The First-Time Manager

To all managers who aspire to advance their skills for the benefit of themselves and those they lead.

MY FIRST EXPOSURE TO THIS BOOK WAS WHEN AMACOM Books approached me about updating it. Upon reading this classic, I arrived at four conclusions. The first was that this book is a fantastic resource that has clearly helped countless new managers. The second was that it would be impossible for people to read this book and not improve their ability to manage well, regardless of how long they have been managing. The third was that I would have thoroughly enjoyed sitting down with Loren Belker and Gary Topchik because both our philosophies of management and our general approaches to life are so well aligned. My final conclusion was that improving this extraordinary resource would be a daunting challenge. I felt as though I was being asked to polish an already brilliant gem.

Having never had the opportunity to meet Loren or Gary led me to feel an even greater obligation to bring their work forward respectfully, add some new insights, and not diminish the value they have provided by their writings. To paraphrase Sir Isaac Newton, if I have provided value “it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.”

I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE MANAGERS I have encountered and observed throughout my career. Their skills have ranged from extraordinary to horrendous, though I have learned from all of them. To the team members I have had the privilege to lead I say thank you. You have all been sources of enjoyment and learning. To the aspiring managers I have had the opportunity to teach, I applaud you for your thirst for knowledge. Thank you to my editor, Christina Parisi, for entrusting me with the legacy that is this book. And finally, I thank my agent, Maryann Karinch, who knows my skills better than I.

BY OPENING THIS BOOK, you have set yourself apart and made the clear statement that you desire to improve your management ability. This book was created for you and to assist you in that effort.

Just as you cannot lead a parade if no one is following, you cannot manage if you don’t have a team to lead. Engrained in this book is the belief that a well-led team will always achieve results that are superior to those of an individual. Consistent with that conviction, this book has been written by a team. Three of us have taken up the challenge – at different times and in our own ways – of seeking to provide you with the best guidance we can muster for a new manager. The results of this joint effort are better because of our collaboration. The same will be true for you if you take to heart the insights you will discover in this book.

Summarizing thousands of words and hundreds of pieces of advice is nearly impossible. If forced to summarize, we believe the advice in this book centers around two overarching messages: be thoughtful in your actions and always conduct yourself with class. You will never regret either.