How Go-Giver Principles Turn Contractors Into Community Favorites

We sit down with Bob Burg to explore how Go-Giver principles turn craftsmanship into community trust and why money is an echo of value. The talk moves from referrals and influence to culture, purpose, and the inner work leaders must do to remove hidden limits.

• becoming the first call through referrals and reputation
• networking by asking, listening and helping
• influence as pull not push across teams
• aligning company goals with personal goals
• redefining success beyond revenue and titles
• money as an echo of value in sales
• discovery over desperation during estimates
• building culture through purpose and community work
• uncovering unconscious beliefs that block growth
• practical books and mentors for continuous learning

Do yourself a favor and pick up The Go-Giver. Don’t just read it, apply it because when you lead with value, the results will follow

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Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome And Guest Introduction
• 2:35 Referrals Over Advertising In Construction
• 4:27 The Networking Mindset: Ask, Listen, Help
• 9:06 From Selling Roofs To Becoming “My Roofer”
• 12:14 Influence As Pull, Not Push
• 17:40 Purpose, Community, And Culture
• 22:00 Redefining Success Beyond Revenue
• 28:12 Money As An Echo Of Value
• 33:25 Discovery Over Desperation In Sales
• 37:10 Lifelong Learning And Mentors

Transcript

Ty Cobb Backer: 0:00

And we are live. Welcome back, everybody, to Behind the Tool Belt episode 315. I am your host, Ty Cobb Backer, and thank you for joining us on this Wednesday edition. We will be back after our short intro from our sponsors.

Speaker 2: 0:33

This isn't motivation. It's reality. Built in the trenches forwards to pay forwards to cards. No shortcuts. Just real leaders doing real work. Every week, we pull back the curtain on the weight of real leadership. If you're still standing, you belong here. Please welcome your host of Behind the Tool Belt, Ty Cobb Backer.

Ty Cobb Backer: 1:00

Hey, hey, welcome back, everybody. Thank you for joining us on this Wednesday edition. And today, today, today, today is the day, we have a special guest with us today who has impacted millions of people around the world. He has literally changed the way people think about sales, leadership, and building relationships the right way. Our guest today is Bob Berg, best selling co-author of The Go Giver, world-class speaker and true authority on experience on relationships, influence, and value creation. Bob, welcome to the stage. How are you?

Bob Burg: 1:38

I'm doing great, Ty. Thanks for having me, and thanks for those kind words. I appreciate that.

Ty Cobb Backer: 1:43

Yes, yes, Bob. You have inspired me for quite a long time. Um, I've actually kept you as like a little hidden gem of mine. I used I've read your stuff numerous times. Um, I usually share with everybody what I'm what I'm reading, and uh your stuff has been something that I've kind of held on to. However, I have shared it with you know family and close friends and and stuff like that because I wanted people to think that I was smarter than I really was, uh regurgitating, you know, a lot of your stuff. Um, however, the cat's out of the bag now.

Bob Burg: 2:17

Well, you'd be amazed at what I regurgitate.

Ty Cobb Backer: 2:19

So yeah, yeah. I you know, and and that's not any new ideas. No doubt. Right, yeah. Yeah, for sure, for sure. Um, but uh funny story. Um, so um how this all came about with with me getting introduced to you was through my business coach. His name is Tony, Tony Wally, and uh he's been or you have been on his show actually. And I was telling him about how we were attending a networking event. And I was telling him how you know I I used a Bob Berg approach and uh and uh sprinkle a little grant cardone in the mix, you know, when I attend these things, and and uh he was like, What do you mean, Bob Berg? I'm like, Well, endless referrals. He was like, What? Endless referrals. Like, yeah, and I I actually have the book on my shelf in my office because I I study it and have studied it, at least uh the revision of the 2006 version of it. And and uh he was like, Bob's been on my podcast. I was like, get out of here. And he was like, Yeah, you want me to ask him to come on your show? And I was like, absolutely. So, so here you are, and um, you know, thank you for for coming on. And I just want you to know um that you have you not only have inspired me, but you know, um have reshaped the way that our culture, our company, you know, um has has operated over the past several years. So thank thank you for that. Thank you. That wow, that means a lot to me. Thank you. Yeah, for sure. You've definitely had you've impacted a lot more people than you know. So um, but uh, you know, the the one thing that that really resonates, you know, with our audience that's in construction, you know, reputation is everything. You you can spend money on marketing, but referrals are what really build business long term. And a lot of contractors are great at at their craft and what they do, but they struggle to become that first call in their community. So, so what are some small intentional things that contractors can do to become the go-to referral partner in their community without spending more money on marketing?

Bob Burg: 4:27

Yeah, well, one of the things you you just said was is really key, and that is they're great at what they do, right? They're true craftsmen. Um, the sales aspect and the relationship aspect a lot of times is just something they wish they didn't have to do. Right. The challenge is that's a very important part of what they do. So it's good to be able to develop those skills. Now, the big thing I think is is sort of reframing it from having to you know brag about myself and have the gift of gab and hand slap and handshake and do all that stuff to just kind of asking other people questions about themselves, taking the pressure off of you. And see, that's something, and that was really when I wrote Endless Referrals back in the first it came out in the night early 1990s. It was really to share with salespeople and entrepreneurs who didn't feel comfortable, you know, they knew they had a great product or service, but they didn't feel comfortable with the relationship development. And it was to say, hey, you don't have to be the the big talker and the you know the extrovert and the whole thing, just just focus on that other person, get into one-on-one conversations, ask questions about them. How did they get their start in business? What do they enjoy most about what they do? And then what I call the one key question how can I know if someone I'm speaking with would be a good prospective customer for you? And it's amazing by just taking the focus off yourself and not thinking you have to be the thing, right? How you just create these great, you know, you attract people to you. That's what happens.

Ty Cobb Backer: 6:06

Yeah, yeah, no, I I agree. Um, you know, it's not it's not necessarily about the sale. Um, one of the things we we try to relay to our teams is like, you know, you're we're going out to, we don't want to sell you a roof. We we want to become your roofer, you know, and and create that that that value for them that they know they can rely on us at any given time. If there is an issue, we'll take care of it. But we also want you to refer us to your friends and your family because of the value that you've received from us and that you've received more more value than in payment, like but like you've expressed before in your in your book. So that it's such a powerful way to look at it. Um, you know, and and the truth is those same principles, you know, don't just apply to to customers, they they also apply, you know, internally as well. Um, and in construction in construction, um it's such a high, high pressure industry, tight margins, deadlines, labor challenges. Um, it's easy for leaders to to start um, you know, and salespeople to to start acting reactively instead of intentionally. And and you talk a lot about um influence and value. So how how can construction leaders create um a true go-giver culture with with foremans and project managers and sales managers, especially when the industry is is under so much pressure and and and tight margins?

Bob Burg: 7:34

Well, the pressure's gonna be there, the tight margins are gonna be there. So those are out of your control. So the only thing you can do is is focus on what you can control. And what you can control is the relationships. Okay. So those in your team, and when we talk about influence, you know, really by definition, uh influence is simply the ability to move a person or persons to a desired action, usually within the context of a specific goal. But the thing is, Ty, while that is the definition, it's not really the essence of influence. The essence of influence is pull as opposed to push, right? Uh you know, we've heard the saying, how far can you push a rope? And we know the answer is not very, well, at least not very fast or very effectively, which is why great influencers, what what John David Mann and I would call genuine influencers, don't push. They don't push their ideas on others, they don't push their will on others, they don't push themselves on others, they're not pushy. Um, you never hear people say, wow, that Dave or that Mary, she is so influential, she has a lot of push with people. No, she's influential, she has a lot of pull with people. So the question needs to be asked, well, how do you manifest that pull? How does how does that happen? And again, it comes down to you you're internally focused, uh, or internally motivated, but you're outwardly focused. So when you have a team, you you need to help bring their commitment to your idea by not focusing on you, but focusing on them. Uh how is it, how does what I'm asking this person to do, how does it align with their goals, with their needs, their wants, their desires, with their values? How does what I'm asking them to do help them solve a problem they're having? How does it move them closer to happiness? How do we connect the you know the goal of the company with their personal goals and and and so forth? So uh when we when we ask ourselves these questions thoughtfully and intelligently, um genuinely, authentically, not as a way to manipulate another human being into doing our will, but as a way of building everyone in the process, now we've really um taken a big step in earning that person's commitment as opposed to trying to depend on some type of compliance, which is that's push, right? That's force, that's threat of force, and so forth. Now, there's nothing about this that is touchy-feely or or you know, or or uh not real world or no, this is how it works. Because if you, you know, if you if you try to control others, right, and make them do your will, uh well, they they might do what they have to do because they don't want to get fired or they want, you know, what have you, but they're not gonna go out of their way for you. They're gonna do the l the the very basic of what they need to do and not one bit more, they might even sabotage the process. But when you can make people feel good about themselves, when you can give them something that's that's uh higher than just themselves to work for, aside from the paycheck, that's important, but it's not it, it's not the biggest thing. You know, we we know and and research has shown that once someone feels that they're getting paid a you know a fair amount, what it right, the money is go is pretty low on the ladder of what they stay around for. Okay, and uh so when we can lead like that, now we're really getting the best out of everybody. Yeah, that you can control.

Ty Cobb Backer: 11:14

Yeah, no, I love that. I I love that so much because it's not it's not about the paycheck, it's you know, the the culture that we have around here, you know, the influence that we've had. We do a lot of community events and and charitable events and and things. That's actually how this podcast got started was to promote a charitable event that we were participating in. And we have found when you can give people purpose, right? It's much more than just a paycheck. It's a it's the tip at the end of the week from just showing up and impacting other people's lives around you and not just necessarily the community, but those that you're co-working with. Yeah. Like I do such a great job that they still have a job today, and then vice versa. And if you can kind of create that cohesive relationship amongst the co-workers that, you know, they're they rely on me. And it's like we don't worry about like what time you necessarily walk in the door because they put that own pressure on them. If they're running late, it's not because they're letting me down necessarily, it's just they know they're letting their teammates down.

Bob Burg: 12:14

So well, that's a great culture you've developed. That that's exactly, you know, Bob Chapman in his great book, Everybody Matters. He's the uh chairman and CEO of Barry Waymiller, which is a massive uh manufacturing company. And you know, that's really the same culture he that he has developed. And it's a great, it's a great book if you get a chance to read it. Everybody matters. And um uh and that's exactly what you've done. You know, you've created a culture where people are part of something that again is bigger than just themselves, right? They they feel and this is a, by the way, this is a very, very basic but important element of human nature that most of us as human beings want to feel as though we're something bigger, uh part of something bigger than just ourselves. So you're really tapping in in a great way there.

Ty Cobb Backer: 13:03

Thank you. And I I a lot of that influence has come from Simon Sinek, uh Leaders Eat Last, didn't start with why.

Bob Burg: 13:09

Yeah, and he's he features Bob Chapman, by the way, in his book, uh Leaders Eat Last.

Ty Cobb Backer: 13:14

Yeah, exactly. That's what I'm saying.

Bob Burg: 13:15

So there's a lot a lot of sympathetic there, yeah. Because I could tell you recognize the name Bob Chapman, yeah uh when I said it. And yeah, he was he was featured in Simon's book.

Ty Cobb Backer: 13:23

Yeah, I love that. I you know, and I I I love I I I love this conversation because it it it shifts leadership's thinking from from short-term thinking to to long-term impact. And and really that's that's what this is about, you know, is that's that's our purpose. Our purpose to have is to have a positive impact. And and a lot of business owners start start out, you know, trying to just survive. And I was that guy. I was trying to survive, I had a point to make. Um, you know, and I was just trying to really make ends meet. And then, and then um, but but at some point in time you start to question, you know, there's gotta be something bigger out there than just revenue. And and and for for a business owner who wants to build something that lasts, not just income but reputation, what does success really look like through the the go giver lens?

Bob Burg: 14:16

Yeah, you know, I I think success of all has a lot of definitions. And it's and I and I think when it comes right down to it, it it's very personal. It's it's you know, it's it's what uh uh someone holds to be of high value. Uh and it's not what and it's being able to to realize that. So uh so um you know, there so let's say take just success on a again a basic level, it can be the accomplishing of a certain goal. Okay, so uh you want to drop 10 pounds uh in three months, and you do it, well, you're successful. Okay. Now, if you drop nine pounds, well, you were 90% successful. I mean, again, so that's just dictionary definition. Then you got definitions like the great Earl Nightingale, uh, who said success is the progressive realization of a worthy ideal, which I think is is fantastic because first it's it's not necessarily the result, it's the it's the progressive realization. Okay, so in other words, as long as you're moving towards something, you're progressing to it, okay, that's success. But then of a worthy ideal. So being the number one you know drug dealer on your corner, uh, that's not a worthy ideal. That's not success, right? So it's there's you know lots of definite John Wooden, the the famed coach of the UCLA Bruins, who uh for a long time was the winningest coach ever. And I think what did he have? I can't even remember now how many titles in a row, NCAA titles and so forth. Do you know he never he never actually focused on the win? He focused on the process. Steve Jameson wrote a great book about him. If uh if you ever get a chance to read it, it's fantastic. But he took care of all the details. He was focused on all the things he could control, right? Which could we come back to that? So the process was it. So so his uh you know, his definition was it was something like the um uh a feeling of self-satisfaction in knowing you did the best you could to live up to your potential. That was success. So, you know, it always I you know, I always look at that something like happiness, right? What is happiness? It's a genuine and ongoing feeling of joy and peace of mind, the result of living congruently with your values. So, you know, if you in building a business as you've built, which is a very go-giver way of building it, and you've got people who, first of all, you know you're providing your customers and clients with a spectacular job. They feel great about the not only the intrinsic value of what you've done, but everything in terms of the client-customer experience, right? You know that you've been able to help a lot of families support themselves because of the people you employ, and you've given people who work in your company a place they can feel good about being part of. Well, to me, that's you know, that's success. But again, we all have our, you know, we all have our own individual meanings, Torta, you know, for what it is.

Ty Cobb Backer: 17:28

For sure. And you defined it in such a beautiful way, because I think a lot of people when they hear the word success, they think right away, financial success. That's one form of it. Yeah, it's definitely one form of it. And I love how you said that it's it's it's a personal thing, right? It's personal goals and achievements and things, things of that nature, and just having a a healthy, you know, household and and family and support.

Bob Burg: 17:53

Exactly, right?

Ty Cobb Backer: 17:53

You know, makes me the wealthiest man in the world. Like to wake up Christmas morning and everybody's happy and healthy, and they're giving me crap because I'm the last one opening up my gifts because you know, and they're stacking up, and everyone's got, you know, they're finished ripping open their packages, and that I'm I'm that I'm fulfilled. I I feel so fulfilled. And that's just one of many examples for me for success. And like you said, building a successful business isn't how much revenue we make or what the profit margins look like look like. But and don't get me wrong, that's that's that's that's important. Yeah, that is very important. So we can continue to keep that's not the entire picture, right? No, no, it's everything that goes into it. Um and I'm gonna brag a little bit. I'm I'm getting inducted to um the the president seat for our local uh builders association here next Wednesday.

Bob Burg: 18:45

Awesome, congratulations.

Ty Cobb Backer: 18:47

Thank you, thank you so much. And and um I would not be able to do something like that. I wouldn't have the bandwidth to you know devote and volunteer because it's all volunteer work. If we didn't have the successful team that we built here at PC Backer, we would there I wouldn't even I couldn't even I wouldn't even consider doing something like that because it does require a lot a lot of my time bandwidth and I'm sure it does. And uh, but but because and and again, that's just uh you know, I'm elaborating on one more piece of the success puzzle that that that we've been able to to to form. And like I said early on in my career, my success was to just beat down my competitors, you know, and and my mindset, my mind shift, the paradigm shift came, you know, years later, probably about a good four years into it, before I actually started to realize what like purpose was and is. And and it's funny because a friend of mine actually turned me on to the go giver. And you know, it was one of those when I opened the book and I started to read it chapter after chapter, it it not only was opening my eyes, but it was it was um clarifying that yes. Yes, I'm on the right path. I it you can find success in the way that we're trying to do this. You know, it's not it's it's it's people over profit. And and and of course the profit just comes when you kind of reverse when you reverse that that that role. Um like and it's just it takes it takes time for someone that really has purpose that is purpose-driven.

Bob Burg: 20:22

Well, you know, what you said uh uh really makes me think of and and John David Mann, my awesome co-author and really the lead storyteller, such a brilliant guy. But when the book first came out, the the earl, I guess you could say early adopters, if that would be the right term, were the people like you who didn't need it, they'd already been living their lives this way. You know, they had been and and what the book did is it just affirmed versus they were doing that, but also, you know, a lot of them had already done very, very well in business. And and it was more, it's not that they really learned anything from the book, they just identified with the principles, and that's what they wrote to told us, but it wrote to tell us. But here's the thing they'd say, but nobody on my team believes me. And now why? Well, because we're all brought up with this idea, right? From everything we see on television and the movies and the media, that the you know, the the wealthy, successful people are the evil, horrible billion, right? And and so that's what people think, right? So uh they would use the book, they would buy books for those in their organizations, basically just as third-party credibility, because we're telling them the same thing they always told them, we're just not them. So you know how that works, right? But uh, yeah, so we always we always love to hear that when someone says, and I I can't tell you how many stories we heard of people who, when they started out, that's how they wanted to do business, they were dissuaded from doing that. Uh and then they read the book and they said, Oh, yeah, well, I can do it this way, right? And uh, and so yeah, that's always a nice, nice thing to hear.

Ty Cobb Backer: 21:57

Absolutely, it is, and that it's definitely in all of your books. You you've been, you know, and and the ones that you've you know call co-authored with with um John and um you know all of your other literature and stuff too. So, you know, over the years, as you've been able to observe leaders across the industries um and generations, and and you know, you lived a lot of this yourself. Looking back over your career, what is one mindset shift you wish that you and other leaders would have adopted sooner?

Bob Burg: 22:31

Well, I think it's it's learning gradually because you said, you know, the first few years, you were, you know, you had your own. I was the same. I mean, I I think as we're younger, we start out, we're doing things, we just, you know, we're not really thinking that deeply uh until we we learn. So I mean, I I think uh I yeah, I remember one time I was in a sales slump with a company where I had just started working in in sales and the and I was so focused on myself trying to get out of the slump, I wasn't focused on my customers, which of course I should have been. And fortunately, there was an older guy at the company, he wasn't even in the sales department. He was he was uh I think he was an engineer and he retired soon after. And he uh fortunately, I think he saw something you know in terms of potential in me that was worth his time. And he he asked if he could give me some advice. And I said, Yeah, please. I, you know, I need it. And he said, you know, Burke, if you want to make a lot of money in sales, he said, don't have making money as your target. Your target is serving others. Now, when you hit the target, he said, you'll get a reward, and that reward will come in the form of um money, and you can do with that money whatever you choose. But never forget, he said, the money is simply the reward for hitting the target. It's not the target itself. Your target is serving others, and that was a huge shift for me, right? Um, and you know, and this is where and John came up with this uh, and uh uh I use a lot use this all the time, but John really is the one who came up with this. Is money is simply an echo of value, right? And it makes sense uh because you think about it, you know, people aren't gonna people are not gonna buy from you because you have a quota to meet, right? They're not gonna buy from you because you have a sales goal or you need the money, or even just because you're a really nice person, right? People are gonna buy from you because they believe they'll be better uh better off by doing so than by not doing so. So when you think about it, the most self-interested thing that we can ever do as salespeople is to take ourselves out of the picture and focus totally on this other person, right? And and discover this is why the discovery in the sales process is so important. Discover what they need, what they want, what they desire. Again, what challenges do they need to overcome? Now we're you know, now we're creating that that context for success.

Ty Cobb Backer: 24:56

Yeah, I love that. I love that the the exploration of finding out what they actually need and what they're looking for. I mean, and that's ultimately at the end of the day, nobody wants to buy from somebody who's desperate, you know, and they can sense desperate, you know.

Bob Burg: 25:12

Yeah, we used to call it commission breath back in the day.

Ty Cobb Backer: 25:15

Yep, I've actually heard that before. Yeah, you're right, you're right. You can't be desperate. And and um, you know, when you go in there and you honestly genuinely care about them and and whatever it is that they're seeking and and their issues, and sometimes they don't know what that is, but that's what's right, that's right. You just gotta be quiet and listen, you know, and and discover that you called it the discovery. Um, I love that. And and once you discover what that is, then give them, you know, some some options, you know, find out where they're at, what's their budget, you know. Um, and that's what we do, that's one of our niches. Um, a lot of uh roofing contractors, we got aerial measurement tools now today, and you don't even have to go out to homeowners' houses anymore to give them a quote. The technology has advanced so much, but but we're kind of old school here. I like to get out, I like to have our team get out there and really inspect the property. Like, what is actually going on here? What caused your roof to fail maybe prematurely? Why, where's the cause? What is the cause of the leak and and get down to the root problem of it? And not everybody needs a roof, they think they do. A lot of times they don't even need a roof. You can, you know, rejuvenate it, we can do some repairs and uh extend the life of another eight, 10 years in some cases, you know. And and again, it's because leadership here isn't desperate either.

Bob Burg: 26:37

Yeah, well, and when you do that and you guide them to that correct decision that they don't need that roof, you think, oh, why aren't I losing money? No, you're gaining some great um trust. You've got these people saying, Oh, you've got to, you know, if you're having an issue, you gotta go to something. They'll even tell you if you don't need all right. And now you don't do it for that reason, you do it because it's the right thing to do. The result is that's what happens.

Ty Cobb Backer: 27:03

Exactly. Exactly. Yeah, no, that's good. This is such a great conversation. Um, but you know, and I and I I believe, I honestly believe this true, true, you know, whole wholeheartedly. Um, I believe in life and business, um and and relationships, of course. Um, you you have to be um a go-giver. Um, but but you also have to remain a student, okay? Um, continuously learning big things. And and I got a three-part question here for you. Hopefully I can um articulate it well enough for you to understand it. Um uh so who who has who has been the biggest influence on you throughout your life? And who are you learning from and following today and why?

Bob Burg: 27:52

Okay, so um let's hope I can remember in the order, but you'll remind me if I if I can't. Okay, so the first one, my dad definitely the biggest um uh hero and and mentor. Uh both I mean, I was blessed to be brought up by two great people. So how fortunate, right? And so uh, but you know, my dad was really my mentor. He was the guy I tried to embody the way he dealt with people and just just uh the guy had the greatest gift of people skills, and it came from genuinely caring about other people, right? I mean, just so uh I I try to emulate him as much as I can. Um, who am I learning from now? Uh, you know, I learn from people like Kim Angely and Jeff West, uh, two people who I partner with on certain uh things. There's they're so very wise. Kathy Tajanel, who's uh uh been a business partner of mine for years and years, you know, there's so much to to learn from her. I I read books constantly, you know. So uh I'm always learning from people that I either don't know personally, and some of them I do know personally, and I'm very fortunate too, you know, to do that. So um, so yeah, I mean, um that that's a that's a work in progress that never stops the the learning.

Ty Cobb Backer: 29:05

Yeah. And then the third question, I'm sorry. I uh and why, just just why, and and honestly, it was more of a personal question because uh what I've gotten into the habit of is you know, is asking people like who are they following or what books are you reading? And that's where sometimes I find good educational or or books from people. So that's kind of why I asked you the question of like who are you learning from today and and why? What impact have they had on you, you know, the for the reason why you wanted to follow them?

Bob Burg: 29:35

Well, I'll tell you a book that I I read that I I refer to people all the time. Uh, and I read it uh pretty constantly, about a chapter or two a day over the course of about a year and a half. It made that big a difference to me. Uh, it's called Living Untethered by Michael A. Singer. Um now he has three books that are pretty well known. The first one, the most well known, is uh The Untethered uh is Um The Untethered Soul, which is a great, great book. He also had the surrender experiment. Great book again. But I think this third one, Living Untethered, um, I think is really the most important self personal, let's say personal development book I have ever read in 40 years of studying this. And because it really helps you to understand the relationship that you have with yourself, with others, with the world around you, why things are a certain way, what is in your power to control and what is not, and how to be comfortable with that. So uh that is a book I absolutely would would recommend uh to anyone and everyone.

Ty Cobb Backer: 30:48

Wow. Okay, well, thank you for sharing that with us. Yeah, that was that was that was my uh ulterior motive there was to find out you know where you're at and how you're getting there. That's great. That's great. Um, you know, and and sometimes, you know, I've learned to, you know, it's it's like I said, it's a it's about continuous uh educating and and growing and expanding and stretching my mind. And and I've learned um that in in most cases, you know, always uh with growth, there's there's resistance, right? Mostly mentally, you know, more than anything, at least for me, anyhow. And and a lot of leaders, you know, listening to to this are doing well, you know, on the outside, but internally they're battling fear, doubt, uh, self-imposed limits. And um, so what are what what are some of the biggest mental roadblocks that you've personally faced over the years, and and what did you do to work through them? And and what do you do to keep them from creeping back in?

Bob Burg: 31:51

Well, I mean, I I I think you know, we all have our individual challenges and fears and self-imposed limits, just like you said. I think the first thing we've got to do is to to um to recognize them. Because the the worst thing that we can do is live with something and have it running our operating system, if you will, and not know that it is. And you know, we all have grow up and we live with a certain set of beliefs. And now this is based on a whole lot of things, our upbringing, environment, schooling, news media, tele shows, movies, popular culture, culture, you know, everything, all the experiences we take in. Um, we we live our lives seeing the world a certain way, our again, our belief system. Most of us uh we grow up and and live a life uh ruled by an unconscious, and this is the key, an unconscious operating system, right? Thinking that we are um making choices out of strength and thought when in reality uh we're typically making choices within a a preset matrix, if you will. If you remember the movie The Matrix, right? Instead of machines, it's our belief system. So we're not even aware. So let's say somebody has a uh you know a belief that uh you know people who make money, we were talking earlier, you know, people who make money are horrible, ruthless, dishonest, blah, blah, blah, blah. Now that's unconscious. They're probably not really thinking that. Okay. So if they want to earn a really healthy income and they've been brought up consciously believing in things like honesty and integrity and kindness and things like that, okay, you've got your conscious fighting your unconscious. And we know that in that battle, the unconscious is always gonna win. Because we're not even aware of that, right? So the first thing is if someone's continually sabotaging themselves and and not earning, you know, what they should be based on the value they're giving and blah, blah, blah, blah, it's saying, okay, this is an issue. Um I'm keeping prosperity, let's say, from coming to me. Why? What what's the what's the premise of this? What's really going on now? If you can, if you can learn it from books or a coach or a mentor or from professional uh counseling, uh whatever it takes to do that. But uh, I think the key thing is to first be able to recognize what it is that's holding you back. In other words, uh making the unconscious conscious. It's only from that place you're in a position to now improve and you know overcome that. And then you do it. Then you do whatever work it takes to, you know, to make that happen. That's also why I uh, you know, I love the book Living Untethered, uh, because he talks a lot about he actually happens to talk a lot about that in the in the book.

Ty Cobb Backer: 34:54

Wow. Uh that's good. That was a great response, actually. I was hoping it didn't get too personal on you, but you took it, you took it uh to a different level um to hopefully get our viewers and listeners here to really tap into some of those um unforeseen things that are there that aren't really there potentially guess. Um, but you know, the one thing that really stands out to me, Bob, um, from this conversation is that you know, success isn't you know about taking more, it's it's about becoming more. Okay. Being a go giver isn't a weakness, you know, it's it's no, no, absolutely not. Yeah, not even close. It's it's it's um leadership and it's you know staying staying a student, keeping grounded, um, hungry and intentional. And I truly believe that as a leader, our job is to bring the right energy into every room, you know, with our teams, with our customers, with our community, and and when we lead with, you know, lead with value, um, humility and service, and then everything else follows. Um, one last question for you here, Bob, before before we got to go here is um, you know, is there is there anything else that that you want to leave our guest with before we sign off here?

Bob Burg: 36:13

No, not really. You've uh you've done a fantastic job and asked some great questions and it's been a terrific conversation. I've enjoyed myself immensely.

Ty Cobb Backer: 36:22

Yeah, me too. Thank you. Thank you so much. You've been, like I said, you have no idea how many lives and people's um, you know, that that you've impacted, especially over here at TC Backer and behind the toolbout and all the other companies. Um, but um it has been you know incredible. And and what I love about what you teach is that it works. You know, it's it's not just theory, but in, you know, uh, but in real world on job sites, in sales appointments, um, it in leadership meetings, um, you've reminded us that success isn't about closing harder, you know, it's it's about serving better, it's about leading with value, you know, and building trust and and playing the long game. And so, you know, to anybody listening out there, if this conversation hit home, do yourself a favor and pick up the go-giver. Don't just read it, apply it because when you lead with value, the results will follow, like Bob said. Um, Bob, thank you for your wisdom and your humility and the impact that you've you've made on myself and and leaders around the world. We appreciate you so much.

Bob Burg: 37:29

My pleasure. Thank you for having me.

Ty Cobb Backer: 37:31

You're welcome. Thank you. And and uh anyone out there listening, keep building, keep leading, keep learning, and keep giving value. This is Behind the Tool Belt. See you guys next week.