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Being the Boss: The 3 Imperatives for Becoming a Great Leader
You never dreamed being the boss would be so hard. You're caught in a web of conflicting expectations from subordinates, your supervisor, peers, and customers.
You're not alone. As Linda Hill and Kent Lineback reveal in Being the Boss, becoming an effective manager is a painful, difficult journey. It's trial and error, endless effort, and slowly acquired personal insight. Many managers never complete the journey. At best, they just learn to get by. At worst, they become terrible bosses.
This new book explains how to avoid that fate, by mastering three
· Manage Learn that management isn't about getting things done yourself. It's about accomplishing things through others.
· Manage a Understand how power and influence work in your organization and build a network of mutually beneficial relationships to navigate your company's complex political environment.
· Manage a Forge a high-performing "we" out of all the "I"s who report to you.
Packed with compelling stories and practical guidance, Being the Boss is an indispensable guide for not only first-time managers but all managers seeking to master the most daunting challenges of leadership.
You're not alone. As Linda Hill and Kent Lineback reveal in Being the Boss, becoming an effective manager is a painful, difficult journey. It's trial and error, endless effort, and slowly acquired personal insight. Many managers never complete the journey. At best, they just learn to get by. At worst, they become terrible bosses.
This new book explains how to avoid that fate, by mastering three
· Manage Learn that management isn't about getting things done yourself. It's about accomplishing things through others.
· Manage a Understand how power and influence work in your organization and build a network of mutually beneficial relationships to navigate your company's complex political environment.
· Manage a Forge a high-performing "we" out of all the "I"s who report to you.
Packed with compelling stories and practical guidance, Being the Boss is an indispensable guide for not only first-time managers but all managers seeking to master the most daunting challenges of leadership.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published January 10, 2011
198 people are currently reading
1611 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
May 3, 2014
I believe this book is a good and quite complete one - at least for me :) being a manager/lead for 2 months now when it comes on the duties and challenges of a manager.
The idea is to be aware of the 3 imperatives of a great manager:
- manage yourself: if one wants to be an effective and trusted manager of people, he/she should start with managing the self. What means to be a boss, the role, the relationship with others. Being aware it is all about results in the end, but the ones around you who need to achieve them still have brains and hearts.
- manage the network: - exercising influence super important to understand who are the ones around you who can make you and the team succeed and whom you can also advice. there are 3 type of them: operational (for day to day activities), strategic (resources, see the potential, being the sponsor) and development (people who you need to trust that will give you candid feedback about your performance.
- managing the team: clear roles and direction, clear sense of where the person as an individual and team member is. Always asses when to delegate (low, moderate, high touch) and constant discussions around performance and perception are needed.
It is so useful to remind yourself about the pitfalls of friendship, the extreme authority, the loose ends, the fear of having strong team players, the lack of trust, the always better self-perception...etc
I would recommend this book as I think one can take away lot of info and put them into practice.
The idea is to be aware of the 3 imperatives of a great manager:
- manage yourself: if one wants to be an effective and trusted manager of people, he/she should start with managing the self. What means to be a boss, the role, the relationship with others. Being aware it is all about results in the end, but the ones around you who need to achieve them still have brains and hearts.
- manage the network: - exercising influence super important to understand who are the ones around you who can make you and the team succeed and whom you can also advice. there are 3 type of them: operational (for day to day activities), strategic (resources, see the potential, being the sponsor) and development (people who you need to trust that will give you candid feedback about your performance.
- managing the team: clear roles and direction, clear sense of where the person as an individual and team member is. Always asses when to delegate (low, moderate, high touch) and constant discussions around performance and perception are needed.
It is so useful to remind yourself about the pitfalls of friendship, the extreme authority, the loose ends, the fear of having strong team players, the lack of trust, the always better self-perception...etc
I would recommend this book as I think one can take away lot of info and put them into practice.
May 18, 2017
This is the holy grail that you need to read. A complete one, filled with all the pros and cons, ups and downs in the leadership struggle for all levels of leaders. Like many other books in the genre, this is not a book that you read once and let it get dirty on a shelf. This is something that you come back to now and then and up your game in helping people and yourself.
November 18, 2018
A great book for new and experienced managers. One of my favorite on team management. Great examples and did cushions that can actually be applied.
August 21, 2018
I was apprehensive to read this one at first because the description seemed a little remedial, but reluctantly I started anyway. To no surprise the first part about managing myself was a very elementary approach to leadership and being the boss. I pushed through it and took the attitude that I’m sure I can learn something from this book; so, I opened my mind to take in what I could. Then I entered the second stage about managing my network. THIS area has been a weakness of mine for years because I always looked and “politicking” as not essential to my path. Was I wrong! Linda Hill and Kent Lineback did an amazing job showing the importance of building networks throughout every project and inspired me to work on improving this weakness in my own leadership! Great read...even if you have a number of years in leadership! Never remain too close minded that you prevent yourself from learning new perspectives!
January 2, 2019
This is a very readable book on management and leadership from an academic imprint. Linda Hill, a business professor at Harvard, condenses 30 years of research into "3 imperatives" -- manage yourself, manage your network, and manage your team. Along the way she tackles topics such as moving from a star performer to an effective manager, organizational politics, why mentoring and being mentored is hard as well as moving your focus from problem-solving and perfection seeking to achieving results now and in the future. A case history that runs throughout the book ties many of her points together in a workplace scenario. Her common sense approach even prompted me to write down a page of memorable quotations. Her view on empathy -- "You need empathy, the ability to see the world as others see it without being captured by their point of view." -- captures its essence in a single sentence.
May 21, 2022
Rounding up to 5, but I’d give it 4.5 stars. The beginning was a little slower, but this book actually helped me think of team dynamics and project management in new ways. The parts I needed most were in the second half of the book.
I listened to this book, which was a love-hate relationship. It felt like the narrator had an American accent with a lilt of aristocracy. No joke, if Rob Lowe’s character, Chris Treager, and the movie character of the Scarlet Pimpernel had a baby, he would sound exactly like this narrator. It always took a minute to stop paying attention to how he was saying things and listen to what he was saying. So it was a little comical at times. Regardless, I recommend this book if you’re a newer manager trying to figure out how to run a more efficient team and connect the dots that might have been forgotten.
I listened to this book, which was a love-hate relationship. It felt like the narrator had an American accent with a lilt of aristocracy. No joke, if Rob Lowe’s character, Chris Treager, and the movie character of the Scarlet Pimpernel had a baby, he would sound exactly like this narrator. It always took a minute to stop paying attention to how he was saying things and listen to what he was saying. So it was a little comical at times. Regardless, I recommend this book if you’re a newer manager trying to figure out how to run a more efficient team and connect the dots that might have been forgotten.
July 28, 2015
Hill discusses practical tips and personal surveys to guide your development as a manager. How do you see yourself and how does that differ from how others see you?
Why I started this book: I wanted help and inspiration on how to be a better boss.
Why I finished it: Very practical, but also overwhelming as an audio book, since they are harder to skim thru or skip to relevant sections. Interesting and inspiring. I really liked the section on Prep, Do, Review and will need to include that in my life and management style.
Why I started this book: I wanted help and inspiration on how to be a better boss.
Why I finished it: Very practical, but also overwhelming as an audio book, since they are harder to skim thru or skip to relevant sections. Interesting and inspiring. I really liked the section on Prep, Do, Review and will need to include that in my life and management style.
June 3, 2019
Good book for high potential leaders who are becoming more relevant and are starting to manage a greater group of people.
High potential leaders might have a problem when managing people. Usually they might think that they didn’t need coaching, motivation or inspiration. In that sense, they think that a team should learn by themselves and spent little time on the teams.
~80% of the manager day should be talking to people, more reactive and with quick interactions.
It’s proven that good leadership is differential for a good performance.
There are three main areas to understand: know your self, your network and your team.
Don’t be a boss enforcing your authority. You should engage and inspire people to do what you need. The less you use your authority for something the more it is valued.
You also need to know the boundaries on friendship on work. You have to be friendly but it can’t interfere on the relations, tough feedbacks and etc.
To be a good leaders you also need to be trusted. There are three important facts to ensure your credibility: your technical knowledge, operations and political. On the technical, you need to have all the tools and broad view and not to be the expert on everything. You need to know enough to give guidance and have a sistêmica view. On the operational, you need to know how to apply the good ideas. And on the political, you need to know how to influence and each person abilities on how they can help you and the company.
A good network relationship is very important. The sooner you understand that a company is also a political environment the better. The more you grow in you career, the mor information you need. So a good network to know where to find the info you need is necessary. To cultivate a good network, you need to work to mutually benefit (this remembers some concepts on the Give and take book). You need to start the relation and invest on them before you need it.
Managing up
You are responsible to create the environment to improve yourself. Communicate with your boss the way he feels more comfortable. Some demand getting into details and to be informed on everything and others wants only most relevant updates. If you don’t know, it is better preferred to “overinform”. Also you need to know how to leverage the positive characteristics of your boss and try to fill the gap on the others. Also important to take into account culture on the day to day relationship. If you disagree you need to make your point clear. If you agree you also have to make it clear (if you only disagree, you might not make the same influence).
Managing teams is not only making the best of each individual. You need to extract the best from the people as a team. Some things beyond training and one to one meetings as purpose, goals and plans are important. It’s good to have a very well defined plan where you can share with the company and the teams.
The written plan should have at least three aspects. Where you are now (it seems simple , but most people doesn’t know), where you want to get (short and medium term) and how to get there.
When managing your team you also have to take into consideration different aspects on culture and behaviors, but you cannot treat them “differently”. You also need to make them to constructively disagree (different ideas are good). You have to make them work as a group but you can’t forget also to treat them individually.
A good methodology you should follow is: prep, do and review. You should also enforce your team with this method.
High potential leaders might have a problem when managing people. Usually they might think that they didn’t need coaching, motivation or inspiration. In that sense, they think that a team should learn by themselves and spent little time on the teams.
~80% of the manager day should be talking to people, more reactive and with quick interactions.
It’s proven that good leadership is differential for a good performance.
There are three main areas to understand: know your self, your network and your team.
Don’t be a boss enforcing your authority. You should engage and inspire people to do what you need. The less you use your authority for something the more it is valued.
You also need to know the boundaries on friendship on work. You have to be friendly but it can’t interfere on the relations, tough feedbacks and etc.
To be a good leaders you also need to be trusted. There are three important facts to ensure your credibility: your technical knowledge, operations and political. On the technical, you need to have all the tools and broad view and not to be the expert on everything. You need to know enough to give guidance and have a sistêmica view. On the operational, you need to know how to apply the good ideas. And on the political, you need to know how to influence and each person abilities on how they can help you and the company.
A good network relationship is very important. The sooner you understand that a company is also a political environment the better. The more you grow in you career, the mor information you need. So a good network to know where to find the info you need is necessary. To cultivate a good network, you need to work to mutually benefit (this remembers some concepts on the Give and take book). You need to start the relation and invest on them before you need it.
Managing up
You are responsible to create the environment to improve yourself. Communicate with your boss the way he feels more comfortable. Some demand getting into details and to be informed on everything and others wants only most relevant updates. If you don’t know, it is better preferred to “overinform”. Also you need to know how to leverage the positive characteristics of your boss and try to fill the gap on the others. Also important to take into account culture on the day to day relationship. If you disagree you need to make your point clear. If you agree you also have to make it clear (if you only disagree, you might not make the same influence).
Managing teams is not only making the best of each individual. You need to extract the best from the people as a team. Some things beyond training and one to one meetings as purpose, goals and plans are important. It’s good to have a very well defined plan where you can share with the company and the teams.
The written plan should have at least three aspects. Where you are now (it seems simple , but most people doesn’t know), where you want to get (short and medium term) and how to get there.
When managing your team you also have to take into consideration different aspects on culture and behaviors, but you cannot treat them “differently”. You also need to make them to constructively disagree (different ideas are good). You have to make them work as a group but you can’t forget also to treat them individually.
A good methodology you should follow is: prep, do and review. You should also enforce your team with this method.
March 4, 2023
Phương pháp mà chúng tôi đưa ra trong cuốn sách này là thực hành 3 vai trò cốt yếu để trở thành lãnh đạo xứng tầm: Quản trị bản thân, Quản trị quan hệ, Quản trị đội ngũ.
Phương pháp này có thể được dùng để định hướng cho mọi khía cạnh trong công việc của bạn. Mỗi vai trò cốt yếu đều đóng vai trò then chốt đối với thành công của bạn, và, cùng với nhau, chúng hoàn thiện mọi hoạt động chính yếu mà các nhà lãnh đạo hiệu quả phải làm để tác động lên người khác. Thành thạo được chúng chính là mục đích của hành trình mà bạn đang đi.
Hành trình này không hề dễ dàng. Bạn sẽ cần nhiều hơn ngoài sáng kiến và tham vọng, vì 3 vai trò cốt yếu chắc chắn sẽ đòi hỏi bạn phải hành động và giao tiếp theo nhiều phương thức mà ban đầu có thể trái với bản năng và tính cách của bạn. Sẽ có những lúc bạn phải đối nghịch lại với khuynh hướng của riêng mình và thậm chí cả sự mong đợi của người khác, rất ít người chỉ đơn giản làm theo bản năng của mình mà có thể trở thành nhà quản lý hiệu quả. Do đó, bạn sẽ không chỉ cần sự tự nhận thức mà còn phải là sự tự kiểm soát, kỷ luật cá nhân, quyết tâm và khả năng phục hồi.
Khi tiến bộ trên hành trình của mình, bạn sẽ được nhận trách nhiệm với đội ngũ có nhiều thành viên hơn. Với trách nhiệm đó, tác động của bạn đến công ty, thành công của công ty, và tất cả mọi người trong công ty của bạn sẽ lớn hơn. Bạn phải dùng sức mạnh của mình không chỉ để định hình công việc của họ, mà còn cả cách họ nghĩ về bản thân khi làm việc. Cuối cùng, bạn hài lòng khi thực hiện được điều gì đó quan trọng cho xã hội. Việc quản lý thường không được nói đến theo cách này, nhưng nếu không có nó, xã hội không thể hoạt động.
Phương pháp này có thể được dùng để định hướng cho mọi khía cạnh trong công việc của bạn. Mỗi vai trò cốt yếu đều đóng vai trò then chốt đối với thành công của bạn, và, cùng với nhau, chúng hoàn thiện mọi hoạt động chính yếu mà các nhà lãnh đạo hiệu quả phải làm để tác động lên người khác. Thành thạo được chúng chính là mục đích của hành trình mà bạn đang đi.
Hành trình này không hề dễ dàng. Bạn sẽ cần nhiều hơn ngoài sáng kiến và tham vọng, vì 3 vai trò cốt yếu chắc chắn sẽ đòi hỏi bạn phải hành động và giao tiếp theo nhiều phương thức mà ban đầu có thể trái với bản năng và tính cách của bạn. Sẽ có những lúc bạn phải đối nghịch lại với khuynh hướng của riêng mình và thậm chí cả sự mong đợi của người khác, rất ít người chỉ đơn giản làm theo bản năng của mình mà có thể trở thành nhà quản lý hiệu quả. Do đó, bạn sẽ không chỉ cần sự tự nhận thức mà còn phải là sự tự kiểm soát, kỷ luật cá nhân, quyết tâm và khả năng phục hồi.
Khi tiến bộ trên hành trình của mình, bạn sẽ được nhận trách nhiệm với đội ngũ có nhiều thành viên hơn. Với trách nhiệm đó, tác động của bạn đến công ty, thành công của công ty, và tất cả mọi người trong công ty của bạn sẽ lớn hơn. Bạn phải dùng sức mạnh của mình không chỉ để định hình công việc của họ, mà còn cả cách họ nghĩ về bản thân khi làm việc. Cuối cùng, bạn hài lòng khi thực hiện được điều gì đó quan trọng cho xã hội. Việc quản lý thường không được nói đến theo cách này, nhưng nếu không có nó, xã hội không thể hoạt động.
November 19, 2018
A good guide for new and experienced managers. Provides good tips and helps managers to be more conscious of their actions and behaviours.
The book is structured around 3 key imperatives:
-Manage yourself
-Manage your Network
-Manage your team
Each of these imperatives is important by itself but all of them together constitutes the core of Management.
The sequence that those imperatives are listed is very thought through in my opinion. Because you have to start by managing yourself before managing others and managing your network is also key to provide the support you need and your team needs.
The book also discusses the management paradoxes which I’m sure are paradoxes that face every manager. And provides some tips on how to handle and deal wit these paradoxes
Definitely a good read.
The book is structured around 3 key imperatives:
-Manage yourself
-Manage your Network
-Manage your team
Each of these imperatives is important by itself but all of them together constitutes the core of Management.
The sequence that those imperatives are listed is very thought through in my opinion. Because you have to start by managing yourself before managing others and managing your network is also key to provide the support you need and your team needs.
The book also discusses the management paradoxes which I’m sure are paradoxes that face every manager. And provides some tips on how to handle and deal wit these paradoxes
Definitely a good read.
December 1, 2024
So much practical advice for work-place managers. I was overwhelmed by all of the wisdom and ideas for better approaching my work. I disagreed with the "distant boss" approach they advocate, as the only way I've been successful as a leader is by truly getting to know my team and caring about them. It's only because of those strong relationships that I'm able to have difficult conversations when needed.
October 23, 2017
I don't really know what to think about this book. Some parts were good and made lots of sense. However I found a lack of narrative to the book; a lack of a compelling theme that pulled the myriad of information together.
Ask me what I remembered about the book, and I'd say very little. And what's why it's not getting high marks for me.
Ask me what I remembered about the book, and I'd say very little. And what's why it's not getting high marks for me.
December 6, 2020
I enjoyed this book quite a bit! The story about a new manager relocating facing new responsibilities is amazing. After reading I’ve been watching Linda Hill videos on YouTube concerning management styles and the three imperatives (Manage your network, Manage your team, Manage yourself). Worth a watch if you have time.
August 13, 2023
3.5 stars rounded up. I'm currently re-reading Michael Watkins' The First 90 Days which is similar to Being the Boss in a lot of ways, but better organized with many lists of questions and considerations for reference, and so more easily digestible. Being the Boss has a lot of great content and advice but it's quite dense and not as accessible.
September 30, 2024
I got on very well with this book. It breaks things down well, isn't too repetitive, and gives concrete examples and actions to follow up with. It approaches management with a healthy outlook—none of the toxic manipulation tutorials I've heard about other management guides can stray into. I'll definitely be referring back to it multiple times in the future.
June 19, 2017
Good and basic book about management. Nothing new or extra ordinary, but still worth the time. All managers not just the new can read this. Often leadership dipasears and only work is managed by the boss, which is a waste of time for both parts. This book also give some tools to manage this balance
July 31, 2018
Focus on building relationships with your external and internal partners as well as those people you supervise. This book brought an fresh perspective that I know is important but had never read anything that developed the concept.
November 22, 2018
Being the Boss is a well written book. It has a well organized structure and clear advice. I explains the three imperatives for becoming a great leader. Managing yourself, your network and your team. Highly recommended.
July 23, 2019
3.5 Provides practical and applicable tips for management through three key areas: managing yourself, managing your network, and managing your team. Seems like a great guide book for new managers but is also a bit simple in its insights.
July 27, 2019
Answers what management is and how one can go about it
A very concise and helpful guide for all managers who aspire to have a positive impact on the lives of their teams, the organisation and society. It is very useful to regularly revisit its key learnings!
A very concise and helpful guide for all managers who aspire to have a positive impact on the lives of their teams, the organisation and society. It is very useful to regularly revisit its key learnings!
July 30, 2020
Surprised the average rating is not five star. It's a fantastic book with practical theories for people who just took on leadership role or someone who encounter issues in their leadership journey. Linda is brilliant.
October 29, 2020
I listened to this book on Audible and the narration was nearly unbearable. The information in the book was fine but it could be reduced to a magazine article. It felt like it was written for word count and not content. Find a summary and move on.
May 6, 2018
If you are on a journey to become a better manager/boss, it's an excellent read.
December 27, 2018
I finally found a book about being a manager and leader that I can relate to and understand. It fit my personal and professional circumstance perfectly.
March 25, 2019
O carte foarte buna, dar e destul de nisata. Merita citita daca lucrezi in domeniu
April 26, 2019
Every new manager should read this book!!
September 3, 2019
Really good information but reads too textbook-y and the story they made up is terrible
December 27, 2019
Read it for a class. Was good for that purpose!
January 13, 2020
Good actionable information, presented well. The usual business-book fluff and filler in between.
December 30, 2024
Not sure I found this the most helpful book for myself personally, but it isn't a bad book. It just wasn't the right fit for what I was looking for.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews