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Play Nice but Win
- A CEO's Journey from Founder to Leader
- Narrated by: Michael Dell
- Length: 10 hrs and 35 mins
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Publisher's Summary
Wall Street Journal best seller
From Michael Dell, renowned founder and chief executive of one of America’s largest technology companies, the inside story of the battles that defined him as a leader
In 1984, soon-to-be college dropout Michael Dell hid signs of his fledgling PC business in the bathroom of his University of Texas dorm room. Almost 30 years later, at the pinnacle of his success as founder and leader of Dell Technologies, he found himself embroiled in a battle for his company’s survival. What he’d do next could ensure its legacy — or destroy it completely.
Play Nice But Win is a riveting account of the three battles waged for Dell Technologies: one to launch it, one to keep it, and one to transform it. For the first time, Dell reveals the highs and lows of the company's evolution amidst a rapidly changing industry — and his own, as he matured into the CEO it needed. With humor and humility, he recalls the mentors who showed him how to turn his passion into a business; the competitors who became friends, foes, or both; and the sharks that circled, looking for weakness. What emerges is the long-term vision underpinning his success: that technology is ultimately about people and their potential.
More than an honest portrait of a leader at a crossroads, Play Nice But Win is a survival story proving that while anyone with technological insight and entrepreneurial zeal might build something great — it takes a leader to build something that lasts.
Critic Reviews
“The book is acidly funny, nail-biting and fast-paced. It is also blessed with a villain from central casting: Carl Icahn, activist investor and publicity hound, whose sparring with Mr. Dell gives the story its bite.” (The Economist)
“In this super-candid book filled with revealing stories, Michael Dell shows how his development as a person was tightly intertwined with building the company he founded in his college dorm room. It’s a fast-paced tale of launching a public company, taking it private, and then taking it public again, all while wrestling with colorful characters such as Carl Icahn. Dell provides a wealth of business insights but also something more important: how curiosity and good values are essential to success both in life and in business. It’s a lesson he learned from his strong parents and shares with his wife in the work of their foundation to give kids better opportunities. The result is a book that is exciting, insightful, and valuable.” (Walter Isaacson, best-selling author of The Code Breaker)
“Michael Dell takes you into the real world of building and transforming an empire, vividly describing conversations and deals with key players so you see the whole picture. It’s a great gift for those on a similar journey.” (Ray Dalio, founder of Bridgewater Associates and author of Principles: Life and Work)
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What listeners say about Play Nice but Win
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- James S.
- 11-09-21
Not perfect, but worth a listen
I disagree with the negative reviews that say Dell is self-aggrandizing in this book. He's just telling the story from his perspective, and he ends up throwing some apparently well-deserved public shade on the Icahn couple.
It was great to hear of Dell's beginnings, and of his outsized successes starting at such an early age.
I did not enjoy the prospectus-toned sections of the book that seem to have been written by Dell, Inc. attorneys.
Dell does a great job at narrating his own book, despite an apparent speech impediment (he can't say some words properly, e.g. Massachusetts, to save his life! [and I had to look up how to spell Massachusetts just now!]). I mention the speech impediment because maybe it was one of the main reasons he worked so hard to get to where he is - but he says nothing of it.
Overall an entertaining, informative, and worthwhile listen-read.
3 people found this helpful
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- Stanislav
- 10-09-21
A window into the mind of a CEO
how often do you see a CEO of one of the biggest companies there are, tell their story, explain their personal values and take the time to record the 10 hour long voice over?
3 people found this helpful
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- RCLEM011@FIU.EDU
- 11-27-21
A must have
I have a greater respect to Michael Dell after listening to this book! He is really such an amazing leader and pioneer!
2 people found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 11-28-21
Too “Woke” at the end.
Overall, great story. I always appreciate when the author narrates. Near the end, it became too “woke”.
1 person found this helpful
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- Clive
- 11-16-21
Well Read, Inspirational - Compelling - Unfiltered
Extremely well-read, with passion and a tone that makes it an easy listen. Confession, I'm an audiobook snob who consumes 150+ hours a year and this was excellent!
Inspirational - Bragers never do! You will learn that Michale Dell does not self-promote he's getting it done and is way more than a right-time right place success story, For example understanding and making a profit at 17 because he understood and took advantage of supply and demand explains why he has built one of the leading logistics operations.
Compelling, even if you know the story the details are amazing. Unfiltered, he is not afraid to put his feeling and thoughts into this book.
1 person found this helpful
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- Christopher L.
- 10-18-21
Cringeworthy self-glorification
It was a little painful hearing the constant, smug self-glorifying accounts of Dell's triumphs in the face of countless "doubters," and how he "stuck it" to everyone and "showed everyone" his brilliance. Yet when he started to tell the story of Carl Icahn, it became gut-wrenchingly cringe-worthy. His openly personal insults: his wife's cooking, Icahn as a terrible husband and father, how he immeditely outwitted him with his brash forwardness, revealing how he had no plan apart from greed as a corporate raider... and so on... it wasn't professional, it wasn't dignified, and it showed Michael Dell's true character. I found it tough to listen to before this point, but after, I started to loath the book and every double-edged vindictive statement made. This should never have been published.
1 person found this helpful
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- Joseph R.
- 10-06-21
Such a great book!
This was a fun journey through a business that has been a standard for so long. Hearing the stories of the early beginnings as well as the battles in between was fun. I binged on this. I’m sure there are so many more but this book will leave it fulfilled. This is a must read/listen!
1 person found this helpful
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- CB
- 07-06-22
Inspirational
This is an excellent book giving us a peak into the life of one of the most Towering Leaders of our time. Micheal Dell provides such an inspiring story of his life that keeps you hooked from the first page. It also provide invaluable lessons for anyone wanting to develop themselves. A very positive an uplifting book. Looking forward to more from him.
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- VTD
- 05-24-22
great story but hard to listen
the author keeps dropping names which divert from the point of the story. actions are too detailed which makes it hard to follow.
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- Kris Reid
- 04-24-22
fabulous story!
I heard Mr Dell on the daily stoic podcast. he spoke so humble and so highly of his wife, I thought that's a man worth learning from :)