The Accidental Manager: Get the Skills You Need to Excel in Your New Career

by Gary S. Topchik

This guide will transform you from an accidental manager into a successful one. Your job will become a bonus, instead of a burden, for you and your company as you learn how to: develop your staff members through training and delegation, listen actively to build trust and increase communication, give and receive useful feedback to keep projects on track, and create a motivational climate that makes you a popular boss and brings out the best in your people.

180 pages, Paperback

First published August 29, 2003

Reviews

[Megan B · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent book on how to be a manager, that, while informative, wasn't particularly engaging.

[J]

Am about half way through this. I think it does a great job calling out the technician promoted to manager dilemma facing so many employees (and employers!). I am not through enough to say if the advice is helpful but I think this is an oft-practiced, rarely-discussed management system that can really leave some employees burnt out, so I am glad to see it being written about.

[Sara]

Useful start in presenting a familiar picture and validating the experience of an 'accidental manager.' Didn't move much beyond that level though, and some of the later chapters offered some kind of strange advice. I recommend reading about 60% of this book.