PLAYBOOKFO R

Business Tactics forTeamwork and

SUCCESS

NANCY LIEBERMANFor ewor d by E ARV I N “MAG IC” JOH NSON

A Hall of Famer’s

Leadership

LIEBERMA

NPLAYBOOK FOR SUCCESSPLAYBOOK FOR SUCCESS

Nancy “Lady Magic” Lieberman has a passion

for winning. One of basketball’s all-time greats,

she took home Olympic silver at age eighteen,

was a two-time national champion in college, led

victorious teams in the WBL and WNBA, and was

elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame. After retiring

from the court, she became a winning coach in

the WNBA, an ESPN analyst, a sought-after public

speaker and consultant, a philanthropist, and, most

recently, the fi rst female head coach in the NBA’s

Development League for the Dallas Mavericks

affi liate the Texas Legends.

How did Lieberman blaze such a trail and break so

many barriers, both in sports and business? By de-

veloping and sticking to her own playbook for suc-

cess. Now, in Playbook for Success, she gives you

the tools to create a champion’s mind-set, achieve

peak performance, and win in the game of business.

Your own personal coaching session with this leg-

endary competitor, Playbook for Success speaks

in particular to women who are ready to play in

any business arena they choose and push them-

selves to exceed any limit before them. With this

practical guide, you’ll get a tough-minded mix of

no-nonsense inspiration, real-life examples, and

hard-and-fast sports principles you can use to hone

your winner’s edge each day.

Start your training today with Playbook for Success

and discover tested exercises and approaches to:

• Get over your fear of success

• Assert your right to compete and lead

• Move comfortably in formerly all-male business

domains

• Discover, use, and improve on your own

strengths and weaknesses

• Build and lead teams to achieve goals and not

give up

• Help others achieve more than they think possible

Nancy Lieberman understands the natural connec-

tion between excelling in both sports and business.

Find the proven sports skills to bring your profes-

sional A-game to your business, compete, and win

with Playbook for Success.

NANCY LIEBERMAN is a basketball hall of famer,

two-time Olympian, Head Coach of the Dallas Mav-

ericks NBA Development team the Texas Legends,

former WNBA player, head coach, and general

manager, broadcaster, analyst, writer, and moti-

vational speaker. Nancy provides commentary for

ABC, ESPN, and NBA-TV and has been a contrib-

uting writer for the New York Times and USA To-

day. She is also a motivational speaker, appearing

before Fortune 500 companies such as Merrill Lynch,

JPMorgan, MetLife, Home Depot, The Hartford,

FedEx, Amway, AT&T, Bank of America, Prudential,

Express, Nike, and many more.

Visit www.NancyLieberman.com

Author Photo: Steve Foxall Photography

“[Lieberman’s] advice on leadership and teamwork translates to any arena.” —Harvey Mackay, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller

Swim with the Sharks without Being Eaten Alive

“Nancy has written a terrifi c guide for success in any area. Her insights into sports are vividly translated into specifi c tips for business success, and her points are well illustrated.” —Donald J. Trump, Chairman and CEO, Trump Organizations

“A commonsense, straightforward, insightful look at making improvements and ex-celling at work, at home, and in life.” —Billie Jean King, tennis great

“Losers are easy to spot, and winners, like Nancy Lieberman, are real fi nds. Nancy has written a playbook on how to be a winner, not just in sports, but in the rough-and-tumble business world. There are some great lessons here.” —T. Boone Pickens

“As Nancy inspired me when I was playing girls high school basketball, so she in-spires me as a women in the sports industry today!” —Casey Coffman, Executive VP, Business Development and Operations,

Madison Square Garden (MSG) Sports

“Playbook for Success is a winner for you and your company.” —Mark Cuban, Dallas Mavericks owner

“Nancy’s combination of acute street smarts, phenomenal athletic ability, and straight-up business acumen makes for a great how-to guide for all businesswomen.” —Martina Navratilova, Tennis Hall of Famer

“In Playbook for Success, Nancy Lieberman clearly illustrates how the values of sports—including teamwork, dedication, and discipline—can be effectively applied off the court to achieve success in business. Her passion is palpable.” —David Stern, NBA Commissioner

“Nancy Lieberman’s Playbook for Success is a ‘Life Guide 101’ for every female, ten to one hundred. Every page reveals a valuable lesson that will enable success from the classroom to the boardroom.” —Muhammad Ali, three-time World Heavyweight Champion

$24.95 USA / $29.95 CAN

Make business success a slam dunk with basketball Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman

( c o n t i n u e d o n b a c k f l a p )

( c o n t i n u e d f r o m f r o n t f l a p )

Praise for PL AYBOOK FOR SUCCESSPL AYBOOK FOR SUCCESS

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Praise for Playbook for Success

‘‘Nancy has clearly experienced so much success in the world of basketball. She alsopossesses many great leadership qualities that have driven her to success off thecourt. She is a committed, confident, and resourceful person who has demon-strated the ability to lead people and accomplish great things. She is a true Hall ofFamer not only in basketball, but also in life.’’

—NORBY WILLIAMSON

EXECUTIVE SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF STUDIO AND

EVENT PRODUCTION ESPN

‘‘Nancy has done something essential with Playbook for Success. She has produced aroadmap for decision making. She demonstrates that leadership requires ability topersuade and to make those who follow stronger as they move forward. Her passionto perform in sports and business is captured on every page. She has hit the mostimportant shot of her illustrious career with this book!’’

—JERRY JONES

OWNER OF THE DALLAS COWBOYS

‘‘There is no doubt that Nancy Lieberman’s personal playbook for life has beenone geared to success. I have known her for most of our lives, and through all ofher endeavors, she has demonstrated that hard work and a strategic approach tosolving problems is what will get you far. We can all learn from her playbook.’’

—DONNA ORENDER

WNBA PRESIDENT

‘‘I’ve been exposed to countless ‘how to succeed’ books over the years, but NancyLieberman’s Playbook for Success is my favorite. It contains the perfect blend ofhumor, personal experiences, strategies, and stories that make this book a highlyentertaining read. It provides a legitimate pathway to a life of significance. It’s atruly amazing work!’’

—SAM CASTER

CEO MANNATECH

‘‘It has been our pleasure to knowNancy on a personal level, and gradually come tolearn how very many layers make up this phenomenal human being. While sharingher sense of humor, drive, success, and support of others Nancy has managed to

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write a concise, thoughtful, and applicable plan for success in business and personalgoals. Nancy has been able to bridge the gap between team sports and success inbusiness. Her book is not only a must read, but a must give.’’

—MELISSA AND RUSSELL B. WIGHT

DIRECTOR OF ALEXANDER, INC.

‘‘Nancy Lieberman is the best there ever was. An American legend, she broughthome the gold for the U.S.A. She inspires millions of girls and boys to reach for thestars, to do their best, and to never give up. Business is a lot like basketball, andNancy tells us—in words we can all understand—how to build great companyteams and win competitive games in the economic market place.’’

—SAM WYLY

BUSINESS ENTREPRENEUR/AUTHOR OF 1,000 DOLLARS & AN IDEA

‘‘At first glance one might think a Playbook for Success is a book written for women.However, a Playbook for Success is a ‘must read’ for every teenage boy and girl, youngman and women, and business executive who is passionate about being a betterperson, student, player, leader, and business executive.’’

—JERRY COLANGELO

FORMER MLB, NBA, WNBA, NHL OWNER

NATIONAL DIRECTOR OF USA BASKETBALL

‘‘Nancy’s Playbook for Success has rationalized clearly for me the relationship betweena sports career or effort and overall success as an individual or team member.Trying harder, as she constantly brings up, is also the key factor in any success story.As an athlete I have been limited by pursuing a business career at the same time, butI am enjoying both enormously.’’

—JORGE PAULO LEMANN

BUSINESS ENTREPRENEUR

‘‘In sports and in business, teamwork is essential. When you have the right peoplein the right places working together to do the right thing, miracles happen. Nancy’sbook teaches us a lot about the importance of teamwork and business.’’

—ROGER STAUBACHHALL OF FAME QUARTERBACK

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PLAYBOOKFOR

SUCCESS

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PLAYBOOKFOR

SUCCESSA Hall of Famer’sBusiness Tacticsfor Teamworkand Leadership

NANCY LIEBERMAN

John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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Copyright © 2010 by Nancy Lieberman. All rights reserved.

Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey.Published simultaneously in Canada.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmittedin any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, orotherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United StatesCopyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, orauthorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright ClearanceCenter, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750-8400, fax (978) 646-8600, or on the web at www.copyright.com. Requests to the Publisher for permissionshould be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 RiverStreet, Hoboken, NJ 07030, (201) 748-6011, fax (201) 748-6008, or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions.

Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and author have used theirbest efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respectto the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim anyimplied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty maybe created or extended by sales representatives or written sales materials. The advice andstrategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult witha professional where appropriate. Neither the publisher nor author shall be liable for anyloss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special,incidental, consequential, or other damages.

For general information on our other products and services or for technical support, pleasecontact our Customer Care Department within the United States at (800) 762-2974,outside the United States at (317) 572-3993 or fax (317) 572-4002.

Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that appearsin print may not be available in electronic books. For more information about Wileyproducts, visit our web site at www.wiley.com.

ISBN 978-0-470-63552-0 (cloth)ISBN 978-0-470-90504-3 (ebk)ISBN 978-0-470-90506-7 (ebk)ISBN 978-0-470-90507-4 (ebk)

Printed in the United States of America

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For every person that wants more from themselves and in life—trust your heartand love what you do. Just don't talk about it, be about it. Mom and TJ, youare the stars of my dream journey and with your love, I am who I said I would be.

Nancy

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Contents

FOREWORD EARVIN "MAGIC'' JOHNSON XIII

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS XV

Chapter 1 Why Sports and Business for Women? 1

Be Flexible: Don’t Play the Play, Play the Game 12

Succeed Together! 16

Accept All Challenges 17

Title IX Creates Equality 18

Chapter 2 The Playbook 23

Successful Strategies for Your Team 27

The Learning Plan 30

Establish Your Leadership Style 32

Don’t Be Late. Really. 35

Loyalty Matters 37

Chapter 3 Find Your Love and Passion 43

Toughen Up—Mentally 46

Michael Jackson’s Message: Man in the Mirror 48

Rucker Park: The Little White Girl Plays

with the Best 50

Muhammad Ali’s Gift of Hope 51

The Power of a Woman’s Natural Traits:

Empathy and Intuition 54

ix

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Mentoring and Creating Opportunities for Others 55

Negotiating 101: Why Should I Have You on

My Team? 56

Ladies, Dry Your Tears! 60

Chapter 4 Never Fear Success 63

Talk to Me 66

Utilize Criticism to Get Tougher and Better 68

Learn about Overcoming Fear from the

Great Lou Holtz 71

Chapter 5 Think Like a Champion 75

Be Determined 79

You Are Who You Think You Are 84

My First Meeting with the Champ 87

Selective Hearing Not Allowed 90

Be Someone’s Hero 91

Chapter 6 It's All about Teamwork 95

A Promise to the Team 102

Teamwork Defined 103

Building a Team 104

Chapter 7 Do Your Homework 111

Google It! 119

Scouting Report 121

See the Future 122

Larry Fitzgerald Provides a Lesson on Observing 123

Chapter 8 Stay in Shape 127

Make a Commitment and Get Started 131

Minimize Stress 133

A Few Words for Women Only 134

Chapter 9 Sports Talk 139

Use the Morning Headlines 141

x CONTENTS

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Use Tickets as a Tool 142

Strike Up the Conversation 143

Learn to Tell a Story 146

Chapter 10 Game Time! 151

Are You Prepared? 156

Do What It Takes 157

Believe in Yourself 159

Set Minigoals 161

‘‘B’’ Nice 163

Take a Sound Bite Lesson 164

Observe People 165

Game Time Rituals 166

Risk/Reward 167

It’s Okay to Be Great 168

Decision Makers 169

Is It in You? 171

SPORTS TALK—GLOSSARY 173

INDEX 177

CONTENTS xi

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Foreword

My friendship with Nancy goes back almost 30 years. Our

basketball careers have been intertwined as we watched and

cheered for each other’s success. As point guards, our competitive-

ness, leadership, and overall commitment to make the people

around us better helped lead us to our true calling as entrepreneurs.

With this book, Lady Magic delivers again! It fills your appetite

with wisdom, insight, and motivation. She’s a Hall of Famer and a

winner. You can use her Playbook for Success as your daily routine forbusiness and life’s success. She has taught countless men and women

to have the mind-set of a champion and to never fear success.

I had Larry Bird to help push me to greatness by winning five

NBA Titles with the Los Angeles Lakers, but Nancy overcame the

obstacles of not having a rival or WNBA in her prime but still had

the passion and purpose to come back and be the oldest player in the

inaugural season of the WNBA.

I didn’t know it at the time, but Nancy tells the story of us sitting

at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. I asked her while we were watching

a game, ‘‘So are you going to play in theWNBA next year?’’ She said,

‘‘I hope so.’’ I said, ‘‘Nancy then you better get home and start

training.’’ She did, and thus made history at the age of 39 with the

Phoenix Mercury. Today my friend is still making history. She is a

xiii