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Why Always Wins: A Graphic Novel for Creating Winning Teams.
Why Always Wins — A Graphic Novel for Creating Winning Teams.Why Always Wins is a fun and informative 160-paged graphic novel that shares the best practices in facilitation, collaboration, and communication to help you succeed in any work environment.How many times have you worked on a big project where you may have gotten the results you wanted, but have little desire to work with the people on that team again? You may have felt lousy about yourself, lousy about the team, completely dispirited and exhausted.Our protagonist, Max, is a young manager who gets in over his head leading a group of colleagues with clashing styles. But a chance meeting with an unexpected mentor leads him on a journey to help him better understand himself and his team. Will Max’s odyssey give him the confidence and expertise to lead a winning team?BEST READ IN COLOR Kindle Fire, Tablet, Phone, Computer or in a perfect paperback.★★★★★ - Matt Silady, Chair MFA in Comics California College of the Arts“Stephen Gay’s insights on effective collaboration in the workplace are on full display throughout Why Always Wins. With lively art by Der-shing Helmer, this engaging graphic novel is perfect for anyone striving to be a reliable colleague and an inspiring team leader even in the most challenging situations.”★★★★★ - Allen Tsai, Google Comics Factory Producer of the online comics Smooth Sailing with Kubernetes and Learning Machine Learning“Through engaging and relatable vignettes about the challenges of teamwork, “Why Always Wins” offers timeless advice on self-awareness, mindfulness, and thoughtful communication. Effortlessly blending peppy, entertaining visuals with serious management science, this easy-to-read volume should be on every team’s bookshelf. Whether you’re a new manager or a seasoned team leader, “Why Always Wins” is a valuable resource for helping you maximize the performance of your team.”
Recent reviews"Whether you are starting your career, or a seasoned professional of 20+ years like me, you will benefit form reading Why Always Wins. ""This book is absolutely a must-have for individual contributors and managers.""This book is great for anyone who is new to leading a team, anyone who finds themselves on a dysfunctional team, or anyone who just wants to be a more effective team member and have a successful career."©2020 Stephen Gay (P) 2020 Stephen Gay
Recent reviews"Whether you are starting your career, or a seasoned professional of 20+ years like me, you will benefit form reading Why Always Wins. ""This book is absolutely a must-have for individual contributors and managers.""This book is great for anyone who is new to leading a team, anyone who finds themselves on a dysfunctional team, or anyone who just wants to be a more effective team member and have a successful career."©2020 Stephen Gay (P) 2020 Stephen Gay
164 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 27, 2020
2 people are currently reading
22 people want to read
About the author
Stephen Gay
11 books9 followersStephen Gay is a lifelong designer and reader with a deep curiosity about how things work—and how our world might evolve. He believes books have a unique magic: the power to bring bold ideas to life and let us explore alternate realities and future possibilities.
His debut novel, Night Owls: A Moon Colony Sci-fi Adventure, launched a thrilling multi-book series that blends action, clever heroes, and high-stakes space adventures.
Stephen has since released two more series: Homecoming: The JUDA Cases, a gritty small-town crime thriller, and Black Sky Club, a cyberpunk saga beginning with Awakenings.
Originally from Canada, Stephen earned a degree in Industrial Design from Carleton University before moving to the U.S. to pursue a career in technology, where he has led creative teams in innovation and design. He’s also the author of Why Always Wins, a fun and practical 160-page graphic novel that explores success through collaboration, facilitation, and communication.
An avid traveler who’s explored over 45 countries, Stephen now lives in Silicon Valley, California, with his fiery red-haired partner and their two wonderful boys.
His debut novel, Night Owls: A Moon Colony Sci-fi Adventure, launched a thrilling multi-book series that blends action, clever heroes, and high-stakes space adventures.
Stephen has since released two more series: Homecoming: The JUDA Cases, a gritty small-town crime thriller, and Black Sky Club, a cyberpunk saga beginning with Awakenings.
Originally from Canada, Stephen earned a degree in Industrial Design from Carleton University before moving to the U.S. to pursue a career in technology, where he has led creative teams in innovation and design. He’s also the author of Why Always Wins, a fun and practical 160-page graphic novel that explores success through collaboration, facilitation, and communication.
An avid traveler who’s explored over 45 countries, Stephen now lives in Silicon Valley, California, with his fiery red-haired partner and their two wonderful boys.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
March 9, 2021
Whether you are starting your career, or a seasoned professional of 20+ years like me, you will benefit form reading Why Always Wins. The graphic novel provides practical frameworks to create relationships that support a fulfilling and productive personal and team environment. (See 1st photo)
The graphic novel format is refreshing as it provides context in an engaging visual style with the verbose case studies that accompany most bestselling management books. I've read dozens of the latter and they can all be reduced to 2-3 diagrams/frameworks. "Why always wins" is thoughtfully organized into chapters organized by theme and provides the practical frameworks to employ or practice within each theme. Each chapter ends with thoughtful exercises to help you apply the techniques to your own experiences. (See 2nd photo)
The storyline of the protagonist, Max, encounters a series of relatable experiences in the office whil working at a high tech company in silicon valley. Whether you have worked 1-2 years or 10-20 years, the work situations will be relevant to things you're encountering on the job.
In addition to specific frameworks to help you identify and diagnose issues, the book also presents a principle of mindfulness that is a great awareness to bring into any situation personal or professional.
The graphic novel format is refreshing as it provides context in an engaging visual style with the verbose case studies that accompany most bestselling management books. I've read dozens of the latter and they can all be reduced to 2-3 diagrams/frameworks. "Why always wins" is thoughtfully organized into chapters organized by theme and provides the practical frameworks to employ or practice within each theme. Each chapter ends with thoughtful exercises to help you apply the techniques to your own experiences. (See 2nd photo)
The storyline of the protagonist, Max, encounters a series of relatable experiences in the office whil working at a high tech company in silicon valley. Whether you have worked 1-2 years or 10-20 years, the work situations will be relevant to things you're encountering on the job.
In addition to specific frameworks to help you identify and diagnose issues, the book also presents a principle of mindfulness that is a great awareness to bring into any situation personal or professional.
March 18, 2021
The graphic novel/comic format is so refreshing for this type of book, and it's not just a gimmick. It's packed full of useful insights and devices for navigating the modern workplace (especially if you work in tech), but the comic format means they are communicated in a series of dialogues. I've never seen this type of material presented like this before, and it really makes the material engaging. (I guess Plato was on to something!)
November 13, 2019
Why Always Wins coveres a lot of good concepts in a VERY compressed format. It's really text-dense and while the art is solid I'm not sure what being in the format of a graphic novel added to this. I wish topics were expanded on more or the book focused on one or two in depth rather than many very vaugely.
May 8, 2020
Wish I had read this first instead of the ~10 good business books it summarizes.
September 1, 2023
"Why Always Wins" is not your typical design book, and that’s precisely why it stands out. This 160-page graphic novel manages to do something quite extraordinary: it entertains while it educates. Taking us through the journey of Max, a young, struggling manager, the book delves into the intricacies of team dynamics, facilitation, and effective communication.
One of the first things you’ll notice is the delightful artwork. The illustrations are both an adornment and a crucial part of the narrative. They bring characters to life and serve as a visual aid to the discussed principles, making complex topics like collaboration and leadership accessible and easy to grasp.
Max is an easily relatable character, representing many of us who have felt overwhelmed while leading a team. His transformation, guided by an unexpected mentor, offers valuable lessons without appearing preachy. Thanks to the comic book format, the mentor’s guidance is presented in an easily digestible way. An industry veteran who has tested these ideas, Stephen Gay's "Why Always Wins" knows that showing is better than telling, especially when teaching teamwork skills.
One of the most compelling aspects of this graphic novel is its realism. It doesn't promise magic solutions but instead focuses on self-awareness, empathy, and effective communication as the building blocks of a successful team. By following Max's journey, readers can gain useful insights into how to navigate their own team dynamics, making the story not just entertaining but also deeply practical.
Stephen Gay's "Why Always Wins" offers a fresh and engaging approach to understanding team collaboration. It combines a compelling narrative with practical advice, making it an excellent resource for managers, team members, or anyone interested in enhancing their collaborative skills. Whether you’re a seasoned leader or new to team management, this graphic novel will equip you with the tools you need to create a winning team.
Oh... and this book makes a great gift for new hires, promotions, and team events!
One of the first things you’ll notice is the delightful artwork. The illustrations are both an adornment and a crucial part of the narrative. They bring characters to life and serve as a visual aid to the discussed principles, making complex topics like collaboration and leadership accessible and easy to grasp.
Max is an easily relatable character, representing many of us who have felt overwhelmed while leading a team. His transformation, guided by an unexpected mentor, offers valuable lessons without appearing preachy. Thanks to the comic book format, the mentor’s guidance is presented in an easily digestible way. An industry veteran who has tested these ideas, Stephen Gay's "Why Always Wins" knows that showing is better than telling, especially when teaching teamwork skills.
One of the most compelling aspects of this graphic novel is its realism. It doesn't promise magic solutions but instead focuses on self-awareness, empathy, and effective communication as the building blocks of a successful team. By following Max's journey, readers can gain useful insights into how to navigate their own team dynamics, making the story not just entertaining but also deeply practical.
Stephen Gay's "Why Always Wins" offers a fresh and engaging approach to understanding team collaboration. It combines a compelling narrative with practical advice, making it an excellent resource for managers, team members, or anyone interested in enhancing their collaborative skills. Whether you’re a seasoned leader or new to team management, this graphic novel will equip you with the tools you need to create a winning team.
Oh... and this book makes a great gift for new hires, promotions, and team events!
September 8, 2023
If you’re a design or tech professional navigating within a collaborative environment, “Why Always Wins” is an invaluable resource that delves into leadership and team-building techniques. It’s a quick and easy read since it’s in a graphic novel format with engaging illustrations, showcasing a diversity of characters often encountered in the tech and design field.
Within its pages is a mix of classic linear narrative, complete with a protagonist in conflict with a relatable work nemesis and helpful chapter worksheets and summaries.
The scenarios are relatable, and while it may introduce some industry-specific terminology, its principles are transferrable to a wide range of workplaces. Released in 2019, I would be curious to see if there would ever be an edition that addressed remote or hybrid work, a reflection on a new layer in the current working landscape.
“Why Always Wins” is a formidable companion for professionals seeking to enhance their leadership skills and foster effective teamwork.
Within its pages is a mix of classic linear narrative, complete with a protagonist in conflict with a relatable work nemesis and helpful chapter worksheets and summaries.
The scenarios are relatable, and while it may introduce some industry-specific terminology, its principles are transferrable to a wide range of workplaces. Released in 2019, I would be curious to see if there would ever be an edition that addressed remote or hybrid work, a reflection on a new layer in the current working landscape.
“Why Always Wins” is a formidable companion for professionals seeking to enhance their leadership skills and foster effective teamwork.
August 15, 2023
Why Always Wins is a well-written and thought-provoking book that can help you improve your chances of success. One of the things I liked most about the book is that it is very practical. Stephen also provides specific examples of how you can apply the principles he teaches. He also shares some of his own personal goals and how he achieved them.
I also appreciated the fact that Gay includes a lot of inspiring stories in the book. These stories help to illustrate the principles he teaches and make them more memorable. Overall, I think Why Always Wins is a great book for anyone who is looking to improve their chances of success. It is well-written, practical, and inspiring. I highly recommend it.
I also appreciated the fact that Gay includes a lot of inspiring stories in the book. These stories help to illustrate the principles he teaches and make them more memorable. Overall, I think Why Always Wins is a great book for anyone who is looking to improve their chances of success. It is well-written, practical, and inspiring. I highly recommend it.
August 11, 2023
Why Always Wins is a must read for anyone looking to be successful in today's fast-paced work environments. Stephen and Der-shing have done a remarkable job of articulating the keys to getting shit done through more effective communication and collaboration. The graphic novel format of this book makes for an entertaining read. It also packed with practical takeaways that I have personally found to be transformative in my work and life experiences.
November 29, 2023
What a fun book! This book is a bit different then most books out there… It's a workshop book that focuses on 4 core concepts around yourself, teams and leadership. Each topic is explored in a chapter where a comic book story communicates a workplace scenario. The chapter is followed up by a workshop around the concept communicated. It's a great reflection point on how self improvement can help everyone around us.
August 21, 2023
I loved this book and the comic format! The mentorship model where the mentor answers questions and guides the main protagonist created an easy reading style. Very practical lessons and humor throughout. For example, how to deal with coworkers who roadblock you. Highly recommended to those interested in improving their team leading skills.
September 18, 2023
Excellent advice for effective collaboration at work. Written in 5 digestible chapters, this books conveys the ideas in an easy to follow and memorable way. The graphic novel format really helps to bring to life the examples and situations and creates a fun and immersive reading experience. The book is indispensable for anyone looking to one-up their collaboration skills.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews