You Negotiate Like a Girl

August 1, 2016

Trask first worked for the Oakland Raiders as an intern in 1982. By 1997, she was the team's CEO, the first woman CEO in league history. Although this account describes her experience in a male-dominated field, Trask does not complain about the challenges she faced while working for the Raiders, instead listing the positive steps for change she implemented. She is extremely discrete, whether discussing instances of perceived sexism by league officials or incompetence in team matters; she does not name names. This title is primarily about Trask's relationship with controversial and irascible Raiders' owner Al Davis, her boss for more than 25 years in a contentious atmosphere of mutual respect, along with team management issues, including limited anecdotes regarding on-field highlights or player-coach interactions. Trask resigned from her position after Davis's death. He was succeeded by his son Mark, but Mark's name does not appear in the narrative even once, in another display of caution. VERDICT A solid work that presents a unique view of Davis, one of the most important figures in NFL history, as well as Trask's pioneering achievement.

Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2016
The former CEO of the Oakland Raiders discusses her three-decade-long career as an executive in the NFL. Much of the book is devoted to detailing Trask's relationship with team owner Al Davis, as the two argue, curse, and deliberate over how to run the organization. Trask took pride in the fact that Davis didn't treat her as a womanshe was a Raider, and that's all that mattered. Her rise from intern to CEO was quite a feat in the male-dominated NFL, and, in addition to describing the inner workings of owners' meetings, she offers advice to women on succeeding as an executive in any business. Trask relates her experiences with humor and considerable candor, but this not a tell-all, and the fact that she doesn't always name names diminishes the impact of some of the stories. Still, loyal members of Raider Nation will be delighted with the up-close look at the interactions between the two executives at the top of the organizational ladder. In addition, Trask's recounting of her work to change the organizational culture of the Raiders may broaden the appeal of the book.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)