless crew in Salem

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© Kenneth G. Goutal, courtesy Kenn Goutal Photography

Tonight I continued reading from The Go-Giver to my grandson for a bedtime story. He’s nearly seven years old and the story is a bit of a stretch for him, which is why I introduced the book as “a book for adults, but you might like it.”    I recommend the book, by the way.  

Anyway, tonight the central character Joe learns about the first law of stratospheric success: Give value.

With my grandson’s light out, I returned to my room and reflected on the day, and on the First Law.

My brother and nephew visited today. Kenn is a photographer who saw an advertisement requesting volunteer services of photographers to document a city streets cleanup project initiated by a handful of the city’s homeless.  In exchange for this cleanup activity, the City of Salem (Massachusetts) was waiving the “use fee” for the same homeless group to sponsor an arts festival on city property.  As it turns out, my brother was the only one who volunteered; he and his son spent the day photographing the activity and helping with the cleanup.  The group plans to use the pictures in a brochure.  He told me that the homeless guy that led the group had a slogan he repeated a few times: “Some people see obstacles in every opportunity; others see opportunities in every obstacle.”

© Kenneth G. Goutal, courtesy Kenn Goutal Photography

Here’s what I think:

• My brother and nephew saw an opportunity to give value and did so. Perhaps he will get back value if the photographs are used and credit is given to him.  But I think he got more value than he anticipated by the experience itself; of the many incidents, my nephew commented on one in particular. The homeless crew were asking businesses to put up a flyer promoting the arts festival. When they got to the Hawthorne Hotel with the very last flyer, everyone agreed that the hotel would likely not post a flyer, but they presented their request.  Not only did the staff person post the flyer, but she made a dozen more photocopies of the flyer for them.  
• The hotel staff person gave value by providing more than was requested.
• The homeless crew provided, according to my brother, far more value in cleanup services than the dollar value of the user fee they needed. As my nephew said, “It was more than a clean-up; it was an urban beautification project.”

Law One: “Your true worth is determined by how much more you give in value than you take in payment.” (The Go-Giver by Bob Burg and John David Mann, page 28.)

More pictures:

© Kenneth G. Goutal, courtesy Kenn Goutal Photography

Salem Street - Before: © Kenneth G. Goutal, courtesy Kenn Goutal Photography

Salem Street - After: © Kenneth G. Goutal, courtesy Kenn Goutal Photography