Managing to Change the World: The Nonprofit Manager's Guide to Getting Results

by Alison Green, Jerry Hauser

Why getting results should be every nonprofit manager's first priority A nonprofit manager's fundamental job is to get results, sustained over time, rather than boost morale or promote staff development. This is a shift from the tenor of many management books, particularly in the nonprofit world. Managing to Change the World is designed to teach new and experienced nonprofit managers the fundamental skills of effective management, managing specific tasks and broader responsibilities; setting clear goals and holding people accountable to them; creating a results-oriented culture; hiring, developing, and retaining a staff of superstars.

Offers nonprofit managers a clear guide to the most effective management skills Shows how to address performance problems, dismiss staffers who fall short, and the right way to exercising authority Gives guidance for managing time wisely and offers suggestions for staying in sync with your boss and managing up This important resource contains 41 resources and downloadable tools that can be implemented immediately.

Genres: Management, Nonfiction, Leadership, Business, Professional Development, How To, Self Help

242 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, I read a management book. Yes, I found it useful. This is my life now.

[Madeleine]

the mgmt center's antiracist analysis has sharpened since the publication of this work and much of the work/resources on their website are better to lean on in that sense. re: this book: incredibly useful for what it is.

[Alice Mcalexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can every boss I've ever had go read this, please and thank you?

[Ari · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I could give this book 4 1/2 stars. As a manager there is a ton of really practical information for me to use and even templates to support my development. I find some of the content problematic and very corporate (e.g. thinking of your employees as a means to a productive organization, rather than as people), but it's not enough that I'd bump it down to a 4.

[Jordan Munn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book, although with a bit of reservation. This book offers a lot in terms of tactics - what to do to help work move forward, etc, that I find very useful. However, the book tends to have a bit of a fixed mindset bias - that your best people are found, not made. Not an explicit position, just kind of a vibe. Not a lot of emphasis on teamwork or cultivating creativity.

[musicologyduck · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read a Kindle version from the library just now, but I'll definitely be purchasing a reference copy of this book for my desk. One thing I love about Alison Green's approach is that, unlike a lot of other authors who write about management, she models good practices instead of making you feel paranoid about things you may be doing "wrong" at work. This book is full of templates, scripts, and worksheets that are broadly useful and adaptable. In a sector where most of us are not hired or trained for management skills, tools like these are sorely needed.

My only minor quibble is that at times this book underestimates how small and poorly structured many nonprofits are. The advice here seems geared toward medium and large orgs with a somewhat traditional hierarchical makeup, and perhaps more at executive level than middle management (delegating to my assistant, for example, is not currently a thing). Those of us dealing with managing across because our departments are only 2-3 people, overseeing staff members who are largely volunteer/temp/PT/contract, etc., may have to adapt and supplement this advice more than others.

[Sara Amin · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a semi-new manager in the world of nonprofit, this was a great book to really dig in to the basics - managing the work (delegation, roles and goals, culture of excellence, team structure), managing the people (hiring, developing, retaining, addressing performance problems), managing yourself (wimp vs. tyrant, time management and organization, managing up). Some key pieces of advice that will stick with me moving forward include:
(1) Even the best employees have areas where they need closer management.
(2) First and foremost, lead by example.
(3) It is [an employee's] relationship with her immediate manager that will determine how long she stays and how productive she is while she is there ... managers trump companies.
(4) "The question you need to ask yourself is not 'Am I getting everything done?' but, 'Am I getting the most important things done?'" - Ricken Patel

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this mainly as I’m a fan of the ask a manager blog and podcast. Most of these recommendations and observation can be transferred from the non profits to private and governmental sectors.

The wimp vs tyrant just be normal idea is useful. Focus on results. Don’t be an asshole.

Reminder to reread first, break all the rules was also interesting.

This doesn’t have the depth and rigour of a Deming, Drucker or Mintzberg but its practical advice is useful.

[Tessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring and exceedingly practical. I will be directly using a lot of step-by-step advice from this book (each chapter ends with tools like scripts for delegation, sample meeting agendas, or hiring plans) but I think the highest impact for me may just have been absorbing the agentic and determined attitude throughout, as typified by this quote from the introduction: "Given what nonprofits do, we have a moral imperative to commit to strong, effective management practices, because what's at stake is much more important than a business's bottom line."

[Nicole McCann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve taken the Management Center workshop and it was fantastic. They have an antiracist lens to their work. The content of this edition was good, but I look forward to an updated version with all the new incredible work they do now. Make sure to check out their website for updated info, and go to their workshops is possible.

[Adakhc]

I’m a bit embarrassed to be reading a management book, but I feel that it’s better to consciously explore how to ethically and kindly balance holding responsibility and structural power (even very minor in my case) in a workplace, rather than denying that this exists. This book didn’t meet all my needs and values but had some useful ideas.

Alison Green writes a very popular blog ‘Ask a Manager’ and previously worked for animal rights and harm reduction organisations in the USA.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a little ashamed to say that I haven't read this before. I'm a huge fan of Allison Greeen's ask a manager blog. This book is excellent for new and seasoned managers and provides specific advice and tools that you can use immediately. A must read for anyone in or wanting to be in management.

[Tory · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent overview of business management skills by topic, this book was a great place for me to start learning management concepts. I had the good fortune to read it with a group of managers at my workplace, and discuss ideas along the way.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very practical, straightforward book for new managers on strategies on how to be a great manager--both for yourself, and for others. I was mostly reading this for tips on managing up, and there were some helpful steps to take that were listed at the very end of the book on this topic. You could easily pick up this book and just read it chapter by chapter as it related to a question you have. The section on letting go of underperforming staff seemed particularly useful, as I imagine this is an incredibly hard task and the steps that they outline are very straightforward.

This is not a great book for reading straight through, which is why I gave it a middling rating--it's rather dull when you read it start to finish, but seems like it would be incredibly useful if you just picked it up and read the sections that were relevant. There are also worksheets at the end of each chapter you could repurpose.

[Leah G · Rating 5 out of 5]

I keep this book close at hand and refer back to it frequently. it's a super practical, easy to read and apply its lessons to become more productive in your relationships at work. I got the book after attending a conference run by the management center and I treasure the copy they gave me. I reread the chapter on interviews almost every time I do an interview, for example. good for anyone who has to run a team, delegate tasks to others, you want to manage your time at work more effectively, motivate your employees, turn down applicants and fire ppl quickly but kindly; or even if you aren't a manager yourself but you have a boss and want to understand how to communicate more effectively as an employee, you will find something helpful in this book.

[Alissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A must-read for anyone who works on the management side of nonprofits, but I also think this is an important read for any manager. This is the most human and humane management book I've read and the tools are really helpful and easy to use.

[Robin Peake · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best book on Management I've read, for business or charity. I appreciated their value on both people and standards. Offers invaluable advice that I'll return to again and again.

[Abby Hargreaves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alison Green of Ask a Manager and Jerry Hauser (The Management Center) take on the practical points of management from getting projects on track to responding to employees who are either doing their job well or not so much to self-management and more.

If you read Green's blog and other work, you'll be unsurprised to find the caliber of this book matches her other productions. Specific and with examples, scripts, and templates, Managing to Change the World offers fantastic advice for managers of all experience levels and in all industries (despite the nonprofit subtitle).

Green and Hauser do excellent work describing not just what makes a good manager, but also why those qualities make a good manager. They are explicit in all their writing, so readers (like myself) who sometimes need to be hit over the head with a particular kind of directness in order to truly internalize a concept don't get left behind. Where plenty of self-help books lean toward generalities and suggestions that are good, but nonspecific, Managing to Change the World does exactly what it recommends in being absolutely clear about the meaning behind the suggestions and how to implement them in your real job.

Managing to Change the World does a great job of being prescriptive without boxing managers into a single style. Even with the specific suggestions, there is lots of room for readers to make these into their own strategies. Additionally, while Green and Hauser mention other resources and individuals readers might learn from, there is a manageable amount. There are mentions that may pique interest, but don't expect to finish the book feeling overwhelmed with a whole other list of resources to explore.

Whether you're just considering management, are a new manager, or have been managing for years, Managing to Change the World is both a great resource to read through in full and to return to as a reference in parts. Highly, highly recommended and a fantastic supplement to the Ask a Manager blog. Even regular readers should not anticipate significant repetition -- Managing to Change the World is still 100% worth your time.

[Tony Senanayake · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the book I will be recommending to anyone who asks about what it takes to be an effective manager moving forward, in a non-profit context or otherwise.

The authors of this book have put together an easy to read, insight-packed work that gets to the heart of what it takes to be an effective manager. I appreciate the pragmatism of the book, essentially, "Effective management is not about making people happy, or being nice, it is about empowering the resources you have available to maximize impact." At times, the book can come off as heavily utilitarian. However, it is a perspective to management in the non-profit space that I have seen is often overlooked. There can be a tendency in non-profit settings to consider hard-nosed management techniques as the purview of profit maximizers. Yet, as the authors note, given the importance of the work that non-profits undertake, effective management in these settings is arguably even more important than in private corporations.

The one challenge I had with the book is that it is now a little dated. I would appreciate more details on how technology can support or interact with effective management. Furthermore, I came to this book a little late in my own management journey (this is no fault of the authors).

[Aviva · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is popular among managers, but I know it has blind spots because I read it while being mismanaged by someone who had read it. Basically, the problem is that it has a whole lot of strategies for dealing with an underperforming or problematic employee, but zero checks and balances to help a manager realize they are being unreasonable. In my case, a manager was using these techniques to get me in trouble for not driving field routes as fast as he thought I should. I had already been driving field vehicles for twenty years at that point in my career, with zero collisions or violations, while my boss was only ever a lab scientist as far as I know. This book gave my boss a lot of techniques for trying to bully me into doing unsafe stuff, but nothing that could have helped them determine that their metrics were unreasonable.

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Managing to Change the World is solid practical advice for anyone that is managing people in the non-profit sector. The core premise here is that managing people is all about getting greater results through delegation and coordination of a team. The results orientation is the major defining factor of how these authors define strong management, and for what it is worth, I think this is solid advice.

The writing is pretty straight forward and a bit dry in parts. It sometimes reads like a self-help pamphlet, which I guess it kind of is. I also didn’t agree with every piece of advice here.

However, overall this book lays out some good frameworks for thinking about management and organizing work to be more effective.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t see how any section was relevant ONLY to non-profits. I think this book narrows its audience by slapping that label on the title cover. This was applicable to many many industries and was simple divided by: managing the work, people, and yourself.

I got this from the library, but the sample templates were so helpful I ended up buying a used copy to keep them on hand.

For a book from 10 years ago, everything was still really relevant. The keeping organized section didn’t mention any software which made it a little timeless, but it also felt a little dated to exclude digital options at the same time.

Great 101 intro book on management with a helpful toolkit section at the end of each chapter.

[Chesco · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't let the Nonprofit part of the title confuse you, it's a really good read about business management in general, with bits of nonprofit management. It's a book that covers lots of topics, from managing people, managing yourself or making different types of calls in a business (not necessarily CEO level).

I would probably give it 5 stars if it was a bit easier to read, as I found the structure of the book and pages a bit difficult to follow sometimes. I really liked the summaries at the end of each chapter though.

I recommend the book if you want to learn more about business & team management, and even more if your curious or involved in the nonprofit world.

[Bryan Schwartz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Over the last few weeks, I've frequently found myself nodding along when reading Managing to Change the World and I've already found myself recommending it to colleagues. In this tight management manual, Green and Hauser have included a range of helpful tools for both new and seasoned managers and I suspect that much of their advice would transfer easily to the private sector. The only reason I've docked a star here has already been noted by another reviewer: the authors seem thoroughly convinced that "your best people are found, not made." I would argue that a healthy mix of both recruitment and cultivation is important.

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

OK, so I haven't technically read the whole thing (YET)--I had to return it to the library. But I have no doubt that the rest of it is as good as the parts I did cover. Almost wished I had my own copy to mark up and take notes. I ordered it for my library instead... This says it's targeting nonprofits, but I imagine it would be good for all businesses. (And as a public librarian, it does seem more rigorous than what I'm used to seeing in library administration, but that isn't a bad thing...it's made me get a little more rigorous in my managerial skills.)

[Paul Kinter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great idea's that could be used in the public sector as well.

This book contains useful and practical advice. I work in the public sector and while this book is geared towards nonprofits many of its core points can be applied universality. I have already used some of the guidance from the interview section and I hope to use the organizational tips soon. Thank you for this resource.

[Todayiamadaisy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've spent most of my working life in nonprofits, so I was interested to see a book dedicated to working within one. Despite occasional mentions of US-centric things not relevant to a non-US reader (e.g. about health care benefits), I found it full of practical, commonsense advice about managing employees, time and oneself. I would have benefitted from it enormously as a a new manager; even with a bit more experience, I still found it useful.

[joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who was new to the management game, I needed a resource for guidance on the subject. I've been a fan of Alison's "Ask A Manager" blog, so I came here first. I was delighted to find that "Managing to Change the World" was an insightful and engaging read with plenty of visuals and examples. All the questions that I had in my head about handling specific situations at work were answered in this book. With no mentor or supervisor in my life whom I can seek for help directly, "Managing to Change the World" was just the guiding light that I needed.

[Letitia · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent read if you have absolutely no idea where to start with equitable management. I have also taken some crash courses from the Management Center and have to say I benefited much more from those, where we got to practice many of these concepts and engage in a back and forth with the trainers. I was happy to see I employed a lot of the self management tools already, just by having figured out what works for me. I may find greater utility from this when/if I need the example forms.

[Eliz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Practical guide for management within nonprofits. If you're in a mindset to pull this book off the shelf, you'll probably find it useful. It provides many practical tools, some of which to take w/ a grain of salt since the book is 10 years old, others to take w/ a grain of salt b/c Jerry Hauser worked for McKinsey, etc etc etc.