Customer Reviews

Successful Manager's Handbook: Develop Yourself, Coach Others

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First of all, as the name indicates, this book is a handbook. Merriam Webster defines a handbook as "a concise reference book; manual"

For a manual, I have to give this book high marks - it covers a whole gamut of topics / competencies - enough to assist those who consciously want to improve their professional and leadership skills. The language is easy to understand. The only prerequisite is to be in a work-place for a few years so as to appreciate each competency.

Pros:

(1) Compendium of competencies. Most likely, nothing has been missed!

(2) A person who is keen on gaining skill in a particular competency such as "Manage Change" or "Establish Trust" can quickly gather insights into what behaviors and skills he/she must practice or develop.

(3) Easy to understand.

Cons:

(1) No pictures or maps or schematics shown.

(2) No case studies or examples presented.

(3) Not concise. For example, there are 28 chapters in the seventh edition (2004). At a high level, one should be able to identify less than ten key competencies, with each having additional sub-topics. For example, it is easier on the reader to have one chapter on "Foster open Communication" with sub sections of "Write effectively", "Listen attentively", "speak with Impact", etc. rather than have a chapter each. A person solely relying on this book will have difficulty summarizing key leadership qualities. (Imagine organizing 28 chapters in the mind!).

(4) Systematic methodology for skill development not presented.

All this makes for dry reading. But then, if you look upon this book as a reference manual and not as a textbook, you might develop some compassion for the authors!

Here is how I used this book:

(1) Start a personal development plan (consult web, books or leader).

(2) Understand the competencies required for your profession.

(3) Self-assess on the competencies, assigning a skill level of "Development," "Working," or "Advanced".

(4) Have a competent leader who knows you (e.g. your manager) assess your skills. Compare notes.

(5) Pick the top 2-3 competencies where improvement is needed.

(6) Refer to those chapters in this book which correspond to these identified competencies.

(7) Summarize these chapters in your own words as you develop insights.

(8) Periodically look up summary and use these techniques during your waking hours - home or work - until they are internalized.

(9) Repeat this exercise once in 2-3 years.

In summary, this book is a good reference manual for improving one's professional skills, but should not be used as a text book.

The content of the book is excellent. The authors have created a compendium of the knowledge and behaviors needed for a manager to be successful. One would be hard-pressed to find this much of content in one volume, at the price this book is sold at.

The bad news is that all of the content is in endless streams of paragraphs or bullet points. The total absence of a change in pace (no anecdotes, case studies, sidebars, pictures) makes this a very dry read. The book could be significantly enlivened by the addition of more diagrams that visually illustrate the principles being described.

To make the best use of this material, learn to Mind Map (see Buzan's The Mind Mapping book). As you read through the material, distill the content into mind maps. Continually refer to those mind maps as you practice the behaviors suggested by the authors.

In summary, the content is first-rate, the presentation is lacking.

Now in an updated seventh edition, Successful Manager's Handbook is an in-depth, one-stop compendium packed with everything a manager absolutely must know. Written and compiled by Personnel Decisions International, a global human resources consulting firm specializing in building leadership talent, Successful Manager's Handbook is filled cover to cover with expert advice, from how to analyze issues and make sound, logical decisions to postively influencing others, fostering open communication, listen and write effectively, lead with courage, build trust, and much more. Point-by-point suggestions applicable to leaders of any scope in any field break down the most crucial concepts into easily accessible guidelines, and extensive lists of top-quality books and seminars offer further resources to pursue for tips, tricks, and techniques. Highly recommended.

This book is the most practical book on the topic of employment that I have seen. It is helpful for first level and intermediate level management because it is simply written and covers practical topics. It is also a great resource for new college graduates or anyone new to the workplace. Use it to learn what your manager might be expecting of you. Topics include strategic thinking, change management, technology, customer service, leadership, human resources and more.

I am very impressed with this book. It was on the list of Leadership Competencies tools that my organization (Aurora Health Care)recommends for Managers, Directors and Vice Presidents. I like the way the book is organized. I can pick it up and quickly get some very solid advice on a particular topic. Effective leadership skills have never been more important in the workplace.

This book has a lot of information on competencies. Each chapter comes with suggestions on how to apply them. It's a great resource to learn new competencies you have not used in previously for your development and coaching others. I use this book as a reference choosing only chapters that I need to read and apply quickly.

While no manager should be just handed a book then told to be a manager, this book does provide insight into almost any kind of managerial situation. It begins with the basics, analyzing problems and making sound decisions. It then moves on to cover communications (written, spoken, and listened), relationship building, conflict resolution, and so forth. Every chapter is relevant to real life situations managers of any kind will eventually face in the workplace.

Since managers are in the position between line supervisors and department directors, they play a key role in shaping strategy, implementing policy, and providing guideance to staff. All mangers should have basic skills prior to their appointment, but a book like this will help fine tune those skills. The format is more than just pages of text on how to do things right. It acknowledges the vastness of managing people and the complexity of some situations. There is no textbook response to any given situation, but a book like this can help managers give situations perspective.

This book is highly recommended. No manager should be so arrogant as to think they have all the answers all of the time. Taking the time to read this book then refer back to it often will help any manager be that successful manager the book's title speaks of.

As a leadership consultant, I find this book priceless. Unlike many "leadership" books, this does not have any cute stories about cheese or whales. What it does have is practical advice with tools, checklists and "tips for coaches" in every chapter. I teach a 12 month leadership program for high potential leaders at my company. Over the past five years I have given only one book to my 100+ graduates... "Successful Manager's Handbook".

I have bought and used every edition of this book for development of managers/leaders including individual contributors over the years. It is the one book every manager needs on their desk, not to read from cover to cover, but for reference. It is the essential book for personal development, coaching, resume writing, job descriptions, training needs analysis, etc. Keep it on your desk,not in a drawer or on a bookshelf.

There seems to be an entry on just about every facet of management. Every item I have looked up has provided me with several good ideas and things to remember when dealing with that topic. Very comprehensive. I bought it on the recommendation of my manager who is on his third copy of the book.