Play Like a Man, Win Like a Woman: What Men Know About Success that Women Need to Learn

by Gail Evans

Book Overview

An executive vice president of CNN shares her insights into the good ol' boys network, arming women with the tools they need to succeed in a man's world. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 076790463X
• ISBN13: 9780767904636
• Release Date: September 2001
• Publisher: Crown Publishing Group
• Length: 208 Pages
• Weight: 2.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.2" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Highly Recommended for Men, Too!

Play Like a Man, Win Like a Woman is described as being helpful for women. I am sure that is the case. Not being a woman, I have to share its benefits from my perspective.I have enjoyed being a mentor for many working women, and this book does a nice job of addressing the kinds of issues that these women have brought up with me as well as the ones that I have brought up with them. In the past, I have provided copies of How to Be a Star at Work as a way to assist these women. In the future, I will provide this book, as well.Play Like a Man, Win Like a Woman does an excellent job of explaining how the emphasis on relationships and results need to be balanced at work. That is a juggling act that seems to confuse many women, and I found this book to be accurate and constructive in this area.Interestingly, I find that a lot of men miss these points, too. In these cases, the results are usually overemphasized at the expense of the relationships. I will also recommend this book to male colleagues and subordinates, both to make them more effective and to improve their understanding of how to communicate with female colleagues. Basically, the book is all about miscommunication and misconception stalls that occur at work, especially the ones that tend to occur among men and women. The book is very effective in exploring those stalls and inproviding sound advice for overcoming the same stalls. The only weakness I found in the book is that some subtle points about business interactions were missed. A lot of male aggressiveness and bluffing was described as just being acceptable, while the same thing by women is unacceptable. What Ms. Evans missed is that there is usually a kind of kidding humor involved to let everyone know that the aggressor is simply indicating a strong desire to play, backed up by self-confidence. That posture takes the sting out of the aggressiveness. When some women are aggressive, they may forget to use the kidding humor and relaxed tone that makes the aggressiveness tolerable to all. Perhaps the greatest strength of the book is that it permits the reader to choose her/his own goals (and those may not be material success or power) while adapting the advice to one's own personality and preferences. Basically, any advice we get that suggest we act like the individuals we are is good advice. After you read and apply this book, I suggest that you think about applying it to nonwork situations, as well. Your focus on relationships versus results may be out of balance in those circumstances, too.Find the perfect balance!

Shattering the 2 Last Glass Ceilings

I'm thrilled that women like Gail Evans and Nancy Lloyd (author of "SIMPLE MONEY SOLUTIONS: 10 WAYS YOU CAN STOP FEELING OVERWHELMED BY MONEY AND START MAKING IT WORK FOR YOU) are finally in a position to let other women in on the "secrets" of career and financial success. So many of us have to reinvent the wheel at work and with our finances. Until we learn to play like men at work and with our finances we will never reach our true potential. I just wish these two books were around when I was starting out--I could have avoided a lot of costly career and financial missteps. There is sage wisdom in both books!

2 Savvy Ways Women Can Get Ahead

As women we need to educate ourselves about the business and financial worlds. For finances I strongly recommend "SIMPLE MONEY SOLUTIONS: 10 WAYS YOU CAN STOP FEELING OVERWHELEMED BY MONEY AND START MAKING IT WORK FOR YOU," by Nancy Lloyd. Nancy is the personal finance commentator for NPR's Morning Edition, a former Federal Reserve Board Economist and a former IBM executive and tells you the insider secrets that most financial planners will not reveal. It's a quick read but brimming with important and easy-to-follow financial moves. "PLAY LIKE A MAN, WIN LIKE A WOMAN" shows you the insider secrets about how men play in the corporate world. Both books will prepare you and your daughters (or even sons) to make their way in the real world without shooting themselves in the foot.

A Helpful Book for Men to Read!

This book is pitched as one that is helpful for women. I am sure that is the case. Not being a woman, I have to share its benefits from my perspective.I have been a mentor for many working women, and this book does a nice job of addressing the kinds of issues that the women have brought up with me as well as the ones that I have brought up with them. In the past, I have provided copies of How to Be a Star at Work as a way to assist these women. In the future, I will provide this book, as well.Play Like a Man, Win Like a Woman does an excellent job of explaining how relationships and results need to be balanced at work. That is a juggling act that seems to confuse many women, and I found this book to be accurate and constructive in this area.Interestingly, I find that a lot of men miss these points, too. I would also recommend this book to male colleagues and subordinates, both to make them more effective and to improve their understanding of how to communicate with female colleagues. Basically, the book is all about miscommunication and misconception stalls that occur at work, especially the ones that tend to occur among men and women. The book is very effective in exploring those stalls and inproviding sound advice for overcoming the same stalls. The only weakness I found in the book is that some subtle points about business interactions were missed. A lot of male aggressiveness and bluffing was described as just being acceptable, while the same thing by women is unacceptable. What Ms. Evans missed is that there is usually a kind of kidding humor involved to let everyone know that the aggressor is simply indicating a strong desire to play, backed up by self-confidence. That takes the sting out of the aggressiveness. When some women are aggressive, they often forget to use the kidding humor that makes the aggressiveness tolerable to all. Perhaps the greatest strength of the book is that it permits the reader to choose her/his own goals (and those may not be material success or power) while adapting the advice to one's own personality and preferences. Basically, any advice we get that suggest we act like the individuals we are is good advice. Well done, Ms. Evans!

EVERY DAUGHTER SHOULD GIVE THIS BOOK TO HER MOTHER

If you are a woman and have ever needed a reason to stop taking everything everybody says or does personally, this book says it. This is the guidebook to business that baby-boomer-females-in-the-businessplace never had. Gail Evans has lived what she preaches and speaks in a language women can understand. I was shaking my head "yes" throughout the book, as I recognized my own situation and frustrations in workplace. I knew it had something to do with my gender, but other than pointing the finger of blame at all men, I could not pinpoint what was happening in this male-created domain. I guess I thought I was the only person (read woman) who couldn't figure out the rules for success in the workplace. I also needed to hear the words from a very successful woman who learned by doing. I learned that I can still be a woman, but succeed in the male-created, male-dominated business world, and not feel like an imposter...which is exactly what one of her chapters deals with. You don't have to be a sell-out, but quit taking everything so damn personal....this is business. This is not a book written by a man who thinks he knows what women are thinking. And, it is not a book written by a woman who is so well-connected, or glamorous and beautiful, that you would wonder how she could not be a success in the businessplace. This is a book written by "one of us", and concentrates on exactly why many women struggle so hard to succeed in her job, no matter what that job is. If you are a manager, or a clerk, or anything in between, this book will help you as a female. I am giving a copy of this book to every working woman that I know...with a few exceptions; those who have already figured out the rules. Now I know why they are so successful, and it has nothing to do with their luck and my unluckiness. I feel so much better and unburdened after reading this book. I am going to keep it at my bedside and use it as my affirmation support..."I will not personalize workplace issues...I will not.....".