Customer Reviews

Getting Things Done When You Are Not in Charge

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Believe it or not this is the most used management book on my shelf. As I have progressed in my career, I have discovered that "being in charge" is a myth. Even at the apex of an organization you are beholden to someone if not more "bosses". So regardless of your place within your organization this book provides pratical tips on improving your effectiveness. Of particular value and insight are the comparison of leadership and management, the concept of counterdependence, and the internal and external customer discussion. I have shared this information and it has been well received by collegues, at management retreats and with university professors. At less than half the price of the typical soft cover management book you may consider purchasing two. One for you and one to share.

Geoffrey M. Bellman provides strategies that support personnel can use to bring about positive change in their organizations. A comprehensive table of contents allows you to go directly to the area of the book that most interests you. In fact, the author designed the book to be read in pieces and many topics stand on their own in manageable chunks. This alone makes the book a useful tool for people who are interested in "leading from the middle." The informal writing style and the many useful lists make these ideas accessible to readers who lack formal business training, and thus are likelier to work in support roles. Bellman believes that instead of complaining about your lack of power, you should build your power and get things done. We at getAbstract.com recommend this book to anyone who isn't CEO (yet).

If I take all of the management books I have read from my time at University till now and stack them up they may form a balance with this brilliant book. The wisdom, down to earth style and practical insight is not just uncommon, it is extrodinary. This book has done more to help me in different management situations than any other. The structured approach to tackling life as a manager is a solid base which leaves enough room for personal style and growth. Anyone who does not read this is at a disadvantage.

"Getting Things Done When You Are Not In Charge"
by Geoffrey M. Bellman

I first came across "Getting Things Done When You Are Not In Charge" when my wife started in a new, corporate, "no power" position. Her new boss said "Here, this book might be helpful". And helpful it certainly has been for it provides so many strategies and suggestions for getting things done through others in a practical manner that can be easily implemented.

Apart from all the good advice and tips Bellman provides, his key message is that when you are in a zero power job, your main purpose in life should be "helping others succeed". "Getting Things Done When You Are Not In Charge" sets out a strategy for becoming a leader when you are not in a position of authority - probably one of the most challenging roles any manager can take on. Many chapters have a step by step approach for implementing this leadership strategy, so along with the various scenarios, these steps make it easy for any manager to understand and apply.

Although it's aimed at the manager who does not have line authority, this book is recommended for all managers who want to increase their personal power.

Bob Selden, author of What To Do When You Become The Boss: How new managers become successful managers

I'd love to give this book two ratings. I thought that it did a good job of empowering the reader and introducing basic concepts in leadership. If that was what I was looking for, it'd get 5 stars. Unfortunately, I was hoping for something a good deal more advanced and found little that was useful to me. This isn't really a ringing criticism, since no book can reach all levels of need simultaneously. If you're relatively new to leadership, this is a good book. If you're very experienced, look elsewhere.

A fresh reminder of how leaders are powerless without followers, and how "the rest of us" can change the way our world and our organizations operate.
"Dreams are not realized through small investments of energy, and leaders portray this. Leadership can be seen as energy collected, directed, and released toward a future vision. "
"Belief in what could be and confidence in your supporters' ability to get you there. Your image of the world is different from the image of those who are invested in keeping the world as it is. You see the organization as it could be, in potential, and you risk taking steps toward that imagined organization." I like this book, and have greater affirmation that I can make a difference.

This book is great for any support professional. If you work in a service organization (IT, HR, Accounting, etc.) within a larger corporation, this book is for you! It has helped me understand the dynamics between my department and my customer. The ideas are great and the book is an easy read.

This book gave me more than I espected whenI bought it.
I was looking for some guidelines on good teamwork behavior, and I didn't got just that but far more usefull insight on plain work.

Reagarding working with others, the best part is the Feedbck chapter. You'll never give advice to a team mate in the same way after you had read this book. Everybody know someone that "takes advice the wron way", well you'll learn that maybe you and everybo else are giving advice in the wrong way.

Besides this particulary well covered subject, the author explains very usefull techniques to improove not only group workin but personal efficiency. All of this is ilustrated with down to earth examples and exercises.

I read the first edition almost one year ago, and I keep going back to it as if it was reference book, and in some way it is

This book talks about leadership, office politics, positive management, and how to deal with changes! I learn tremendously from this book!

Getting Things Done When You're Not In Charge is a perfectly useful self-awareness, self-help book for the person looking to escape a life rut or a work rut.

I have no hesitation in touting the toolkit author Geoffrey Bellman proffers for charting a course that includes consideration of Reality, other people, your wants and theirs, and of course, You, yourself. If I was looking for that kind of title, I would have liked this title a lot.

But the back cover presents this as a book about management techniques (or workplace techniques), a topic barely touched upon through the first six chapters.

Bellman's core precept, that the more effective your self-awareness is of your own need to change and keep on mission, is true (though some change managers are effective even without this). The title's packaging, from the title to the blurbs, doesn't make that core precept clear. Thus, it will leave some readers unnecessarily dissatisfied.

A good and useful book, just not the one it presents itself as.