Pitch Like a Girl: How a Woman Can Be Herself and Still Succeed (Hardcover)

by Ronna Lichtenberg (Author) "In a way, the world would be easier if all women were the same and all men were the same..." (more)
Key Phrases: equal energy exchange, style sync, pink style, New York, Our Pitching Advantage, Our Pitching Challenge (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Despite a title that draws on an insult and a simplistic premise—that there are "pink" and "blue" styles of self-presentation—Lichtenberg's latest contribution to fem-biz lit offers an intellectually and emotionally challenging prescription. The "pitch" in question involves "using your influence, skills and powers of persuasion to gain support and to get people to do what you want them to do," and her method for learning to pitch comes complete with self-diagnostic exercises and the usual instructive anecdotes. Lichtenberg's woman must know who she is and what she wants, identify helpers and obstacles, unlearn self-defeating behaviors and learn to create a "Me, Inc. Mindset." Her strategies range from "visioning" personal goals to figuring out how to "dress for the client." Women, Lichtenberg says, consistently undervalue themselves in real dollars, and she offers concrete tips for salary negotiations. Throughout, Lichtenberg offers encouragement and empathy, and anecdotes from her transition from corporate life to writing (and leading seminars). For those who can't quite believe in themselves, "I'm a big believer in faking it." The results are flexible enough to be applied to a variety of situations and specific enough (including how to choose PowerPoint colors) to feel directed—and empowering.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
Lichtenberg (It's Not Business, It's Personal, 2001) explores a new kind of style-persuasion categorization--pinks versus blues or stripes of both colors--to demonstrate how women (and yes, men, too) can use their natural powers of influence for success. What is with these gender tones? Quite simply, pink represents those who connect with you before doing business, like Oprah or Bill Clinton, whereas blue is assigned to those concerned with getting the job done, a la Martha Stewart or Margaret Thatcher. And, yes, her entire argument is devoted to helping the pinks win, whether it is looking at the differences (for instance, people versus symbol preferences, importance of relationships) or demonstrating the real pitch, from homework and heart work to packaging and delivering. Along the way, sidebars (e.g., "Tips from TV") and exercises ("give yourself feedback") turn what could be "professional" prose into a reality show. Barbara Jacobs
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Rodale Books; 1 edition (December 9, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1594860092
• ISBN-13: 978-1594860096
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #354,690 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Learning to promote, or "pitch", ME Inc. on and off the job, April 15, 2005

By	M. Garcia Otero "learning new things everyday" (Northeast) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I found this book to be easy-to-read, informative, and interesting.

The author tells you the what, the why, and the how of specific elements of "pitching" and she includes colorful examples to make her point.

She clearly breaks down the process of "pitching" into key elements and describes how to maximize the effectiveness of each element while including the major concerns of the other party.

(If anyone has seen the movie "Working Girl" with Melanie Griffith and Sigourney Weaver, you know how much work Melanie puts into her "pitch" and about the conflict between the "pink" woman, Melanie, and the "blue" woman, Sigourney.
This book describes certain elements of that movie to a T!)

The book hit the nail on the head when it said that as a woman you could jeopardize your chances of success if you are too feminine or too masculine. (This is not immediately obvious in most professions, and I have found that this is quite a fine line to walk in and out of the workplace.) Adjusting your style to suit the comfort level of your audience and being able to attend to the verbal and nonverbal behaviors of your audience are also discussed in this book.

Anyone that has tried not to pitch like a girl, female or male, has learned that what may seem like a simple natural motion into a complicated series of motions of from a specific grip on the ball, flex the wrist, position the arm, rotating the shoulder, twisting at the waist, leaning back, and moving my weight to the front foot for the throw.

What women might think is an innate ability to throw a baseball, or "pitch", is a very specific sequence of motions carefully learned over and made to look effortless through practice and refinement.

Thank goodness that someone could break down the motions of promoting the best of my skills and qualities to another person, for explaining how we are "pitching" all the time in our lives and the importance being able to do it effectively, and for explaining how "blue" people, "pink" people, and people with "stripes" are different.

This book helped me assess my audience more accurately, make adjustments to my "pitch" to increase my effectiveness, and decrease my level of stress while "pitching"!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A book for both genders., January 30, 2005

By	C. S. Clarke "C.S. Clarke, Ph.D., Psychologist" - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Pitch Like A Girl is a book for both genders. Although this book is addressed to women, if you are a man, you'll find most of it applies to you, too. Because, as Lichtenberg amply illustrates, there may be fixed tendencies arising from "hard-wiring" in the different male and female brains and hormonal systems, but tendencies are subject to manipulation by socialization, by learning and by choice. So, we all end up with both blue (traditionally male) and pink (traditionally female) characteristics.

Ronna Lichtenberg provides her readers with three exceptional tools to improve communication and transactions across the styles that divide us:

1) She simplifies relevant scientific literature on the roles played by physical, psychological and sociological gender differences and makes it easy to understand and interesting to read.

2) She provides handy set of color-coded categories for how those differences work. That set is very useful for accurately interpreting other people's words, behaviors, expectations and intentions.

3) She gives exact, specific instructions on how to use your new understanding to get ahead in business -- and get what you want elsewhere.

In Pitch Like A Girl, you will learn to how to recognize and value both blue and pink characteristics (and your own particular blend) and use your tendencies for your highest benefit. You'll appreciate that the so-called "gender gap" in communicating is really a "pink" and "blue" gap that occurs within genders as well. So you'll be better able to talk to, negotiate with and make presentations to anyone by identifying his or her overall tendencies. In that, this excellent book adds substantially to the literature on male-style and female-style communication (such as Deborah Tannen's books You Just Don't Understand and That's Not What I Meant).

Of course, the book is about more than communications. The author's expression of the need for assertiveness and self-promotion in what she calls the "Me, Inc." approach is of interest to both "pinks" and "blues". As the saying goes, if I had a nickel for every time I explained the concept to both male and female clients, well...I'd have a whole lot of nickels. Let me just say, if you only get this one concept out of this and apply it, you'll be much more effective as an employee, an entrepreneur, a boss or whatever else you are. It is golden.

For women in particular, though, Lichtenberg addresses in depth issues all women face, pink, blue or evenly-striped. Issues that men are unlikely to face for many physical and cultural reasons. Best of all, she doesn't just help you understand them, she has ideas for exactly what to do about them. Men can just skip on to the generically useful parts.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars weLEAD Book Review from the Editor of leadingtoday.org, March 26, 2005

By	Greg L. Thomas (Litchfield, Ohio United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Pitch Like a Girl is a book that at first glance gives the impression of simply being a primer for females in the modern workplace. As a male reader, my initial reaction was there wouldn't be much in it for me. I was wrong! The author has done an excellent job of revealing the clear and significant differences between men and woman in the workplace. Modern culture perpetuates a silly myth that men and woman are equal in every way... they just have a few parts different in anatomical design. The plain truth as Ronnie Lichtenberg explains is that we are "wired differently". This does not make one sex better or superior than another. We are unique by design and react differently in various situations. Men and woman also approach problems and challenges from different perspectives. This is as it should be, and trying to be something you are not, or conforming to others' expectations only leads to frustration.

Pitch Like a Girl is a refreshing book because the author believes women in the workplace don't have to change who and what they really are to succeed. She believes the real secret to success is to tap "more fully and consciously into the woman you already are". Litchenberg proposes that the key to fulfillment is to bring more of yourself to work, and to receive more back from it. To promote this she encourages the reader to discover their own "pitch". The "pitch" may be different for each individual, but as a powerful tool it will help you to exercise your natural skills of persuasion to influence others toward your point of view. This is accomplished by developing the skill set most women have acquired by nurturing and building personal relationships.

I enjoyed reading Pitch Like a Girl and it reminded me of the many barriers that still exist in the workplace for women. It also highlights the problems created when talented females feel forced to think and react just like their male counterparts. This fine publication is a pleasure to read and many parts are Lichtenberg's own autobiography which helps explain her philosophy and passion. The book is broken down into five chapters and each is seasoned with checklists, sidebars and thought-provoking questions. Pitch Like a Girl also includes some self-analysis testing and even has one appendix for guys to read.

Overcoming cultural expectations can be difficult. But, to be successful and fulfilled at the same time means being who and what you are intended to be on the inside and outside. This book will appeal to both female and male readers because it teaches us to respect each other for our mutual differences. When you understand and appreciate these differences, and view them as genuine strengths, you know that what the French mean when they say, "viva la difference".