Stop Telling. Start Leading! The Art of Managing People by Asking Questions (Paperback)

by Frank, D Kanu (Author), George, A Milite (Editor), Jay-D Olivier (Foreword)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
In the fifth century B.C. the Greek philosopher Socrates perfected a method of teaching in which he would ask disarmingly simple questions that actually forced people to admit what they didn't know. As you read this book, you'll find a number of questions that follow the Socratic tradition. The reason? Today's managers need more than the predefined answers we might think are correct, but which seldom fit the problem at hand. Stop Telling. Start Leading is a work book and should be used as such. It offers many open-ended questions to the manager, offering ways to determine why something has gone off-center. Because every manager is different-the result of education, cultural background, ethnicity, etc.-offering predefined "one size fits all" answers can't do it any longer. Managers need to answer tough, pointed questions that will force them to come to terms with their goals. Once they do that, they can manage more effectively and more positively-which helps them and their team. Step 1: What Is Management? Without the proper foundation, any building will be unable to stand solidly. Different existing definitions are introduced, including the classics from Maccoby, Myers Briggs and Keirsey, as well as some lesser-known ones. Step 2: Know the Sins As a manager you must be well aware of the shortfalls that can break your business: starting with the 13 most deadly sins like "Demand and Encourage," "Ignore Standards," "Tolerate Negligence" or "Let Everything Go Uncontrolled." You'll learn about a manager who punished underperforming employees with a whip. Step 3: Take Responsibility Managers need to understand that taking responsibility means standing up for their employees. But employees need to take responsibility as well. Responsibility is more than just focusing on making money. Companies that understand the importance of customers and employees and treat them accordingly, easily outperform those that don't. Step 4: What Do You Pay? A bonus is worth more than a thousand words. Bonuses don't have to be cash, but they do have to be meaningful and appropriate to the job being rewarded. Think how the right bonuses could make employees more motivated and loyal. Step 5: Make Your Team Work Designing teams seems to be turning into a lost art. Most teams are thrown together too quickly. Just throw in a few folks with a "reputation" and the rest will work itself out-or will it? Can the underdogs outperform the stars? Shotgun teams-just like shotgun weddings, just as unhappy. Managers are proud of their accomplishments, but when things go awry do they take responsibility or blame the team? Step 6: Change, Growth and Trust During a speech at a Rotary Club a formerly silent member felt comfortable enough to speak up. What made him feel confident enough? Skilled managers can get the best out of their employees. Through good manners, understanding cultural differences and respecting personal space and keeping things organized (or not). Step 7: Bring the Fun to Work Having fun can't be a requirement, but it's a desired side effect. The fun has to be added to the work expertly or else the employees will see the fun as just more work. When managers can loosen up the staff, the workplace is more relaxed and productive. The more fun, the better employees work.

Product Details

• Paperback: 204 pages
• Publisher: Genius One, Inc. (October 4, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0977405613
• ISBN-13: 978-0977405619
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,292,983 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Build Teams, May 31, 2006

By	Marshall McLuhan's "Biggest Fan" (virtual, space) - See all my reviews

(Full disclosure: this book contains a copy of the FunStandard.org which I maintain.) This book should be required reading for anyone thinking of managing or leading people, covering all the things you need to do to succeed, or, in other words, all of the things managers so often don't think about resulting in unnecessary failure. I particularly liked the chapter on building teams, providing a framework for doing so to avoid a mistake that often dooms projects before the first meeting is even held -- haphazard assembly of individuals, mistaking "organization chart" for "team". This book's distilled wisdom will make you a better manager in a very short time.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Easy read, March 16, 2006

By	Leo student (Largo, MD) - See all my reviews

It is amazing how very simple Stop Telling Start Leading is to understand. The material is in no way inferior, but is presented in such a simple manner, you can read it in one sitting.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars New management book unlike any other, March 8, 2006

By	R. A. M. Wopereis "Attention Architect" (Borne, Netherlands) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

-- This message was also posted on MLPF and LinkedIN Lions ---

Most people appreciate the difference grandparents made in their lives. While their parents are much more concerned with how a child should be, their grandparents have the patience to create the space for the child to become who they really are. Basically it is the felt difference between emotional stress and emotional support.

The same is true for management books. Most management book authors are like parents, telling the child how it needs to be. And managers are like children, wanting to live up to expectations. Do you have friends or relatives who are a manager? Do you feel they could use some emotional support? After all, being a manager is quite often a challenge, and sometimes it is more than one can bear. These are the times when they need some kind of support.

Here's the good news. My friend and mentor, Frank Kanu, has published a management book that will bring your manager friend the emotional support (s)he sometimes needs. Here's an example:

"When there's no plan, deadlines are missed, budgets are overextended, customers are unhappy, employees are angry and exhausted, and managers have to clean up the mess." (p128)

I remember the time when i was an employee, and i read "the Dilbert Principle" by Scott Adams. And for the first time in my life i felt the emotional support, coming right out of this book.

This book by Frank Kanu, "Stop Telling... Start Leading !" is such a book. If you would like to give your friend the emotional support that you think (s)he deserves, then by all means, buy the book and give it to her or to him. The book is available from Amazon.com.

As a gift for you, i will throw in a free PDF version of my own book "Bilocality and the inner world of attention". I feel that this way, we've all done just this little extra, to help those who need us most.

Let's continue improving our life and those we care about.
Warmest regards, Ron
http://www.whatisattention.org