Customer Reviews

No-Nonsense Management: A General Manager's Primer

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Richard Sloma, as the previous CEO of ITT during its peak years, writes from real life experiences simple two page lessons on 72 principals of management. You could either read the whole chapter, or just the first paragraph. Or, after you understand the concept, you can just refresh your memory from the table of contents. He uses about a half page to explain the principal, another page to highlight examples of the principal applied wrong and another half page or so of how to apply it correctly. My performance as a manager went from being a stong mid to senior manager to a strong executive, nearly overnight. Would I recommend this book? Not only would I recommend it, but I often give it out as a gift to friends as my top choice of management books.

This fine little book bills itself as a general manager's primer, but the principles it espouses are applicable at every level of business. Every person is the general manager of his own job.

No Nonsense Management does not offer a panacea for managing your business. Rather, it is a set of mental tools to employ in various and varying situations, which is why it occasionally seems contradictory ("Move fast on reversible decisions" versus "Never make a decision until you have to"). It provides some good language for dealing with colleagues ("Never tolerate mediocrity") and some reminders to always keep your feet moving ("Solving one problem always causes additional problems" and "Good management is like vitamins; it needs to be applied daily).

This book is especially useful for aggressive young subordinates in corporate situations who want to outshine their bosses. Applying the axioms and using the language will always make you look better than the guy to whom you report, especially if he has never specifically studied the art of management. It's definitely worth buying this book if you ever happen to have a boss who is a chump.

I bought this book in paperback, way back in the mid-80's. I still refer to it often. More than 25 years of simple, straight-forward, great advice. Helps me find my center every time I start to feel overwhelmed by the BS artists (such as how solid numbers can dismantle mere opinions.) I have to say it: I've gotten more practical help from this book over the years than I ever got from my MBA.

The pages are falling out of my old copy. As a senior manager, I still have a number of years of combat ahead of me and I came here in search of a new copy. I decided to write this because I couldn't believe the customer rating. Amazon should delete the votes of the Venezuelan idiot who posted nada, repeadedly; it helps no one. 5 stars.