Playing to Win

Playing to Win is a handbook for women who want to be successful. Karren Brady did it. At 23 she took over as Managing Director of Birmingham City Football Club, becoming the youngest ever female Managing Director of a UK PLC when it floated in 1997. Although the club was the "football equivalent of a rubbish dump" and women were barely even seen on the terraces in the early 90s, Karren Brady persuaded her backers to acquire the club and single-mindedly revolutionised it, clearing the debt, taking Birmingham City into the Premier League and transforming it into a viable business.

How did she do it? How did a 23-year-old woman with little previous experience at this level of management walk into a man?s world and achieve such success? In Playing to Win, she reveals her secrets and shares with other women the techniques they can adopt to succeed in their own lives, on their own terms. Her ten motivational rules are self-help classics: ambition, determination, courage, charm, hard work, attitude, humour, confidence, focus and communication. Playing to Win shows women how to grow in each of these areas and achieve the success they dream of. And like all great self-help, her principles apply across all areas of experience - work and personal life. Playing to Win is a handbook for success in any situation.

Moving from Karren?s story, how she has transformed a business and maintained a full and stable personal life, to a chapter-by-chapter study of the ten principles successful women need to adopt, Playing to Win is essential reading for women who want to have it all.

Introduction 1

1 Starting Out 5

2 The Ten Principles Of Success 21

3 Making Your Mark 37

4 Selling Your Dreams 57

5 Under The (Media) Spotlight 71

6 Winning Against The Odds 89

7 The Tricks Of The Trade 103

8 Creating The Right Culture 121

9 Family Ties 135

10 The Winning Habit 147

Epilogue: Some Final Words Of Advice 163

Index 165

“… a first-rate handbook for women keen to succeed in business.” (Daily Express, 23.March 2004)

"… a first-rate handbook for women keen to succeed in the business world." (Daily Star, 23 April 2004)

"… tips and secrets on how to change yourself to improve your chances." (Daily Post, 28 April 2004)

Karren Brady is known as the first lady of football. She has packed a lifetime into her short career, starting off in radio at the tender age of 18 and after a brief spell at Saatchi & Saatchi, joined David Sullivan's Sports Newspapers in 1988 where she became a director at the age of 22. The following year, she persuaded David Sullivan to acquire Birmingham City Football Club from the administrators, and took over the running of the business. When the company floated on the AIM in 1997, she became the youngest ever female Managing Director of a UK plc.
Karren has been the subject of an hour-long BBC1 documentary, 'Inside Story - The Real Life Manageress'. She has hosted her own TV show, and presented both Loose Women and Live Talk on ITV, as well as Central Weekend Live. She is regularly featured in the news, on TV and radio.
Karren is dedicated to using her success to help other women succeed in business. She wants to give women the confidence to do something about their dreams. She is married with two children. Playing to Win is essential reading for women who want to have it all. Karren Brady has done just that. At 23 she took over as Managing Director of Birmingham City Football Club and single-mindedly revolutionised it. She cleared the debt, and made history by taking it into the Premier League, whilst transforming it into a viable business along the way.

So how did a 23-year old woman with little or no management experience walk into a man's world and achieve such incredible success? In Playing to Win, Karren Brady reveals her secrets and shares with you the techniques you can adopt to succeed in your own life, on your own terms. Karren reveals the the ten characteristics shared by all successful women: determination; ambition; confidence; courage; humour and charm; leadership; communication; staying on track; drive; and hard work. Playing to Win shows you how to make radical changes in each of these areas. It is a personal story as well as a practical game plan and inspirational guide packed with insights from high achieving women, from Martha Lane Fox to Sly Bailey and Jacqueline Gold to Anne Wood.

Playing to Win is essential reading for women who want to have it all.

Imagine your future. Imagine doing exactly what you want to do. Dream job, dream lifestyle. What would it look like? Are you at the top of the work ladder? Running a business your way? Raising a family? Or is it a combination? Where do you want to be?

Everyone has dreams. And they usually stay that way. We lack the belief to make them reality, or fear the risks. This can be especially true of ambitious and aspiring women. But now more than ever, anything is possible. The world has moved on. Women everywhere are achieving extraordinary things.

So what's holding you back?

Playing to Win is a handbook for success in any situation. It gives you a unique insight into the world of high achievement and lifestyle fulfilment. It shows you exactly what you need to do to get to where you want to be.

The only limitations are the ones you impose on yourself.

"Karren Brady has written a book packed with inspiration for women which draws on the experiences of real life role models and mentors. Playing to Win is unique and enjoyable." Mo Mowlam