You local bookshop is stuffed full of books claiming to help you manage better. So why add one more? Because Iâve done the job. And Iâve written it so that you get quick practical advice about the every day challenges I know you face. If you think academic theories are going to help â this ainât the book.
As well as doing the job, Iâve spent the last 20 years or so working with other people also doing the job of management. Training them. Coaching them. Mentoring them. And believe me, thatâs a lot of experience to dip into. Iâve seen the superstar managers â and the managers who would only get a star for being so bad at it. And what separates them? Simple â great managers prepare.
So I want you to prepare to make your management life easier. I want you to experience the thrill of knowing you manage your team well. And I want you to have a reputation as the sort of manager that people imitate. That people want to be like. Thatâs why Iâm sharing these 50 secrets with you. Youâll find these secrets spread over seven chapters:
â Manage yourself. Youâve got to have a clear sense of who you are before you manage others. Personal credibility is a big factor in a managerâs success.
â Empower your people. People can be powerful â but only when the right management behaviours enable them to tap into that power. How you prepare for crucial interactions with others will determine your success.
â Make things happen. A manager gets things done. Getting things done means applying the right tools and techniques that make sure the right things get done.
â Communicate in all directions. Many donât realise just how much skill a talented manager uses when they communicate. Not just to the team, but every key person they interact with.
â Recruit the very best. You want a great candidate to say âyesâ to your job offer. A systematic approach to recruitment makes this a reality.
â Build a great team. Great teams donât happen by chance. A manager works carefully on the composition, skills and motivation of their employees. And they also turn team meetings into events that people look forward to.
â Treat the budget with respect. Whether youâve a budget or not, you will make crucial decisions that affect it. Understanding something of the process will help guide your decision making.
Time and again Iâm going to talk about the need to prepare. Donât short-change yourself on this. Thinking about and preparing for the management situations you face is often the deciding factor between the great manager and the mediocre.
Great managers anticipate and prepare while others merely react and repair.
I love the saying, âThat which I understand, I control. That which I donât understand, controls me.â This chapter is about deepening the understanding you have of yourself and how you come across to your team. These secrets address subjects that many managers do not get right. So give the questions serious thought and decide how successfully you manage yourself. Then youâll be ready to move on to managing others.