Cheat to Win: The Honest Way to Break All the Dishonest Rules in Business [Hardcover]

Robert W. MacDonald (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 2005

Cheat to Win is a business book like no other. Traditional business books lay out a set of “rules” to guide you to business success. Not Cheat to Win. Author Bob MacDonald openly declares war on all the outdated and dishonest rules of business; the ones that bind, rather than better us. MacDonald asserts that businesses everywhere, large and small, are fettered with old and obsolete rules that cripple peak employee performance and stunt the growth of the businesses that employee them. Worse yet, says MacDonald, we’re all conditioned to accept and follow the rules of business—regardless of their validity. This book is about cheating on those dumb and dishonest business rules and carving out a career of individual brilliance that can help you avoid being trapped in the mediocrity of the herd. The honest way to live, says MacDonald, is to break the obsolete rules, artificial expectations and archaic limitations imposed on us by others. Which rules? Well here’s a sampling. Exposed by MacDonald are outmoded rules like how to get a job and advance up the corporate ladder. “They’re totally anti-individual,” says MacDonald “and so are many of the ‘human resources’ departments that perpetuate them.” MacDonald shows why the rules dealing with gaining wealth and power are “back-assward.” “The way to gain power and wealth in business,” he insists, “is not to hoard them, but to share them.” Put under a microscope are rules about winning negotiation (“Never, ever go for the jugular”), creating an entrepreneurial company (“Do everything in parallel”), about dealing with employees (“Treat them as 21st century capitalists.”) And that’s just the beginning. Cheat to Win will teach you how to break all the obsolete rules and make your own way to success. It’s packed with proven, real-life how-to advice—strategies you can start using right now to brighten your business future whether you’re ascending the corporate ladder, building your own ladder as an entrepreneur, or leading a company. Cheat to Win is about winning with true integrity. It debunks the rule-myths of business by deflating the hypocrisy and translating the doublespeak of dishonest rules, empowering you to discover your own clear and direct path to success. By shattering rather than following the entrenched establishment’s “conspiracy of rules” and learning to adopt an honest, challenging rule-breaking élan, your mind opens to the wide vistas of opportunity in life. The author’s own remarkable story validates this thesis. From college dropout to corporate chairman and influential business leader, the author cheated on the business rules that needed to be cheated on and won big—the honest way. In this book MacDonald shows there is no monopoly on honest rule-breaking—anyone can do it and win. While some will always fear the concept of cheat to win, what separates the winners from the losers in life is the willingness to question, challenge and—under the right conditions—violate outdated rules in order to rise faster, achieve more and live life as their own. You can, too! And Cheat to Win can teach you how.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The main lesson of this provocatively tilted book is not to be unethical and fraudulent, but "the only way to be honest with yourself and others is to go against the dishonest rules that are imposed on us by others." MacDonald applies this philosophy to standard business book fare-negotiating business and job offers, moving up the ladder, dealing with and trumping intimidating associates-but urges readers to challenge the established rules, come up with creative solutions, take initiative and always ask "Why?" He includes an intriguing chapter on how women are especially adept at this approach, as they are generally considered outsiders in the business world. Backed by over 40 years in the insurance industry as president, CEO and founder of ITT Life and LifeUSA, MacDonald's first book (Control Your Future) dealt specifically with that industry and the pioneering management style he developed. This book, while drawing its examples from the insurance industry, is applicable to nearly any business endeavor. Though long-winded at times, MacDonald peppers his strategies and advice with off-beat humor ("I received two job offers-one to sell caskets, the other life insurance door-to-door. Maybe I should have thought about doing both, and I really could have made a killing."), strengthening the book's appeal to laymen.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Bob MacDonald is a seasoned business executive who worked himself up from a “knock- on-the-door” life insurance salesman to the CEO of one of North America’s largest and most prestigious insurance and financial services companies. His highly visible and remarkable career in the financial services industry began in 1965. He became CEO of ITT Life in 1980, at age 37. MacDonald struck out on his own in 1987 to form LifeUSA, a totally new life insurance company. Under MacDonald’s leadership, LifeUSA became one of the most successful companies of the 1990s. In 1999, Allianz AG of Munich, Germany purchased LifeUSA in a deal valued at $540 million. MacDonald then served as chairman and CEO of Allianz Life until his retirement in 2001. MacDonald is acknowledged to be one of the true visionaries, forward thinkers and management innovators in business. His controversial and unique management methods have been chronicled in scores of leading newspapers and magazines, including such prestigious publications as The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Business Week and many others.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Paradon Publishing (May 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0936750235
• ISBN-13: 978-0936750231
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #783,062 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The most Honest and Helpful business book I have ever read!, August 15, 2005

By 

Craig Galione "doolicity" (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Cheat to Win: The Honest Way to Break All the Dishonest Rules in Business (Hardcover)

If you are starting a business or are currently running a business Cheat To Win is incredible. It is simply a book that will show you how to be successful in your business, written by a man (Robert W. MacDonald) who has already succeeded in building up his own insurance company (LifeUSA) which was eventually sold for $540 million dollars.

Cheat To Win cuts through all of the hype and explains how to truly build a business up according to your own terms and not to fall in to certain traps that can destroy an organization. It shows how to truly lead by empowering others, not by ruling them.

I highly recommend this book and have already begun incorporating some of these guidelines to help imrprove my own software company (di-Doolicity Innovations).

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book - do not be fooled by title!!, June 16, 2010

By 

Carlos I. Rojas Reynosa "Carlos Irving - A mu... (Mexico City) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Cheat to Win: The Honest Way to Break All the Dishonest Rules in Business (Hardcover)

I got this book from a friend of mine who got it at a seminar for free, he did not bother reading it because of title and gave it to me.
I have read the book twice and go to some sections from time to time. I congratulate Bob MacDonnald for sharing his wisdom and good sense of humor in an excellent book. As he says - when you read it it will be innevitable to find yourself relating to some of the stories as if you lived all the non-sense that is found in many organizations. But what really makes it valuable is his through description of how he created a multimillion insurance company from scratch. The ideas he implemented to retain and share ownership of the company with employees are excellent and worth practicing. How to make HR really work for the employees/owners is really good. And lots of wisdom and lectures in negotiation and leadership. I hope you can enjoy the book and find value in it as I did.

8 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A MUST READ FOR THE FAINT OF HEART, July 13, 2005

By 

Leslie D. Syring - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Cheat to Win: The Honest Way to Break All the Dishonest Rules in Business (Hardcover)

ANYONE TRAPPED IN HIS OWN ENVIRONMENT NEEDS TO GET THE EXPERIENCE OF THIS BOOK. CORPORATE CONFUSION, LACK OF DIRECTION, BUDDING GENIUS,SHOULD REALLY APPRECIATE THE INTENTIONS TO MOTIVATE AND INSPIRE RAW TALENT. A LAUGH A CHAPTER, AN IDEA TO EXPAND, AND THE EXPERIENCE OF THE WRITER ARE WORTH THE FEW HOURS IT TAKES TO REALLY READ THIS BOOK. YOU'LL WANT TO READ IT AGAIN AS I DID TO REALLY APPRECIATE IT'S WISDOM. BUY IT FOR ALL YOUR FRIENDS WHO YOU KNOW HAVE THE ABILITY TO WIN, BUT LACK THE CONFIDENCE.NOT FOR LOOSERS.A WIN WIN FOR THE READER.