By
El Copeland
November 26, 2025
•
20 min read
Book Club
Chapter-by-Chapter Discussion Questions for The Go-Giver by Bob Burg: Chapter Nine - Susan
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.
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 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
- The Gottmans and Brene Brown are both quoted as saying relationships aren’t 50-50, 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!
- Brene Brown in 2020: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfL4RTuC9Bk
- John and Julie Gottman
- 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
- 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.
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 Eight - The Law of Influence
What if your most powerful sales tool isn’t a script, but how you show up for people? In this chapter, we unpack The Go-Giver’s Law of Influence and how it applies to MSPs and service teams: putting others’ interests first, why “networking” often misses the mark, and how genuine generosity (absorbing small costs, giving extra time, not keeping score) can grow your business while protecting your mental health.
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 8, The Law of Influence, Joe meets Sam, another salesman who teaches us the Third Law: Your influence is determined by how abundantly you place other people’s interests first.
Through this chapter, Sam shows Joe that the most powerful value you can offer is yourself, and that real success in business comes from genuine connection rather than scorekeeping.
Discussion Questions
Use these open-ended prompts to guide reflection and conversation. Remember, there are no right answers!
- What do you think of what Sam had to say in this chapter? Which parts do you agree with? Which parts do you not?
- How does what Sam was describing differ from what you think of when you hear about “networking”?
- Where do you catch yourself keeping score in business or personal relationships?
- Who in your life is magnetic? What do you feel makes them that way; what are you attracted to? With that in mind, what do you think makes people truly magnetic?
- Any changes we could make with our clients based on Sam’s message?
Rising Tide Input for your Consideration
- Have you experienced MSP/IT sales cycles where people over-optimize pitch tactics instead of building relationships? Where does that fail the business and the customer?
- Ways you can give
- Absorb the cost when mistakes happen to protect customer relationships.
- Don’t bill for trivial work (e.g., one-minute fixes).
- Gives clients extra time on calls; they reciprocate by ending early sometimes.
- Can giving without expectation still align with business goals? What about “takers” who sour the experience for everyone else?
- In our group, we generally agreed that authenticity improves long-term wins.
- It’s worth considering that “Keeping score” can be directly tied into burnout, and especially in service roles where emotional labor is high. Perhaps not keeping track is better for your mental health
- It’s worth taking courage from open-source communities, where contribution often precedes compensation!
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.