By
El Copeland
December 3, 2025
•
20 min read
Book Club
Chapter-by-Chapter Discussion Questions for The Go-Giver by Bob Burg: Chapter Eleven - Gus
About this Series
This discussion guide is part of Rising Tide’s Fall 2025 book club, where we’re reading The Go-Giver by Bob Burg and John David Mann.
If you’re just joining us, here are a few pages you’ll likely benefit from:
- Chapter One – The Go-Getter for an introduction on how to use these Discussion Questions
- Book Clubs, Conversations, and Curiosity for why we started a book club for a technical team here
Chapter Summary
In Chapter 11, Joe learns more about “Gus,” who he is, and why he does what he does!
Discussion Questions
Use these open-ended prompts to guide reflection and conversation. Remember, there are no right answers!
- Well, did you guess it? Did you know Gus’ role was before this chapter?
- How did your perception of Gus change when you realized he was the connector Pindar kept referencing?
- In your own life, who are the “Guses”—the quiet connectors who don’t lead with their résumé but who hold networks together?
- Does being masked or guarded in some contexts undermine your authenticity overall, or is it reasonable self-protection?
Rising Tide Input for your Consideration
- Authenticity in Context. Our group debated whether authenticity must be consistent across all areas of life. Neurodivergent masking and professional role-switching complicate the idea that “the way you do one thing is how you do everything.” Exploration angle: how do context, safety, and identity shape authentic behavior?
- Balancing Professionalism and Emotional Reality. The group also discussed how we find ourselves able to flip from personal conflict within a team or close relationship to “customer service voice”. Do you consider that skill that adaptability or self-erasure? What do you consider to be the difference between healthy role-shifting and burnout-inducing masking?
- The Hidden Connector. Gus embodies quiet influence and value created through long-term generosity, consistency, and relationships rather than status or self-promotion. What makes certain people “super-connectors,” and how does that play out in technical or remote-first industries like MSPs?
About Rising Tide and our Book Club
Rising Tide helps MSPs and service-focused teams build better systems: the kind that align people with purpose.
Every Friday at 9:30 AM ET, we host Rising Tide Fridays as an open conversation for MSP owners, consultants, and service professionals who want to grow both professionally, technically, and emotionally. In Fall/Winter 2025, we’re walking through The Go-Giver, chapter by chapter.
If that sounds like your kind of crowd, reach out to partners@risingtidegroup.net for the Teams link.
Bring your coffee and curiosity…no prep required.
As Partner and Business Consultant at Rising Tide, I help organizations align culture with efficiency, bridging the gap between strategy and the everyday systems that make it work. I’ve spent my career leading diverse, cross-functional teams and building communities where people actually want to learn and collaborate. With roots in technology, education, user experience & design, and project management, I specialize in turning complex ideas into clear, actionable plans that keep both people and projects thriving.
Outside of work, you’ll usually find me weight-training, gardening, or rewatching Doctor Who with a cat in my lap.
See some more of our most recent posts...
Chapter-by-Chapter Discussion Questions for The Go-Giver by Bob Burg: Chapter Eleven - Gus
In this chapter of The Go-Giver, we re-meet Gus, not as the useless coworker, but the one with a powerful secret. This discussion dives into authenticity, neurodivergent masking, and how “customer service voice” can be either healthy adaptability or self-erasure. Ideal for MSP and remote teams rethinking how connection really works.
Read post
About this Series
This discussion guide is part of Rising Tide’s Fall 2025 book club, where we’re reading The Go-Giver by Bob Burg and John David Mann.
If you’re just joining us, here are a few pages you’ll likely benefit from:
- Chapter One – The Go-Getter for an introduction on how to use these Discussion Questions
- Book Clubs, Conversations, and Curiosity for why we started a book club for a technical team here
Chapter Summary
In Chapter 11, Joe learns more about “Gus,” who he is, and why he does what he does!
Discussion Questions
Use these open-ended prompts to guide reflection and conversation. Remember, there are no right answers!
- Well, did you guess it? Did you know Gus’ role was before this chapter?
- How did your perception of Gus change when you realized he was the connector Pindar kept referencing?
- In your own life, who are the “Guses”—the quiet connectors who don’t lead with their résumé but who hold networks together?
- Does being masked or guarded in some contexts undermine your authenticity overall, or is it reasonable self-protection?
Rising Tide Input for your Consideration
- Authenticity in Context. Our group debated whether authenticity must be consistent across all areas of life. Neurodivergent masking and professional role-switching complicate the idea that “the way you do one thing is how you do everything.” Exploration angle: how do context, safety, and identity shape authentic behavior?
- Balancing Professionalism and Emotional Reality. The group also discussed how we find ourselves able to flip from personal conflict within a team or close relationship to “customer service voice”. Do you consider that skill that adaptability or self-erasure? What do you consider to be the difference between healthy role-shifting and burnout-inducing masking?
- The Hidden Connector. Gus embodies quiet influence and value created through long-term generosity, consistency, and relationships rather than status or self-promotion. What makes certain people “super-connectors,” and how does that play out in technical or remote-first industries like MSPs?
About Rising Tide and our Book Club
Rising Tide helps MSPs and service-focused teams build better systems: the kind that align people with purpose.
Every Friday at 9:30 AM ET, we host Rising Tide Fridays as an open conversation for MSP owners, consultants, and service professionals who want to grow both professionally, technically, and emotionally. In Fall/Winter 2025, we’re walking through The Go-Giver, chapter by chapter.
If that sounds like your kind of crowd, reach out to partners@risingtidegroup.net for the Teams link.
Bring your coffee and curiosity…no prep required.
Chapter-by-Chapter Discussion Questions for The Go-Giver by Bob Burg: Chapter Ten - The Law of Authenticity
What if the real value you bring to your work, clients, and relationships isn’t your pitch, your process, or your polish—but you? This post walks through The Go-Giver’s Law of Authenticity, major blows to self-esteem, and why relationships aren’t 50/50. Learn how to add value simply by showing up as your honest, imperfect self.
Read post
About this Series
This discussion guide is part of Rising Tide’s Fall 2025 book club, where we’re reading The Go-Giver by Bob Burg and John David Mann.
If you’re just joining us, here are a few pages you’ll likely benefit from:
- Chapter One – The Go-Getter for an introduction on how to use these Discussion Questions
- Book Clubs, Conversations, and Curiosity for why we started a book club for a technical team here
Chapter Summary
In Chapter 10, Joe learns the Fourth Law of Stratospheric Success — “The Law of Authenticity” — from a now-successful saleswoman who found this truth when she was at her lowest.
Discussion Questions
Use these open-ended prompts to guide reflection and conversation. Remember, there are no right answers!
- “These lessons don’t apply only to business…the true bottom line is whether it improves your life’s balance sheet.” What are things that improve your own balance sheet of life? Family? Hobbies? Travel?
- Have you ever had a major blow to your self-esteem like Debra’s husband leaving her? Have you ever looked at is as a gift? What if you did?
- “Add value. I had nothing to add but myself”. Have you ever considered that you, as you are, brings value to a relationship? Yes, your perspective, your experiences, but more than that, your presence is valuable in a relationship!!
- What do you consider to be people skills? To be a person?
Rising Tide Input for your Consideration
- How does privilege (financial cushion, partner support, social safety nets) affect whether we’re able to call adversity a “gift”? As leaders or teammates, what responsibility do we have to build safety nets for our people (policies, culture, financial practices) so they don’t fall off a cliff when life hits?
- John & Julie Gottman – Fighting Right & Repair. The Gottmans’ work shows that what predicts relationship health is not whether you fight, but whether you repair effectively afterward, mirroring what we discussed about client relationships and authenticity.
- Julie and John Gottman: Relationship advice from 50+ years of marriage | TED Talk
- “Happily ever after simply means that both partners are known, valued, accepted for who they are and who they are becoming.” - John M. Gottman
- Julie and John Gottman: Relationship advice from 50+ years of marriage | TED Talk
- Brené Brown – “Marriage is Never 50/50” - Short clip where Brown explains why healthy relationships aren’t equal splits but ebb and flow based on capacity, reinforcing the idea that we bring our best available self, not a fixed quota.sometimes they're 30-70...and sometimes they're 30-30...you should only be expected to bring your best. Because we are rarely able to be 100% consistently!
- The Framemaking Sale - by Brent Adamson and Karl Schmidt; so often relationships aren’t just about US or what we perceive we need to be, but rather how we can make the other person feel confident and comfortable in their own decisions.
About Rising Tide and our Book Club
Rising Tide helps MSPs and service-focused teams build better systems: the kind that align people with purpose.
Every Friday at 9:30 AM ET, we host Rising Tide Fridays as an open conversation for MSP owners, consultants, and service professionals who want to grow both professionally, technically, and emotionally. In Fall/Winter 2025, we’re walking through The Go-Giver, chapter by chapter.
If that sounds like your kind of crowd, reach out to partners@risingtidegroup.net for the Teams link.
Bring your coffee and curiosity…no prep required.
Chapter-by-Chapter Discussion Questions for The Go-Giver by Bob Burg: Chapter Nine - Susan
In Chapter 9 of The Go-Giver, “Susan,” Joe brings the Third Law home and discovers that giving without keeping score is hardest with the people we love most. This guide explores generous listening, navigating emotional triggers, and applying Go-Giver principles to both business and long-term relationships.
Read post
About this Series
This discussion guide is part of Rising Tide’s Fall 2025 book club, where we’re reading The Go-Giver by Bob Burg and John David Mann.
If you’re just joining us, here are a few pages you’ll likely benefit from:
- Chapter One – The Go-Getter for an introduction on how to use these Discussion Questions
- Book Clubs, Conversations, and Curiosity for why we started a book club for a technical team here
Chapter Summary
In Chapter 9, Susan, we find Joe at home after an exhausting day at work. How will he put the Third Law of Stratospheric Success into practice when he doesn’t even feel like he’s got the energy to talk about what he’s learned?
Discussion Questions
Use these open-ended prompts to guide reflection and conversation. Remember, there are no right answers!
- What are ways that you can give without keeping score in your business and personal relationships?
- Does this chapter tell us anything about Joe’s growth throughout the story?
Rising Tide Input for your Consideration
- We found it interesting that Joe is applying the laws naturally in this chapter!
- Listening openly and without expectations is often one of the best things we can give.
- In long-term relationships, it’s important to consider emotional triggers and past experiences, sometimes old conflicts can amplify reactions at home vs. work.
- It's important to note that routines can be healthy but must be flexible.
About Rising Tide and our Book Club
Rising Tide helps MSPs and service-focused teams build better systems: the kind that align people with purpose.
Every Friday at 9:30 AM ET, we host Rising Tide Fridays as an open conversation for MSP owners, consultants, and service professionals who want to grow both professionally, technically, and emotionally. In Fall/Winter 2025, we’re walking through The Go-Giver, chapter by chapter.
If that sounds like your kind of crowd, reach out to partners@risingtidegroup.net for the Teams link.
Bring your coffee and curiosity…no prep required.