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Play Nice But Win: A CEO's Journey from Founder to Leader
WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLER
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.
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.
336 pages, Hardcover
Published October 5, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 167 reviews
October 19, 2021
This is a very detailed description of Dell's journey to going private in 2013 and public in 2019, alongside the founder's own story, and the story of how Dell was born.
Unlike other business memoires of the same ilk, such as the biographical accounts of Steve Jobs or the autobiography of Phil Knight, there's a lack of introspection in Michael Dell's accounts of his life. He relishes in the opportunity to retell stories of how he humiliated his teachers with his intelligence and money-making, and jumps from achievement to achievement, without pausing to think why he was driven to making money at such a young age, despite being from an affluent family, and whether it had harmful effects on his life and those around him. The constant assertions of his brilliance in entrepreneurship and computer science don't make you feel that he's brilliant, but only that he really wants you to believe he is. After a while, you find yourself doing the introspection for him: "why does he need my validation so much," you may find yourself asking.
While the tone of the book attempts to project an air of nonchalance, annoyed by everyone's constant and manipulative attempts to get near him, you end up finishing the book feeling as though Michael Dell is someone that struggles to see the hurt he brings to others. I also began to doubt the integrity of the stories told, as such self-glorifying accounts rarely tell the story as it really happened. Phil Knight's Shoe Dog is on another planet compared to this account, where you witness him grow and change as a person and a businessman. Michael Dell projects himself as a natural prodigy, emerging as a highly successful businessman immediately from pre-teens. There's no growth, no development as a person, and no introspection on what that means. The obstacles are against him, not within him, and the problem is everyone else's.
Unlike other business memoires of the same ilk, such as the biographical accounts of Steve Jobs or the autobiography of Phil Knight, there's a lack of introspection in Michael Dell's accounts of his life. He relishes in the opportunity to retell stories of how he humiliated his teachers with his intelligence and money-making, and jumps from achievement to achievement, without pausing to think why he was driven to making money at such a young age, despite being from an affluent family, and whether it had harmful effects on his life and those around him. The constant assertions of his brilliance in entrepreneurship and computer science don't make you feel that he's brilliant, but only that he really wants you to believe he is. After a while, you find yourself doing the introspection for him: "why does he need my validation so much," you may find yourself asking.
While the tone of the book attempts to project an air of nonchalance, annoyed by everyone's constant and manipulative attempts to get near him, you end up finishing the book feeling as though Michael Dell is someone that struggles to see the hurt he brings to others. I also began to doubt the integrity of the stories told, as such self-glorifying accounts rarely tell the story as it really happened. Phil Knight's Shoe Dog is on another planet compared to this account, where you witness him grow and change as a person and a businessman. Michael Dell projects himself as a natural prodigy, emerging as a highly successful businessman immediately from pre-teens. There's no growth, no development as a person, and no introspection on what that means. The obstacles are against him, not within him, and the problem is everyone else's.
December 1, 2021
Someone has recommended me M.Dell's story as a "fascinating story about leadership".
Well, the only two words from that description I agree with are "story about".
It's a self-sugaring paean, where M.Dell - definitely an ultra-successful businessman - tries to add some mythology to the history of himself and his company. Probably to put him in the same row with people who have sparked imaginations a bit more ... Well, it didn't work out.
As the story is rather boring and far from inspiring, he's jumping between the early days and two "dramatic" moments - going back private and acquisition of EMC. The problem is: those moments may be interesting only for people passionate about M&A ... All three of them. There's no big lesson there, no conclusions to draw from.
I mean - one doesn't have to be Musk, Jobs, or Bezos to become material for a good book. But such a book at least has to be realistic - filled not only with glory and triumph, but also mistakes, misshots, and lessons learned. This book is not a good learning experience.
Well, the only two words from that description I agree with are "story about".
It's a self-sugaring paean, where M.Dell - definitely an ultra-successful businessman - tries to add some mythology to the history of himself and his company. Probably to put him in the same row with people who have sparked imaginations a bit more ... Well, it didn't work out.
As the story is rather boring and far from inspiring, he's jumping between the early days and two "dramatic" moments - going back private and acquisition of EMC. The problem is: those moments may be interesting only for people passionate about M&A ... All three of them. There's no big lesson there, no conclusions to draw from.
I mean - one doesn't have to be Musk, Jobs, or Bezos to become material for a good book. But such a book at least has to be realistic - filled not only with glory and triumph, but also mistakes, misshots, and lessons learned. This book is not a good learning experience.
December 29, 2021
At the beginning of my career, I was charged with helping to decide which PCs my company would buy. I worked for a top oil company, so we bought a lot of PCs, and we chose PCs Limited. This was the early name of Dell Computers. Dell was a couple years younger than I was, so I always wanted to know how he started and grew his company. This book tells that story. He starts his story earlier, regaling the reader with his money making prowess in high school before selling computers. His early business stories are often about risks his company faced, like growing need for warehouse and factory space, personnel issues, money issues, and the like. Quite interesting to this buyer, and had I known some of these things were happening with the company, I wouldn’t have been so positive on the company early on.
I was intrigued by Dell stock early on. I remember having bought some shares in the early 90s, then asking a wiser co-worker what to do when they went up 30% in a couple of weeks. His suggestion – don’t be a pig, sell. I did. About 5 years later, at that co-worker’s retirement party, I told the story that I followed his advice and earned enough to buy a small desktop PC. But had I kept the shares for 5 years, I could have bought my house. Dell touches on the stock’s rise by mentioning his employees creating and wearing t-shirts that said “Dellionaires”. I toured Dell’s laptop factory and saw line workers wearing said shirts in the mid 90s.
I especially enjoyed learning the behind-the-scenes anecdotes about Dell’s various governance and financial engineering passes, taking the company private and buying EMC. I owned the tracking stock and read the various financial statements, and wondered at the time how Dell could engineer more money for his shareholders with each change. And it seems he did. This fills in some of the details missing from those financial statements. It’s not a riveting story, but I found it of interest.
I have read other reviewers who point out that there isn’t much reflection or growth described here. That is true. This is more like listening to Dell tell stories, mostly bragging. If you are in the mood for this, it’s pretty interesting.
I was intrigued by Dell stock early on. I remember having bought some shares in the early 90s, then asking a wiser co-worker what to do when they went up 30% in a couple of weeks. His suggestion – don’t be a pig, sell. I did. About 5 years later, at that co-worker’s retirement party, I told the story that I followed his advice and earned enough to buy a small desktop PC. But had I kept the shares for 5 years, I could have bought my house. Dell touches on the stock’s rise by mentioning his employees creating and wearing t-shirts that said “Dellionaires”. I toured Dell’s laptop factory and saw line workers wearing said shirts in the mid 90s.
I especially enjoyed learning the behind-the-scenes anecdotes about Dell’s various governance and financial engineering passes, taking the company private and buying EMC. I owned the tracking stock and read the various financial statements, and wondered at the time how Dell could engineer more money for his shareholders with each change. And it seems he did. This fills in some of the details missing from those financial statements. It’s not a riveting story, but I found it of interest.
I have read other reviewers who point out that there isn’t much reflection or growth described here. That is true. This is more like listening to Dell tell stories, mostly bragging. If you are in the mood for this, it’s pretty interesting.
November 29, 2021
Was disappointed that there weren’t more insider stories or lessons in this book about taking Dell private and the merger with EMC. I felt like I didn’t really learn anything new and it was just an opportunity for Michael Dell to tell about his successes over Carl Icahn and Meg Whitman
October 25, 2021
Second book by Michael Dell - very different in tone from the last one, which felt more like a biz textbook. This one feels a lot more like a memoir.
For tech geeks, there’s lots of thrills in seeing behind the scenes on Dell’s reactions to PC era tech twists. The notebook debacle and Dell’s journey in PC manufacturing were cool tech lessons. It’s insane how much evidence there already was in Dell’s abilities to transform from PC to server to services, but public markets didn’t seem to buy the story. Good examples of how companies think about transformational tech curves and how fast they react to them.
For non-tech biz types, the Dell going private story is brilliant and mind-boggling. Lead villain in that story is played by Carl Icahn, the corporate raider who seems to be the twin of Trump, media darling spreading misinformation. But also, the behind-the-scenes story of the Dell+EMC merger is fascinating. I had to refer investopedia a few times to understand the nuances of debt types and tracking stocks. The scale is massive, this merger still being the largest pure tech acquisition in software history.
Michael Dell has a reputation of being humble, fair and a very grounded leader. But the book comes off a bit harsh in many places where he passes down judgments and seems to lack in self reflection. The editing likely could have toned down some of the sharp edges.
All that said, gotta say founder led companies just have a higher bar of vision and boldness. Michael Dell is indefatigable, has remarkable risk-taking ability and a fighting spirit!
For tech geeks, there’s lots of thrills in seeing behind the scenes on Dell’s reactions to PC era tech twists. The notebook debacle and Dell’s journey in PC manufacturing were cool tech lessons. It’s insane how much evidence there already was in Dell’s abilities to transform from PC to server to services, but public markets didn’t seem to buy the story. Good examples of how companies think about transformational tech curves and how fast they react to them.
For non-tech biz types, the Dell going private story is brilliant and mind-boggling. Lead villain in that story is played by Carl Icahn, the corporate raider who seems to be the twin of Trump, media darling spreading misinformation. But also, the behind-the-scenes story of the Dell+EMC merger is fascinating. I had to refer investopedia a few times to understand the nuances of debt types and tracking stocks. The scale is massive, this merger still being the largest pure tech acquisition in software history.
Michael Dell has a reputation of being humble, fair and a very grounded leader. But the book comes off a bit harsh in many places where he passes down judgments and seems to lack in self reflection. The editing likely could have toned down some of the sharp edges.
All that said, gotta say founder led companies just have a higher bar of vision and boldness. Michael Dell is indefatigable, has remarkable risk-taking ability and a fighting spirit!
May 28, 2022
Phenomenal story told by a better storyteller. Highly recommend!
October 14, 2021
It's a fascinating story of his evolution from a teen wunderkind defying his parents to put together his fledgeling startup, to a mature leader making huge bets on the future of the technology industry and market as a whole. Use of analepsis, in my view, made it a more compelling read. As the various crisis points in the story are brought forth, it's clear that his history and principles guide Dell Technologies in the new challenges it faced. Whether it was the above board handling of the go private transaction, which was uncomfortable for Michael, but ultimately saved the deal when it faced litigation, or keeping his word to honor the legacy of the EMC founders, principles mattered and principles paid a dividend. A few themes emerge, but one of the biggest is that skulduggery is short term profitable and long term fruitless. Doing business with integrity, ensuring everyone wins, is its own reward. Michael is an autodidact whose curiosity ends up being the engine of transformation for the company. From not having a good sense of his cash position in the early days, to use of more sophisticated tools (such as a tracking stock), the evolution is interesting to read. The book is full of interesting nuggets on grit, talent acquisition, retention, sales (interesting that Michael still meets with customers), innovation and a good primer on corporate finance. It's a recommended read for anyone in business / technology.
November 13, 2022
Reading through this I can't help wondering what he's leaving out.
While I'll buy that he made 18,000 during a summer working for a local paper (I don't doubt he's a genius at business), the whole spiel about how, due to the freedom of information act, he knew he could get this-or-that information, seems odd. People don't tend to just know about the FOI act, especially a high-schooler back in the 80s with no relatives in the legal profession. But maybe I'm just picking nits.
Another odd point is when his parents are dead against his taking a leave from school to pursue his business, which is apparently already making 30K a *month* (in the 80s!). I don't know many parents who had been so supportive while he was a child who wouldn't at least entertain the fact that this might be a good path to follow.
Anyway, otherwise it's interesting to read a general history of Dell. He keeps alternating history with his efforts in taking the company private, which was also quite interesting, mainly because of Carl Icahn's efforts to derail everything.
While I'll buy that he made 18,000 during a summer working for a local paper (I don't doubt he's a genius at business), the whole spiel about how, due to the freedom of information act, he knew he could get this-or-that information, seems odd. People don't tend to just know about the FOI act, especially a high-schooler back in the 80s with no relatives in the legal profession. But maybe I'm just picking nits.
Another odd point is when his parents are dead against his taking a leave from school to pursue his business, which is apparently already making 30K a *month* (in the 80s!). I don't know many parents who had been so supportive while he was a child who wouldn't at least entertain the fact that this might be a good path to follow.
Anyway, otherwise it's interesting to read a general history of Dell. He keeps alternating history with his efforts in taking the company private, which was also quite interesting, mainly because of Carl Icahn's efforts to derail everything.
October 9, 2021
There are two things I liked about this book: 1/ the behind-the-scenes story of how Michael Dell took his company private and then public again. Through this story, readers may learn a bit about M&A and corporate governance. 2/ His candid opinion of Carl Icahn. There must have been some bad blood for the author to end a chapter in which he emerged victorious from a battle against Carl Icahn with a parting thought on how the great Carl Icahn underperformed the S&P500.
The rest of the book, in my opinion, is more about how awesome he is, and less about how he made mistakes or grew as a person or a businessman.
The rest of the book, in my opinion, is more about how awesome he is, and less about how he made mistakes or grew as a person or a businessman.
October 11, 2021
Too many chapters about how much he hates Carl Icahn. It felt very weird to weave these chapters in between the chronological journey. I enjoyed much of this book though!
January 30, 2023
Dell, the founder and CEO of Dell Technologies, takes readers on a journey through his own experiences as a leader, detailing the challenges and triumphs he faced as he built his company into one of the most successful in the world.
Dell's writing style is engaging and easy to follow, making the book accessible to both business and tech enthusiasts. He shares valuable lessons he learned along the way, including the importance of having a clear vision, the power of persistence, and the need to adapt and evolve as the market changes.
One of the most interesting aspects of the book is Dell's honest and candid account of the ups and downs of building a company. He shares the struggles he faced and the mistakes he made, and how he overcame them. This makes the book relatable and inspiring for anyone looking to start or grow their own business.
Dell also provides valuable insights into the importance of building a strong team and fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration. He emphasizes the importance of "playing nice" with others and building strong relationships, even in the face of fierce competition. He also provides practical advice for leaders looking to build and scale a successful business.
The book is not only a great read for entrepreneurs and business leaders but also for anyone who is interested in learning about the technology industry and its evolution over the past few decades. Dell's story is inspiring, and his insights and advice will be invaluable for anyone who wants to start and grow a successful business. Overall, "Play Nice But Win" is a valuable and well-written book that provides a unique perspective on the leadership and business strategies that have helped Dell Technologies become one of the most successful companies in the world.
Dell's writing style is engaging and easy to follow, making the book accessible to both business and tech enthusiasts. He shares valuable lessons he learned along the way, including the importance of having a clear vision, the power of persistence, and the need to adapt and evolve as the market changes.
One of the most interesting aspects of the book is Dell's honest and candid account of the ups and downs of building a company. He shares the struggles he faced and the mistakes he made, and how he overcame them. This makes the book relatable and inspiring for anyone looking to start or grow their own business.
Dell also provides valuable insights into the importance of building a strong team and fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration. He emphasizes the importance of "playing nice" with others and building strong relationships, even in the face of fierce competition. He also provides practical advice for leaders looking to build and scale a successful business.
The book is not only a great read for entrepreneurs and business leaders but also for anyone who is interested in learning about the technology industry and its evolution over the past few decades. Dell's story is inspiring, and his insights and advice will be invaluable for anyone who wants to start and grow a successful business. Overall, "Play Nice But Win" is a valuable and well-written book that provides a unique perspective on the leadership and business strategies that have helped Dell Technologies become one of the most successful companies in the world.
April 16, 2022
Play Nice But Win - Book Review
One of the best business books I've read (Just completed yesterday). A must buy, must-read. WHY?
It's GENUINE! No bragging inside (except the last 20 pages), no "Gyaan-Patti" (Mumbaiyaa language for giving unnecessary wisdom), no 'evangelising' or "visioning etc.
It's about more PAIN than Gain. The life of Michael Dell is full of struggles and wins, but this book really focuses on the effort, hard work and sheet pain on the road to super glory.
A REALITY check for those dreaming of 'BIG" outcomes. Maybe after reading this book, you will wonder if it is worth it!
A deep insight into WHY Companies should NOT go public or IPO. (Dell starts private, then goes public, then goes private and then again goes public as lucidly narrated in this book)
The not so nice run-ins with Carl Icahn (My Idol)
Super nuggets, information, trivia, knowledge inside:
The challenging part of trying to EXPLAIN a changing business model to the world :
“We’re really not a PC company anymore,” I told Fortune editor in chief Andy Serwer in July 2012, at Fortune’s Brainstorm Tech conference in Aspen. But Andy was a tough sell. “Is it really the case that you’re not a PC company now or that you don’t want to be a PC company in the future?” he asked me.
How it all began and the genius of 'customising' PCs that made Dell - Dell!
One doctor called and said he wanted to buy an IBM PC for me to customize; what model should he get? I told him not to bother—I’d buy the computer, put in everything he needed, and sell it to him at a reasonable markup. That sounded fine to him. So I bought a new PC, ordered the parts I needed from the back pages of Byte, installed them, and delivered the doctor a Michael Dell Special. He was very pleased, and so was I. Then it happened again. And again. Suddenly I was in business.
"In plain English: all possibilities were on the table. Including staying public—and including the possibility of replacing me."
Taking hard criticism "CNN: "Critics say Michael Dell isn't much of an innovator, so he'll never turn Dell into the next Apple or Samsung."
I'd been happily working sixteen-hour days, eating at the office, sleeping at the office. My work was my life; my company was my second family.
Anyone who says you can start a company and have work-life balance is lying. Was there something off about this? I had an enormous desire to succeed, but I was human, and I knew something was missing from my life. Still, there didn’t seem to be much I could do about it.
"Persistence is an all-important quality on the road to success. (And success presents its own challenges, avoiding complacency being the first and biggest. Which is why, along with kaizen, PBNS—pleased but never satisfied—has been part of our culture since the beginning.)."
Once when someone asked Steve Jobs what he thought of Compaq’s portables, he said, “Well, they make great plastic and handles.”
The interesting equity instrument called the "Tracking Stock."
Get the book!
One of the best business books I've read (Just completed yesterday). A must buy, must-read. WHY?
It's GENUINE! No bragging inside (except the last 20 pages), no "Gyaan-Patti" (Mumbaiyaa language for giving unnecessary wisdom), no 'evangelising' or "visioning etc.
It's about more PAIN than Gain. The life of Michael Dell is full of struggles and wins, but this book really focuses on the effort, hard work and sheet pain on the road to super glory.
A REALITY check for those dreaming of 'BIG" outcomes. Maybe after reading this book, you will wonder if it is worth it!
A deep insight into WHY Companies should NOT go public or IPO. (Dell starts private, then goes public, then goes private and then again goes public as lucidly narrated in this book)
The not so nice run-ins with Carl Icahn (My Idol)
Super nuggets, information, trivia, knowledge inside:
The challenging part of trying to EXPLAIN a changing business model to the world :
“We’re really not a PC company anymore,” I told Fortune editor in chief Andy Serwer in July 2012, at Fortune’s Brainstorm Tech conference in Aspen. But Andy was a tough sell. “Is it really the case that you’re not a PC company now or that you don’t want to be a PC company in the future?” he asked me.
How it all began and the genius of 'customising' PCs that made Dell - Dell!
One doctor called and said he wanted to buy an IBM PC for me to customize; what model should he get? I told him not to bother—I’d buy the computer, put in everything he needed, and sell it to him at a reasonable markup. That sounded fine to him. So I bought a new PC, ordered the parts I needed from the back pages of Byte, installed them, and delivered the doctor a Michael Dell Special. He was very pleased, and so was I. Then it happened again. And again. Suddenly I was in business.
"In plain English: all possibilities were on the table. Including staying public—and including the possibility of replacing me."
Taking hard criticism "CNN: "Critics say Michael Dell isn't much of an innovator, so he'll never turn Dell into the next Apple or Samsung."
I'd been happily working sixteen-hour days, eating at the office, sleeping at the office. My work was my life; my company was my second family.
Anyone who says you can start a company and have work-life balance is lying. Was there something off about this? I had an enormous desire to succeed, but I was human, and I knew something was missing from my life. Still, there didn’t seem to be much I could do about it.
"Persistence is an all-important quality on the road to success. (And success presents its own challenges, avoiding complacency being the first and biggest. Which is why, along with kaizen, PBNS—pleased but never satisfied—has been part of our culture since the beginning.)."
Once when someone asked Steve Jobs what he thought of Compaq’s portables, he said, “Well, they make great plastic and handles.”
The interesting equity instrument called the "Tracking Stock."
Get the book!
January 16, 2022
prioritizing profit over growth and share, and a company’s success is always a balance between those three.
There are very stringent rules about when and how an insider like me can buy or sell our stock: soon, but not too soon, after quarterly earnings have been announced.
He struck me as very smart, aggressive, and bold.
if your company has a lot of cash, its equity can’t appreciate nearly as much because in a sense it’s weighed down by the cash. Cash doesn’t appreciate. If, on the other hand, you use the cash to buy back stock, the stock can appreciate far more.
That the fundamental reason for my desire to explore a proposal to acquire the company was that I believed Dell could be better managed as a private company without public-company pressures for short-term performance and the other disadvantages of being public. (Changing and evolving a business—transforming it—is an uncertain process, one that involves financial volatility. And public investors don’t like uncertainty or volatility.)
When my mom and dad talked, it wasn’t gossip or chitchat. They were constantly discussing the economy: What was the Federal Reserve doing? Where were oil prices and interest rates and currencies and the stock market? We had Forbes and Fortune and Barron’s in the house; we used to love watching Louis Rukeyser’s Wall Street Week. Even before my mom started working as a stockbroker, she had these huge Value Line books, with pages and pages of information on individual companies.
my family and I were driving along Loop 610, I would look out the window at all the shiny new buildings with flagpoles in front and think to myself that one day I would have a company and be in charge and have flagpoles in front.
my heroes became businesspeople, especially entrepreneurs who’d challenged the status quo and built businesses out of nothing—people like Charles Schwab, Fred Smith (FedEx), Ted Turner, and William McGowan (MCI).
How did a thirteen-year-old happen to have that kind of money lying around? Entrepreneurship was the air my family breathed.
For my fourteenth birthday I was allowed to take almost thirteen hundred dollars of my hardearned savings out of the bank and order an Apple II. took it to my bedroom, unboxed the beautiful computer—it even smelled beautiful—and immediately took it apart to see how it worked. My parents were horrified. And furious. But (I thought but didn’t say) how could you understand it if you didn’t take it apart? Assembled or disassembled, the Apple II was a beautiful thing.
Word got around that I knew a thing or two about computers. I soon began tutoring kids in the neighborhood on how to get the most out of their Apple IIs. That became a pretty lucrative sideline.
the Apple III, which promised to be to the Apple II what the Apple II had been to the Apple I.
I’d already learned how to program in machine language, which is like talking directly to the microprocessor and is a pretty complicated process.
I now had my driver’s license, which expanded my horizons dramatically.
(now-defunct) Houston Post, calling random people on the phone and trying to talk them into getting the paper.
-I observed three things: first, that if you sounded like the people you were trying to sell a subscription to, they were much more likely to buy from you.
-The second thing I noticed was that people who were moving into a new residence were more likely to subscribe to the paper.
And the third thing I observed, kind of a corollary of the second, was that people who were getting married were much more likely to buy a subscription—maybe out of some kind of excitement at settling down and beginning grown-up life.
In Texas, when you want to get a marriage license you have to go to the county courthouse to apply, giving the address you want the license sent to. And I figured out that under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), I, as a fellow Texas citizen, was entitled to go to any county courthouse in the state and say, “I want to see all the marriage license applications you received during the past year.”
In one stroke I had gone from the hit-or-miss of cold-calling to discovering a gold mine of people who were way more likely than not to subscribe to the paper.
And then it hit me that there were sixteen counties surrounding Houston, they all had courthouses, and every courthouse had records of marriage applications. Jackpot times sixteen.
and then I conducted a massive direct-mail campaign, sending subscription offers to every young married couple on that huge list.
I would go to these places and say, “I’m from the Houston Post, and we’ve got this great offer where all your new residents can get the paper free for two weeks. Just fill out this little form.” Between all the young marrieds and the new apartment dwellers, I made a little over $18,000 that summer.
fantasy games—Wizards and Warlocks stuff
A super-nice guy, forty or so, and extremely knowledgeable.
The board has duties to the shareholders; the CEO reports to the board. The board sets the CEO’s salary, oversees his or her activities; the board has the power to fire him or her.
competitors who stir up FUD— fear, uncertainty, and doubt—about your company.
When you take a company private, you’re basically putting it up for sale. with one or more private equity firms: whoever would offer the highest price to our shareholders.
There are very stringent rules about when and how an insider like me can buy or sell our stock: soon, but not too soon, after quarterly earnings have been announced.
He struck me as very smart, aggressive, and bold.
if your company has a lot of cash, its equity can’t appreciate nearly as much because in a sense it’s weighed down by the cash. Cash doesn’t appreciate. If, on the other hand, you use the cash to buy back stock, the stock can appreciate far more.
That the fundamental reason for my desire to explore a proposal to acquire the company was that I believed Dell could be better managed as a private company without public-company pressures for short-term performance and the other disadvantages of being public. (Changing and evolving a business—transforming it—is an uncertain process, one that involves financial volatility. And public investors don’t like uncertainty or volatility.)
When my mom and dad talked, it wasn’t gossip or chitchat. They were constantly discussing the economy: What was the Federal Reserve doing? Where were oil prices and interest rates and currencies and the stock market? We had Forbes and Fortune and Barron’s in the house; we used to love watching Louis Rukeyser’s Wall Street Week. Even before my mom started working as a stockbroker, she had these huge Value Line books, with pages and pages of information on individual companies.
my family and I were driving along Loop 610, I would look out the window at all the shiny new buildings with flagpoles in front and think to myself that one day I would have a company and be in charge and have flagpoles in front.
my heroes became businesspeople, especially entrepreneurs who’d challenged the status quo and built businesses out of nothing—people like Charles Schwab, Fred Smith (FedEx), Ted Turner, and William McGowan (MCI).
How did a thirteen-year-old happen to have that kind of money lying around? Entrepreneurship was the air my family breathed.
For my fourteenth birthday I was allowed to take almost thirteen hundred dollars of my hardearned savings out of the bank and order an Apple II. took it to my bedroom, unboxed the beautiful computer—it even smelled beautiful—and immediately took it apart to see how it worked. My parents were horrified. And furious. But (I thought but didn’t say) how could you understand it if you didn’t take it apart? Assembled or disassembled, the Apple II was a beautiful thing.
Word got around that I knew a thing or two about computers. I soon began tutoring kids in the neighborhood on how to get the most out of their Apple IIs. That became a pretty lucrative sideline.
the Apple III, which promised to be to the Apple II what the Apple II had been to the Apple I.
I’d already learned how to program in machine language, which is like talking directly to the microprocessor and is a pretty complicated process.
I now had my driver’s license, which expanded my horizons dramatically.
(now-defunct) Houston Post, calling random people on the phone and trying to talk them into getting the paper.
-I observed three things: first, that if you sounded like the people you were trying to sell a subscription to, they were much more likely to buy from you.
-The second thing I noticed was that people who were moving into a new residence were more likely to subscribe to the paper.
And the third thing I observed, kind of a corollary of the second, was that people who were getting married were much more likely to buy a subscription—maybe out of some kind of excitement at settling down and beginning grown-up life.
In Texas, when you want to get a marriage license you have to go to the county courthouse to apply, giving the address you want the license sent to. And I figured out that under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), I, as a fellow Texas citizen, was entitled to go to any county courthouse in the state and say, “I want to see all the marriage license applications you received during the past year.”
In one stroke I had gone from the hit-or-miss of cold-calling to discovering a gold mine of people who were way more likely than not to subscribe to the paper.
And then it hit me that there were sixteen counties surrounding Houston, they all had courthouses, and every courthouse had records of marriage applications. Jackpot times sixteen.
and then I conducted a massive direct-mail campaign, sending subscription offers to every young married couple on that huge list.
I would go to these places and say, “I’m from the Houston Post, and we’ve got this great offer where all your new residents can get the paper free for two weeks. Just fill out this little form.” Between all the young marrieds and the new apartment dwellers, I made a little over $18,000 that summer.
fantasy games—Wizards and Warlocks stuff
A super-nice guy, forty or so, and extremely knowledgeable.
The board has duties to the shareholders; the CEO reports to the board. The board sets the CEO’s salary, oversees his or her activities; the board has the power to fire him or her.
competitors who stir up FUD— fear, uncertainty, and doubt—about your company.
When you take a company private, you’re basically putting it up for sale. with one or more private equity firms: whoever would offer the highest price to our shareholders.
April 17, 2024
This was a fascinating way to learn about a person and company, whose products I interact with multiple times each week. However, as the book progressed, it got very in the weeds of negotiations for various mergers and deals, whereas I was hoping this was more biography focused. The first part of the book was more focused on Michael’s growing up, which I greatly enjoyed. I’m glad I read it, but it wouldn’t be at the top of my recommendations list.
November 5, 2022
A leader worth emulating. Humble yet confident. Determined yet patient. Persistent yet accepting. All the qualities people in senior positions must learn in order to succeed with dignity.
One of the best reads in a long while. I would just want to meet Mr. Dell and shake his hand!
One of the best reads in a long while. I would just want to meet Mr. Dell and shake his hand!
October 11, 2021
As a team member on Michael's team at Dell Technologies ( full disclosure) I really appreciated the insight his telling of his own career journey brought to me. I really am looking to apply some of the approaches Micheal discussed in this book to better my work style approach, productivity, and even help improve my mental health! Thank you, Micheal!
I certainly recommend this book for anybody looking for inspiration in what it takes to be an effective leader.
I certainly recommend this book for anybody looking for inspiration in what it takes to be an effective leader.
November 16, 2021
Great book
Interesting and complete sequel of time periods from the beginning of the company to the present, Dell takes the reader in a smooth and easy way from page to page.
Interesting and complete sequel of time periods from the beginning of the company to the present, Dell takes the reader in a smooth and easy way from page to page.
December 3, 2021
Definitely one of the best CEO / Leader books I have read. For me it is on par with Jack Welch’s Straight From the Gut, a high compliment. Play Nice But Win was real and humble and honest and optimistic. As a Dell employee myself, it was fun to learn more about the company history and to get into the mind of a great leader.
December 15, 2021
A little bit work-y, but I still enjoyed it more than I expected.
September 11, 2023
"Play Nice But Win: A CEO's Journey from Founder to Leader" by James Kaplan and Michael S. Dell is a captivating account of Michael Dell's remarkable journey from a young entrepreneur in Texas to the founder of Dell Technologies. The book provides valuable insights into Michael Dell's entrepreneurial spirit, innovative business models, and determination to shape the tech industry. Readers will gain a deeper understanding of Dell's successes, challenges, and his ability to turn setbacks into opportunities for growth.
The book is divided into several parts that cover key aspects of Michael Dell's journey:
Part 1: An entrepreneur is born - This section explores Michael Dell's early fascination with business and technology, from his childhood interests in stamp and newspaper sales to his growing passion for computers. It highlights his entrepreneurial spirit, which led him to start a successful business from his dorm room while still a teenager.
Part 2: Dell’s spectacular rise - This part delves into Dell's innovative direct-to-consumer business model, which revolutionized the computer industry. It details the company's rapid growth, successful IPO, and its ascent to Fortune 500 status. It also describes Dell's expansion into various technology markets beyond PCs.
Part 3: Trials and metamorphosis - This section discusses the challenges Dell faced as the tech landscape evolved. It covers issues such as increasing competition in the PC market, missed opportunities in the mobile device sector, and the need for strategic changes to adapt to new trends.
Part 4: Dell's guiding principles and vision for the future - The final part of the book focuses on Michael Dell's leadership principles, including trust, transparency, and a strong customer-centric approach. It highlights his commitment to data-driven decision-making and the importance of learning from failure. The section also explores Dell's optimism about the future of technology and his belief in its potential to benefit humanity.
Throughout the book, Michael Dell's leadership style and innovative thinking are portrayed as essential factors in Dell Technologies' success. His ability to adapt to changing circumstances and maintain a customer-centric focus serves as a valuable lesson for entrepreneurs and business professionals alike.
In summary, "Play Nice But Win" offers a captivating narrative of Michael Dell's journey and provides insights into the principles and strategies that drove Dell Technologies' growth and transformation. It is a source of inspiration for those interested in entrepreneurship, technology, and leadership in the modern business world.
The book is divided into several parts that cover key aspects of Michael Dell's journey:
Part 1: An entrepreneur is born - This section explores Michael Dell's early fascination with business and technology, from his childhood interests in stamp and newspaper sales to his growing passion for computers. It highlights his entrepreneurial spirit, which led him to start a successful business from his dorm room while still a teenager.
Part 2: Dell’s spectacular rise - This part delves into Dell's innovative direct-to-consumer business model, which revolutionized the computer industry. It details the company's rapid growth, successful IPO, and its ascent to Fortune 500 status. It also describes Dell's expansion into various technology markets beyond PCs.
Part 3: Trials and metamorphosis - This section discusses the challenges Dell faced as the tech landscape evolved. It covers issues such as increasing competition in the PC market, missed opportunities in the mobile device sector, and the need for strategic changes to adapt to new trends.
Part 4: Dell's guiding principles and vision for the future - The final part of the book focuses on Michael Dell's leadership principles, including trust, transparency, and a strong customer-centric approach. It highlights his commitment to data-driven decision-making and the importance of learning from failure. The section also explores Dell's optimism about the future of technology and his belief in its potential to benefit humanity.
Throughout the book, Michael Dell's leadership style and innovative thinking are portrayed as essential factors in Dell Technologies' success. His ability to adapt to changing circumstances and maintain a customer-centric focus serves as a valuable lesson for entrepreneurs and business professionals alike.
In summary, "Play Nice But Win" offers a captivating narrative of Michael Dell's journey and provides insights into the principles and strategies that drove Dell Technologies' growth and transformation. It is a source of inspiration for those interested in entrepreneurship, technology, and leadership in the modern business world.
July 24, 2022
Meh.
This book is just "okay," as most autobiographies written by white men with large egos are. There isn't a lot of depth to Mr. Dell in this book, and perhaps he isn't that deep of a person; but I don't believe that someone in Forbes' top 50 richest people in the world list would be this milquetoast.
The book is written using an annoying literary technique where his origin story is interwoven with a more recent story relating his anxiety to take Dell Computer private from being public. He strains the reader into a boogeyman scenario at the crescendo: Mr. Dell has it turn out that the great guy portrayed in Carl Icahn - Life Lessons For Ultimate Success In Business And Life is a money-loving toad. That's fine, rich guys being competitive is great and all, but this book was written mostly during the time he was trying to get richer by taking Dell private (only now it's Public again) which is only discussed in about 3 paragraphs towards the end. I'm not sure if COVID had anything to do with this odd timing, but the editors could have cleaned this up prior to publication.
I have nothing against Michael Dell, and in fact, here in Austin his foundation has been known to do some great work. But if you are looking to understand how an uber-successful person in technology thinks, skip it. Satya Nadella, Reid Hoffman or even Marc Benioff are going to give you a lot more ideas on how the technology CEOs operate than Mr. Dell will here with this particular book.
In the end, if you like happy ending stories where the rich guy gets richer and all is right with the world, then it maybe a useful book for you to spend a Saturday reading. But there's nothing here from a business perspective (nor) from a thought-process perspective that will help you decode the 23rd richest guy on the planet (as of this review).
This book is just "okay," as most autobiographies written by white men with large egos are. There isn't a lot of depth to Mr. Dell in this book, and perhaps he isn't that deep of a person; but I don't believe that someone in Forbes' top 50 richest people in the world list would be this milquetoast.
The book is written using an annoying literary technique where his origin story is interwoven with a more recent story relating his anxiety to take Dell Computer private from being public. He strains the reader into a boogeyman scenario at the crescendo: Mr. Dell has it turn out that the great guy portrayed in Carl Icahn - Life Lessons For Ultimate Success In Business And Life is a money-loving toad. That's fine, rich guys being competitive is great and all, but this book was written mostly during the time he was trying to get richer by taking Dell private (only now it's Public again) which is only discussed in about 3 paragraphs towards the end. I'm not sure if COVID had anything to do with this odd timing, but the editors could have cleaned this up prior to publication.
I have nothing against Michael Dell, and in fact, here in Austin his foundation has been known to do some great work. But if you are looking to understand how an uber-successful person in technology thinks, skip it. Satya Nadella, Reid Hoffman or even Marc Benioff are going to give you a lot more ideas on how the technology CEOs operate than Mr. Dell will here with this particular book.
In the end, if you like happy ending stories where the rich guy gets richer and all is right with the world, then it maybe a useful book for you to spend a Saturday reading. But there's nothing here from a business perspective (nor) from a thought-process perspective that will help you decode the 23rd richest guy on the planet (as of this review).
July 2, 2023
Dell wasn't a company that was disrupting the game through a world first idea. They sold computers, like dozens of others did and could. Michael Dell takes you through how Dell became a unicorn by building an effective and scalable operating model, a stark contrast to the glitz and glamour of "that crazy new thing".
November 18, 2021
I have been fascinated by Michael Dell and his company since the 1990s. At the time I was the IT department for a small publisher and we bought Dell computers, for price, performance, quality and service.
So I was really excited to see he had written a book about his journey founding Dell to today.
Having finished it, I have to say I was sorely disappointed. And I believe much of the blame is on the editors.
The book is an almost random mix of personal and private, with a lot of "isn't it amazing how great my family and I are" thrown in way too often. He is amazing in what he does, his wife is amazing, and his kids are perfect.
Unfortunately this random mix is overshadowed by excruciating financial details and business negotiations for the go-private and the public return. I don't think anyone cares about or understands all these details unless they are Michael Dell or someone directly involved in the deals.
Michael Dell has an amazing story to tell, but unfortunately this wasn't the book that did it (well).
So I was really excited to see he had written a book about his journey founding Dell to today.
Having finished it, I have to say I was sorely disappointed. And I believe much of the blame is on the editors.
The book is an almost random mix of personal and private, with a lot of "isn't it amazing how great my family and I are" thrown in way too often. He is amazing in what he does, his wife is amazing, and his kids are perfect.
Unfortunately this random mix is overshadowed by excruciating financial details and business negotiations for the go-private and the public return. I don't think anyone cares about or understands all these details unless they are Michael Dell or someone directly involved in the deals.
Michael Dell has an amazing story to tell, but unfortunately this wasn't the book that did it (well).
February 6, 2022
On the road from a few bucks to a few billion, every company creates the same problems for itself. One of those must be solved in order to achieve lasting success:
Preventing growth from destroying culture.
You see, every successful startup has a special culture – whatever it is – that propels it to those early successes. Most don’t think much of it. It’s just “the way we do things around here.”
But something happens when most companies start growing; that culture that everyone felt in their bones starts to slowly leak away.
I read another of the many examples of this in Play Nice But Win, an autobiographical account by Michael Dell of the early years and recent transformation of Dell Technologies.
From its start in Dell’s University of Texas dorm room to #28 on the Fortune 500, the company knows a thing or two about growth. One of the topics Dell covers is the challenge of creating a healthy culture in a company with explosive growth. He writes:
Out of that challenge came one of the five key tenets of Dell’s values: “We believe in creating loyal customers by providing a superior experience at a great value.” Some of the new people who had joined Dell were more motivated by a big financial payout than they were by Dell’s set of values.
The answer was that Dell had to get really clear about what was important to them. They had to define their values and repeatedly communicate them so that they would attract people who were committed to upholding those same values.
Defining the culture is the first step in our proprietary 4 step process at FiveFour to get companies growing from the inside out. It’s a necessary first step in order to cope with the growth that success brings.
And the best cultures call people to some kind of larger purpose, like Dell was talking about in the quote above. If you don’t do that, you’ll likely end up with a team of mercenaries who are motivated by a paycheck.
Could an undefined culture be what’s holding you back from future growth? Maybe even from a future spot on the fortune 500? Read Dell’s book to learn more and reach out to me for a conversation. I would love to help you define your culture and start you growing from the inside out.
Preventing growth from destroying culture.
You see, every successful startup has a special culture – whatever it is – that propels it to those early successes. Most don’t think much of it. It’s just “the way we do things around here.”
But something happens when most companies start growing; that culture that everyone felt in their bones starts to slowly leak away.
I read another of the many examples of this in Play Nice But Win, an autobiographical account by Michael Dell of the early years and recent transformation of Dell Technologies.
From its start in Dell’s University of Texas dorm room to #28 on the Fortune 500, the company knows a thing or two about growth. One of the topics Dell covers is the challenge of creating a healthy culture in a company with explosive growth. He writes:
Back in the beginning, when the company was just me, I had this set of values that I knew were important, but I didn’t have to communicate them with anybody. But as more and more people came on board, things got more complicated. As a company grows it becomes compartmentalized. Our salespeople understood our values because they were interfacing with the customer all the time. As were the technical support people. But our manufacturing and supply chain team members were a little farther away from the voice of the customer. We battled this by going out of our way to have customers visit our manufacturing sites. What we learned was that the best way to tell the story of our company was through their stories. What were our customers trying to accomplish? What were their challenges? Especially the new and unsolved challenges? Understanding these new and unsolved challenges is at the core of what we must continue to do as a company to succeed. Why was what they were doing important in the world – and how were we helping them to do it?
Out of that challenge came one of the five key tenets of Dell’s values: “We believe in creating loyal customers by providing a superior experience at a great value.” Some of the new people who had joined Dell were more motivated by a big financial payout than they were by Dell’s set of values.
The answer was that Dell had to get really clear about what was important to them. They had to define their values and repeatedly communicate them so that they would attract people who were committed to upholding those same values.
Defining the culture is the first step in our proprietary 4 step process at FiveFour to get companies growing from the inside out. It’s a necessary first step in order to cope with the growth that success brings.
And the best cultures call people to some kind of larger purpose, like Dell was talking about in the quote above. If you don’t do that, you’ll likely end up with a team of mercenaries who are motivated by a paycheck.
Could an undefined culture be what’s holding you back from future growth? Maybe even from a future spot on the fortune 500? Read Dell’s book to learn more and reach out to me for a conversation. I would love to help you define your culture and start you growing from the inside out.
December 31, 2021
I have always been a fan of Dell. And I was eagerly waiting to get my hands on the new book from Michael Dell, Play Nice but Win. The book lived up to my expectations and fascinated me in every way possible. It’s a frank and from-heart explanation of how Michael started this company from his dorm room with a thousand dollars and grew it into the behemoth it is now (2020 revenue 92 billion).
What I liked the most about this book was the energy and attitude with which he started the company and kept growing it. He averted and sometimes head-on faced the challenges and ensured that the company was always growing in the right direction.
If there is one thing that is going to be with me after reading this book, it is that indomitable spirit that Michael displayed in everything he did. Doing always the right thing is another thing that comes out from Michael’s character very clearly throughout this book. A prime example of this is how he approached Dell, EMC, and VMware merger and how he liked to call this a merger and not an acquisition to alleviate any slightest hint of negative connotation associated with it. It was heartening to see a leader going to the extent of making sure that any employees coming to Dell as a part of these mergers were given all the comfort possible to make them feel like native Dell employees.
The book clearly explains that Michael Dell personifies the adage “The Business of Business is More Than Business” perfectly. A very good example of this is how he drove around his employees coming from outside the country to grocery shops in the U.S. to ensure that their food is fully taken care of, and these are the employees then who came up with a breakthrough technology that helped accelerate Dell’s growth in a big way.
I also thought that Michael’s focus on family irrespective of what was going on in his professional life is something that I can learn. His underscoring of the importance that a personal and stable life plays in professional life is something that would stay with me.
Clichés are Clichés for a reason, and they are true (hence they become Cliché). Never give up is a cliché but it is so infectiously motivating to see how Michael never gave up and how he has worked extremely hard over the last 35 + years. It’s incredible to see this kind of commitment and what is even more amazing is that he is working with the same intensity now.
The first laptop I ever bought was Dell (Got to know from the book about cool marketing campaign - Dude you are going to get Dell), and I met my wife when she was working for Dell, but these are not the only reasons that I would relate to Dell
What I liked the most about this book was the energy and attitude with which he started the company and kept growing it. He averted and sometimes head-on faced the challenges and ensured that the company was always growing in the right direction.
If there is one thing that is going to be with me after reading this book, it is that indomitable spirit that Michael displayed in everything he did. Doing always the right thing is another thing that comes out from Michael’s character very clearly throughout this book. A prime example of this is how he approached Dell, EMC, and VMware merger and how he liked to call this a merger and not an acquisition to alleviate any slightest hint of negative connotation associated with it. It was heartening to see a leader going to the extent of making sure that any employees coming to Dell as a part of these mergers were given all the comfort possible to make them feel like native Dell employees.
The book clearly explains that Michael Dell personifies the adage “The Business of Business is More Than Business” perfectly. A very good example of this is how he drove around his employees coming from outside the country to grocery shops in the U.S. to ensure that their food is fully taken care of, and these are the employees then who came up with a breakthrough technology that helped accelerate Dell’s growth in a big way.
I also thought that Michael’s focus on family irrespective of what was going on in his professional life is something that I can learn. His underscoring of the importance that a personal and stable life plays in professional life is something that would stay with me.
Clichés are Clichés for a reason, and they are true (hence they become Cliché). Never give up is a cliché but it is so infectiously motivating to see how Michael never gave up and how he has worked extremely hard over the last 35 + years. It’s incredible to see this kind of commitment and what is even more amazing is that he is working with the same intensity now.
The first laptop I ever bought was Dell (Got to know from the book about cool marketing campaign - Dude you are going to get Dell), and I met my wife when she was working for Dell, but these are not the only reasons that I would relate to Dell
September 10, 2023
I like to think I have an entrepreneurial spirit. Here are some direct notes I found relevant from this book as todays Blinkist book of the day.
Part 1: An entrepreneur is born
Beneath the sprawling Texas sky, young Michael Dell's entrepreneurial spirit began to flutter and take flight. A Houston native, Dell plunged into the complex world of business and technology when he was just twelve years old. While his peers spent their time chasing baseballs or pedaling bikes around the neighborhood, Dell had his eyes set on something different – peddling stamps and newspapers, monitoring the stock market, and devouring business magazines. He was captivated by the narratives of entrepreneurs who carved their own paths, building their empires from the bottom up. Larger-than-life business visionaries like Steve Jobs and Bill Gates didn't just inspire Dell – they were his heroes, his role models.
Play Nice But Win (2021) takes you into the thrilling world of tech entrepreneurship, offering a front-row seat to a saga of innovation, resilience, and reinvention. From humble beginnings to industry-shaping breakthroughs, you'll uncover invaluable lessons within the rollercoaster journey of one of technology's biggest disruptors. It's a riveting exploration that strikes the perfect balance between playing nice and winning big in business, and in life.
The story of Dell Technologies is marked by triumphs, like Dell's revolutionary direct-to-consumer model, and challenges, like the company's struggle with missing out on the smartphone trend. However, Michael Dell's willingness to learn from failures, pivot quickly, and empower his employees drove the company's reinvention, shifting the focus to integrated IT solutions.
Dell's customer-centric approach and faith in technology's potential for good mark his leadership. Following his example of a culture of empowerment and customer-centric ethos, any company can become well-positioned to facilitate digital transformation across industries. Because despite his challenges, Dell's optimism for the future remains strong, fueled by a belief in technology's power to change the world for the better.
Part 1: An entrepreneur is born
Beneath the sprawling Texas sky, young Michael Dell's entrepreneurial spirit began to flutter and take flight. A Houston native, Dell plunged into the complex world of business and technology when he was just twelve years old. While his peers spent their time chasing baseballs or pedaling bikes around the neighborhood, Dell had his eyes set on something different – peddling stamps and newspapers, monitoring the stock market, and devouring business magazines. He was captivated by the narratives of entrepreneurs who carved their own paths, building their empires from the bottom up. Larger-than-life business visionaries like Steve Jobs and Bill Gates didn't just inspire Dell – they were his heroes, his role models.
Play Nice But Win (2021) takes you into the thrilling world of tech entrepreneurship, offering a front-row seat to a saga of innovation, resilience, and reinvention. From humble beginnings to industry-shaping breakthroughs, you'll uncover invaluable lessons within the rollercoaster journey of one of technology's biggest disruptors. It's a riveting exploration that strikes the perfect balance between playing nice and winning big in business, and in life.
The story of Dell Technologies is marked by triumphs, like Dell's revolutionary direct-to-consumer model, and challenges, like the company's struggle with missing out on the smartphone trend. However, Michael Dell's willingness to learn from failures, pivot quickly, and empower his employees drove the company's reinvention, shifting the focus to integrated IT solutions.
Dell's customer-centric approach and faith in technology's potential for good mark his leadership. Following his example of a culture of empowerment and customer-centric ethos, any company can become well-positioned to facilitate digital transformation across industries. Because despite his challenges, Dell's optimism for the future remains strong, fueled by a belief in technology's power to change the world for the better.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
September 11, 2023Dell's unwavering determination to mould the tech industry is truly commendable - it reminded me of the story behind FB, which is interesting since Facebook was a huge inspiration for Dell.
About the founder notes:
- At age 19, he began researching excess computer inventory, snapped up parts at clearance prices, and resold them for a tidy profit. All this, right out of his dorm room. Soon, his hobby morphed into a full-fledged business, raking in a stunning $50,000 to $80,000 a month. And it wasn't a one-man show anymore – Dell enlisted the help of fellow students to manage the deluge of orders pouring in.
- While some may cling to a top-down command, Dell flips the script. He gives power to those in the thick of the action – the frontline workers closest to customers. As he sees it, "Great people want to be trusted, not controlled."
- Michael Dell took a radical step, fighting tooth and nail to take the company private in 2013.
Dell business summary:
- Dell's direct-to-consumer model was nothing short of a revolution. Imagine it – selling tailor-made PCs straight to buyers, bypassing the middlemen entirely.
- By 2000, Dell was flexing its muscles, riding the wave of corporate and consumer tech spending to revenue heights of over $25 billion dollars. And the cherry on top? Dell even leapfrogged over Compaq, becoming the top PC seller in the US.
- The company broadened its horizons beyond PCs, plunging into the realms of higher-margin servers, networking equipment, data storage systems, printers, and peripherals
- In a short span of 16 years, the gutsy dorm-room startup evolved into a $25 billion tech titan.
- Dell missed the boat on the smartphone and tablet trends. In the wake of Apple's iPhone reshaping mobile computing in 2007, Dell's attempts to put out compelling consumer designs and mobile operating systems fell flat.
- They built a one-stop-shop solutions portfolio that spanned PCs, servers, storage, networking, and services. This new solutions focus was a game-changer, as enterprise IT competition was now all about integrated packages rather than standalone products.
About the founder notes:
- At age 19, he began researching excess computer inventory, snapped up parts at clearance prices, and resold them for a tidy profit. All this, right out of his dorm room. Soon, his hobby morphed into a full-fledged business, raking in a stunning $50,000 to $80,000 a month. And it wasn't a one-man show anymore – Dell enlisted the help of fellow students to manage the deluge of orders pouring in.
- While some may cling to a top-down command, Dell flips the script. He gives power to those in the thick of the action – the frontline workers closest to customers. As he sees it, "Great people want to be trusted, not controlled."
- Michael Dell took a radical step, fighting tooth and nail to take the company private in 2013.
Dell business summary:
- Dell's direct-to-consumer model was nothing short of a revolution. Imagine it – selling tailor-made PCs straight to buyers, bypassing the middlemen entirely.
- By 2000, Dell was flexing its muscles, riding the wave of corporate and consumer tech spending to revenue heights of over $25 billion dollars. And the cherry on top? Dell even leapfrogged over Compaq, becoming the top PC seller in the US.
- The company broadened its horizons beyond PCs, plunging into the realms of higher-margin servers, networking equipment, data storage systems, printers, and peripherals
- In a short span of 16 years, the gutsy dorm-room startup evolved into a $25 billion tech titan.
- Dell missed the boat on the smartphone and tablet trends. In the wake of Apple's iPhone reshaping mobile computing in 2007, Dell's attempts to put out compelling consumer designs and mobile operating systems fell flat.
- They built a one-stop-shop solutions portfolio that spanned PCs, servers, storage, networking, and services. This new solutions focus was a game-changer, as enterprise IT competition was now all about integrated packages rather than standalone products.
August 25, 2022
Dell's public-to-private and back-to-public maneuver was fascinating to witness. When I first heard of the go-private, I had imagined it will go down in flames. The EMC-VMWare merger seemed like another costly disaster at the time. Clearly, I was wrong, like many, many others who had written Dell off. What Michael Dell, Silver Lake Partners, etc. had pulled off was remarkable. I picked up this book to get a first-hand account of what happened. It was a mixed bag.
The book is divided into 2 parts - one describing Dell's go-private journey, which was fraught with problems, including Carl Icahn's aggressive fight against the move. The second part describes what happened after the company went private. Icahn looms large throughout the book as Michael Dell's bete noire, popping up in several places and never in a good light. The author's gloves-off treatment of Icahn is shocking and refreshing at the same time. If this is turned into a movie or a TV Series, the actor playing Icahn will get top-billing.
The book is not excellently written. M. Dell keeps switching between Dell of 2014 and his early days as a founder and it is somewhat derails the narrative and it is difficult to keep track of what happened. At the same time, perhaps this is good proof that it wasn't ghost-written. The book is filled with humble-brags - and I feel M. Dell has every right to brag about his stupendous achievements. The go-private part is well described and was even thrilling in parts. The second part seemed somewhat rushed - there was a lot more about EMC and VMWare that I was looking forward to learn. A somewhat better treatment by a seasoned co-author may have made this a fantastic read.
For all its flaws, though, it is a fast read.
The book is divided into 2 parts - one describing Dell's go-private journey, which was fraught with problems, including Carl Icahn's aggressive fight against the move. The second part describes what happened after the company went private. Icahn looms large throughout the book as Michael Dell's bete noire, popping up in several places and never in a good light. The author's gloves-off treatment of Icahn is shocking and refreshing at the same time. If this is turned into a movie or a TV Series, the actor playing Icahn will get top-billing.
The book is not excellently written. M. Dell keeps switching between Dell of 2014 and his early days as a founder and it is somewhat derails the narrative and it is difficult to keep track of what happened. At the same time, perhaps this is good proof that it wasn't ghost-written. The book is filled with humble-brags - and I feel M. Dell has every right to brag about his stupendous achievements. The go-private part is well described and was even thrilling in parts. The second part seemed somewhat rushed - there was a lot more about EMC and VMWare that I was looking forward to learn. A somewhat better treatment by a seasoned co-author may have made this a fantastic read.
For all its flaws, though, it is a fast read.
June 30, 2022
It's probably the most inspiring book on technology, growth and business that I've ever read. Play Nice But Win takes us through the tides of the time and offers us to see,from the eyes of the founder, all the bumpy highs and lows of Dell.
The book offers us behind-the-scenes view of all the events right since the time Michael Dell started the company in his dorm room until as recently as the spin-off of VMware. The challenges of the market, the challenges from investors, the risks taken for innovation all have led to what Dell Technologies is at present.
The book offers enough dose of humours to keep the readers entertained. The chapters alternate with the events from the recent times and the time when the company was relatively new. This way of story-telling hooks the readers and creates lot of curiosity for exploring more.
The behind-the-scenes description of the times when Dell went from public to private offers us enough to learn about the business decisions and transactions that are taken for the benefit of the company and its customers thereby fuelling the growth of the organisation.
A similar behind-the-scenes view of the merger of Dell with EMC and VMWare teaches us a lot about business and financial decisions.
On top of it, the zeal and enthusiasm of the founder to keep innovating to help the customers in a better way, which also allows a company to stay relevant with changing landscapes of technologies, affirms my belief as a Dell Technologies team member that I've been working at the right place and contributing in the right way towards the shared goal of Driving The Human Progress.
The book offers us behind-the-scenes view of all the events right since the time Michael Dell started the company in his dorm room until as recently as the spin-off of VMware. The challenges of the market, the challenges from investors, the risks taken for innovation all have led to what Dell Technologies is at present.
The book offers enough dose of humours to keep the readers entertained. The chapters alternate with the events from the recent times and the time when the company was relatively new. This way of story-telling hooks the readers and creates lot of curiosity for exploring more.
The behind-the-scenes description of the times when Dell went from public to private offers us enough to learn about the business decisions and transactions that are taken for the benefit of the company and its customers thereby fuelling the growth of the organisation.
A similar behind-the-scenes view of the merger of Dell with EMC and VMWare teaches us a lot about business and financial decisions.
On top of it, the zeal and enthusiasm of the founder to keep innovating to help the customers in a better way, which also allows a company to stay relevant with changing landscapes of technologies, affirms my belief as a Dell Technologies team member that I've been working at the right place and contributing in the right way towards the shared goal of Driving The Human Progress.
November 14, 2023
"Play Nice But Win," authored by Michael Dell and James Kaplan, offers an engrossing narrative that chronicles Dell's transformative journey from a young founder to a seasoned CEO. Michael Dell's story, beginning in his University of Texas dorm room and culminating in the boardrooms of one of America's tech titans, Dell Technologies, is nothing short of inspirational.
The book vividly details the tribulations and triumphs of Dell Technologies, painting a picture of the resilience required to navigate the tumultuous waters of the tech industry. Dell's account is candid and introspective, not shying away from his eccentricities and occasional egotism. Yet, it is this raw honesty that lends authenticity to his narrative and makes the book an engaging read.
What sets this book apart is Dell's rare insight into the evolution of a startup into a mature, shareholder-oriented corporation. He masterfully intertwines personal anecdotes with business acumen, illustrating how his leadership style evolved alongside the company. His reflections on turning technological passion into a sustainable business are particularly enlightening.
As a reader who has witnessed the impact of Dell's innovations from a young age, this book resonates deeply. It's more than a memoir; it's a chronicle of a changing industry and a leader who adapted and thrived within it. "Play Nice But Win" is a compelling read for anyone interested in the intersection of technology, leadership, and enduring business strategy. It's a story of a man and a company that refused to be defined by challenges but instead chose to transcend them.
The book vividly details the tribulations and triumphs of Dell Technologies, painting a picture of the resilience required to navigate the tumultuous waters of the tech industry. Dell's account is candid and introspective, not shying away from his eccentricities and occasional egotism. Yet, it is this raw honesty that lends authenticity to his narrative and makes the book an engaging read.
What sets this book apart is Dell's rare insight into the evolution of a startup into a mature, shareholder-oriented corporation. He masterfully intertwines personal anecdotes with business acumen, illustrating how his leadership style evolved alongside the company. His reflections on turning technological passion into a sustainable business are particularly enlightening.
As a reader who has witnessed the impact of Dell's innovations from a young age, this book resonates deeply. It's more than a memoir; it's a chronicle of a changing industry and a leader who adapted and thrived within it. "Play Nice But Win" is a compelling read for anyone interested in the intersection of technology, leadership, and enduring business strategy. It's a story of a man and a company that refused to be defined by challenges but instead chose to transcend them.
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