Friday, January 13, 2012

What To Do When You Become The Boss: How New Managers Become Successful Managers By Bob Selden

What To Do When You Become The Boss: How new managers become successful managers

What To Do When You Become The Boss: How New Managers Become Successful Managers By Bob Selden

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Product Description

Do you know all the "ins" and "outs" of managing?

Make a success of your career as a manager. This is your complete "How to" for managing your boss, your people, yourself. You will refer to this book again and again as you progress through your career.

You will discover how to:

- Become an effective leader, recognized throughout the organization

- Distribute your time appropriately between the three essential managerial role elements of leading, managing and operating

- Manage your boss - one of the most important of your work relationships

- Select your new boss - if you happen to be changing roles or organizations

- Manage the performance of your team including setting and maintaining standards, coaching, motivating and appraising performance

- Select the best person for the job with a process that is 4 times more effective than traditional selection processes

- Delegate, make more effective decisions, run motivating team meetings - there are even chapters on "How to manage your emails" and "How to build your image"

"Nothing is more practical than a good theory." Kurt Lewin's quote sums up this book and Bob's ability to address the realities of managing people in changing environments. In each chapter he demonstrates a rare gift of being able to translate conceptual frameworks into practical processes and actions which managers can build into their daily work routines. The rich array of case studies, many drawn from Bob's own experience as a line manager, add colour and weight to this comprehensive "must read" user's guide for new and not so new managers.

- Humphrey Armstrong, Organizational Psychologist, Lifelong Learning Systems, Sydney, Australia The messages in this best selling book have shown thousands of managers, particularly new managers, a better way of managing. Find out for yourself.

Product Details
  • Amazon Sales Rank: #193539 in Books
  • Published on: 2007-11-15
  • Original language: English
  • Number of items: 1
  • Dimensions: .69" h x 6.02" w x 9.00" l, .96 pounds
  • Binding: Paperback
  • 279 pages

Features

  • ISBN13: 9781432714284
  • Condition: New
  • Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee.
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Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher
Internationally known Australian organisational consultant Bob Selden, who is now based in Switzerland, has finally put all his great management tips and techniques into print. Bob's been a first level supervisor, line manager and senior manager in three financial organisations. So when it comes to knowing something about management, there probably aren't too many more experienced. He's also consulted to organisations from most industries on five different continents.

"What To Do When You Become The Boss" is a very practical "how to" for new managers. In fact it's probably a must read for all managers, not just new ones, as the topics include most, if not all aspects of management (including an interesting chapter on "How to select your new boss").

Whilst it's written specifically for new managers, the "How to implement the ideas in this chapter" sections at the end of each chapter, can be:
* adapted for use by trainers and consultants to use with a wide variety of people development activities.
* used by managers of managers as an ideal way of training and coaching their new manager

Chapters 1 & 2 would make excellent pre-reading for any management development program. For example, the Australian Graduate School of Management in Sydney will be using the book as pre-reading for some of their external development programs.

Strongly recommended for all new managers, managers of managers and training consultants involved in the development of people skills.

From the Author
I survived my first new manager's role in banking to eventually develop into a senior manager responsible for the career development of hundreds of other managers. During this growing process, and later as an organisational development consultant, trainer and coach, I learnt what works and what doesn't work when managing others. "What To Do When You Become The Boss" is the result of this learning which I'm very pleased to pass on to help other new managers during their initial growth spurt.

From the Back Cover
Do you know all the "ins" and "outs" of managing?

Make a success of your career as a manager. This is your complete "How to" for managing your boss, your people, yourself. You will refer to this book again and again as you progress through your career.

You will discover how to:
* Become an effective leader, recognized throughout the organization
* Distribute your time appropriately between the three essential managerial role elements of leading, managing and operating
* Manage your boss - one of the most important of your work relationships Select your new boss - if you happen to be changing roles or organizations
* Manage the performance of your team including setting and maintaining standards, coaching, motivating and appraising performance
* Select the best person for the job with a process that is 4 times more effective than traditional selection processes
* Delegate, make more effective decisions, run motivating team meetings - there are even chapters on "How to manage your emails" and "How to build your image"

"Nothing is more practical than a good theory." Kurt Lewin's quote sums up this book and Bob's ability to address the realities of managing people in changing environments. In each chapter he demonstrates a rare gift of being able to translate conceptual frameworks into practical processes and actions which managers can build into their daily work routines. The rich array of case studies, many drawn from Bob's own experience as a line manager, add colour and weight to this comprehensive "must read" user's guide for new and not so new managers.

- Humphrey Armstrong, Organizational Psychologist, Lifelong Learning Systems, Sydney, Australia.

The messages in this best selling book have shown thousands of managers, particularly new managers, a better way of managing. Find out for yourself.

Customer Reviews

Most helpful customer reviews

34 of 35 people found the following review helpful.
4Learn Your Management Style and be Dynamic
By Bryan Carey
Management books are commonplace and most everyone who works in the managerial realm has read at least one book on the subject. Unfortunately for the inspiration- seeking manager, books that deal with management are often dull and sleep- inducing. But to every rule there is an exception and "What to Do When You Become the Boss" is certainly one of them. This management book is different in many ways from the typical management book, both in organization and in content. Starting with an introduction that includes a self- assessment of management style, What to Do When You Become the Boss is a proactive book from beginning to end. This book's goal isn't to explain theories of management. It focuses instead on taking action; implementing change, improving organization, and formulating a strategy that will help a manager achieve his/her greatest potential.

As mentioned before, the introduction of this book includes a self- assessment test that is intended to help the manager find which of four categories- Activist, Reflector, Theorist, or Pragmatist- his/her style of learning/managing matches most closely. Once the personal style is known, the reader is prepared to read and learn. To help make the book more useful to readers and to help managers concentrate on the material with the greatest relevance, there are directions (starting in Part 2) that recommend turning directly to a particular chapter, based on which of the four styles the reader fits. By following these directions, a manager can bypass the less relevant information and proceed to the material that pertains specifically to them.

Even though I fit the definition of a pragmatist, I decided to read the entire book to see what it had to offer and discover how it could help me as a manager. A management book, if it is written correctly, can prove to be a valuable learning tool and it can help tremendously in the daily act of managing people, money, projects, etc. And this book is certainly one of the more helpful I have read on the subject of management. Not only does this book offer some new and different advice on management, it is also very well organized, with case examples; tables; charts; and summaries of the key points in each chapter. The organization makes it easy to thumb through the pages of the book and find the needed advice and the charts and tables help to organize the data further, making the book easy to understand and easy to follow.

What to Do When You Become the Boss is a book about taking charge and working to improve your business, your co- workers, your subordinates, your supervisor, and yourself. This is probably the main quality that sets this book apart from most other management books. Instead of boring the reader to tears with behavioral concepts and management theory, this book moves directly to the action. For example, instead of explaining how Classic Management theory would suggest the proper way to search for the right employee for a position, this book explains exactly what to do, step by step, to maximize the chance of finding exactly the right person for the job. From an analysis of requirements for the position to the implementation of the new employee into the organization, this book offers precise methodologies to help a manager succeed.

Besides the common topics covered in most managerial books, What to Do When You Become the Boss includes a few chapters that set it apart from the usual book. It contains some of the usual material (like ways to motive employees, give effective feedback, etc.) but it also includes a few chapters that offer some advice on topics not discussed very frequently in management books. Examples include the chapters on choosing and managing your boss. Most people don't think of their boss as someone they "manage" or "get to select", but like the book points out, it is very important that a manager's immediate supervisor is someone he/she can trust and someone he/she can go to for advice and assistance when needed. The book recommends examining your future boss starting with the initial interview and he even offers some questions to ask your future boss during the interview process.

Author Bob Selden is a native of Australia, so his writing is a little different from what is usually found in a book written by an American author. For example, it is common to find the letter "s" in place of "z" (like, "organisation" instead of "organization") in some of the words and some of the writing may not be as grammatically user- friendly as some readers would like. Also, some of the advice may not be completely practical to everyone and may require some modification to fit individual needs and requirements. One good example is the chapter about e-mail. The book recommends not getting too wound up on constantly checking e-mail and it suggests not even looking at e-mail until the afternoon. This might very well be good advice, but it isn't always practical to wait until the afternoon to check e-mail for the first time and some companies, in fact, insist e-mail is open and read on a constant basis.

Overall, What to Do When You Become the Boss is a highly effective book on the subject of management and it ranks among the better books I have read on this subject. It is well- written with plenty of good advice and great organization to help the young manager reach his/her greatest potential. It's a handy book that all managers, both new and experienced, can benefit.

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful.
5Not just for new managers.
By Monty Rainey
As a business coach, WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU BECOME THE BOSS by Bob Selden, is a book I will reference often. I found several really powerful ideas for more effective leadership and management.

Selden opens his work with a way for the reader to determine their best methods of study. I found myself to be equal parts Activist and Protagonist and followed the direction of study as indicated, which means I skipped over a few parts here and there. In time, I will probably read the entire text.

Throughout the text, Seldon varies his approach, recognizing the differences in management styles. This is a refreshing variation from the normal "one size fits all" we find in so many management and leadership books. I guess the thing that impressed me the most with this book is the amount of fresh ideas.

Don't get me wrong. You will find a few things you've heard before in one way or another, but you'll also find ideas that will definitely make you alter your approach. Overall, a good book for any level of management. Easy to comprehend and covers a lot of territory.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful.
4A management training book packed with many management models, theories, and practical tips. One thumb up!
By Jeff Lippincott

I liked this book. It is full of good content, well written, and outlined pretty well. It is definitely a book I would recommend to someone who is going to be responsible for extracting maximum value from his or her subordinates whether they are in a small company or a huge company. I typically read books that can or will make a positive impact on wanta-be entrepreneurs or small business owners, and this book is no different. A small business owner should read this book to help improve his or her skills as a manager.

This book starts off explaining the difference between being a leader and a being a manager. I'm not sure it was necessary to devote two chapters to adequately explain the difference. The book is about managing - not about leading. Then we are told about the ins and outs of managing a team or subordinates. We hear about how to motivate, critique, coach, and unload or fire people. For me, this was the best part of the book.

I think I would have liked the book better if Part V (Managing Yourself) had started the book off followed by Part II (Managing Your Team). I would have merged Part IV (Managing Your Meetings) into the Managing Your Team section because you have to have meetings if your are managing a team. And Part III would have concluded the book. In my humble opinion, Part I (Leading and Managing) could be eliminated. Or it could be included as an appendix.

I would have liked the book better if the Introduction had actually introduced me to the book instead of discussing "learning styles." Generally, I like to read a book my way. I don't like to be told how to read a book. And I don't like to categorize myself, i.e., activist, reflector, theorist, or pragmatist. In fact, I am all of these depending on the mood I find myself. And I think a good manager has to be able to be all of these depending on the project he finds himself overseeing.

What I got from this book is that if you command a talent for people skills, and you have some technical skills, then you will probably do well as a manager. Some people were born with people skills, and others have to struggle to develop them. But one thing is for sure, if you don't have people skills you are going to have a tough time as a manager. Read this book and see how a master of people skills manages successfully. 4 stars!

http://astore.amazon.com/amazon-book-books-20/detail/1432714287

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