The Business of Being the Best: Inside the World of Go-Getters and Game Changers - Hardcover

Fletcher, Molly

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1118060105 ISBN 13: 9781118060100

Publisher: Jossey-Bass, 2011

Synopsis

How the very best get to—and stay at—the top

From the arenas of professional sports to the boardrooms of major businesses, a thin slice of peak performers dominates every field. What is their secret to success? Few people know what drives these world-leaders like sports agent Molly Fletcher. Not only has Fletcher herself risen to the top of a tough, male-dominated field—CNN dubbed her "the female Jerry Maguire"—but she has also represented hundreds of successful athletes, coaches, and broadcasters in baseball, golf, basketball, and football. Her experience reveals exactly what it takes to play like "the best."

• Breaks success into accessible strategies like smart negotiation, likability, and personal brand-building
• Features interviews with such notables as Home Depot cofounder and Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank, future Hall of Fame pitcher John Smoltz, and football legend Roger Staubach
• Connects high performance to values by showing how the best give back

No matter what you do or what game you play, Fletcher's authoritative and inspirational look at the top 1 percent will help you win.

About this title

From the Back Cover

Praise for The Business of Being the Best

"Molly Fletcher is an MVP sports agent, and that's why I trusted her during my Major League Baseball career. Read this book and embrace the advice inside. It will teach you important skills and tactics you need to know to excel—not just at the negotiation table or in your career, but in other aspects of your life."—John Smoltz, former pitcher, Atlanta Braves; winner,Cy Young Award

"Molly Fletcher breaks down the keys to being the best to their core elements. She then takes it a step further by providing examples and practical tips that anyone can apply to succeed in business and life. There's something for everyone in this book." —Arthur M. Blank, owner, Atlanta Falcons; founder, Home Depot

"Anyone trying to be the best needs all the help they can get. Molly Fletcher and her book can provide just that help. The Business of Being the Best is a must-read for high achievers."—Jim Kennedy, chairman, Cox Enterprises, Inc.

"This is a must-read. It is compelling and destined to be a classic. Molly Fletcher has given you a gift with The Business of Being the Best, and best of all, she practices what she preaches."—Tom Izzo, head men's basketball coach, Michigan State University

"Informative, tactical, and executable, The Business of Being the Best will inspire and enhance you. Buy it, read it, and implement it in your life."—Kathy Betty, former owner, Atlanta Dream (WNBA)

"If there's anybody who knows what it means to be the best, it's Molly Fletcher. In The Business of Being the Best she shares wisdom that inspires, encourages, and empowers readers to be the best professional, best parent, and basically best person they can be. This book is a gift."—Ernie Johnson Jr., sportscaster, TNT/TBS

"Molly Fletcher is a fierce negotiator, sports business owner, and brilliant business mind. I highly recommend The Business of Being the Best." — Roger Staubach

From the Inside Flap

From the arenas of professional sports to the boardrooms of major businesses, top performers dominate every field. How do they do it? Is it luck, circumstance, or are there traits and behaviors that propel the highest achievers to the top 1 percent?

Few people are better positioned to answer this question than Molly Fletcher. Dubbed by CNN "the female Jerry Maguire," Fletcher rose to the top of a tough, male-dominated field to become a leading sports agent with unique access to hundreds of successful athletes, coaches, and broadcasters in baseball, golf, basketball, and football. Whether at the contract negotiation table with a team's top brass or behind the scenes with her players, Fletcher knows what makes high achievers tick.

The Business of Being the Best draws on her conversations with legends like Arthur Blank, the founder of Home Depot and the owner of the Atlanta Falcons; John Smoltz, celebrated pitcher and winner of baseball's Cy Young Award; Hall of Fame quarterback Roger Staubach; and basketball National Championship coach Tom Izzo. Their stories create an invaluable playbook, and Fletcher tells us exactly how anyone can put their strategies to work. Peak performers understand that everything is a negotiation and push the bottom line accordingly. Fletcher knows as well as anyone how to drive a hard bargain—she has managed sports contracts worth a cumulative $500 million—and the genuine trust and rapport of her method guarantees top-notch results in any kind of deal. Negotiation is just the beginning, and Fletcher demystifies a wide range of tactics of the top 1 percent, from effective personal branding to likeability, to giving back to your community.

No matter what you do, or why you do it, if you want to get better, The Business of Being the Best is the authoritative guide to help you win like a champion.

Edition details

• Publisher: Jossey-Bass
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 1118060105
• ISBN 13: 9781118060100
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 208