People, Performance, and Succeeding as a Manager

by Harvard Business Review

Be the boss people want to work for.

Being a manager is no easy task. You must measure and track your team members' performance toward goals and objectives while also providing opportunities for growth and development. You have to be empathetic to your team's needs and concerns while also maintaining your authority. How do you navigate these tensions?

People, Performance, and Succeeding as a Manager is filled with practical advice from HBR experts who can help you answer these and other questions

How do I earn the trust of my team?When and how should I deliver constructive feedback?What's the best way to motivate my employees?How can I take care of myself so I don't burn out?

This book will help you figure out what kind of manager you want to be so that you can feel comfortable in your role, encourage the success of your people, and grow in your own career.

Rise faster with quick reads, real-life stories, and expert advice. The HBR Work Smart Series features the topics that matter to you most in your early career, including being yourself at work, collaborating with (sometimes difficult) colleagues and bosses, managing your mental health, and weighing major job decisions. Each title includes chapter recaps and links to video, audio, and more. The HBR Work Smart Series books are your practical guides to stepping into your professional life and moving forward with confidence.

Genres: Nonfiction, Business

208 pages, Hardcover

Published February 11, 2025

Reviews

[Darya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although the book has simplicity in exploring manager role, it provides a very deep reflection on the complexity of leadership. The good parts of the book cover main areas of difficulty for new managers as well as for experienced ones diving into team development and feedback provision, looking into coaching and mentoring, supporting team motion and leading towards success. There is a good part in the book that covers own wellbeing. This area is often neglected and the results of ignoring own mental health have a strong reflection on team spirit and overall success of the team's mission. Solid advice in the book makes it a good recommendation for reading.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

People, Performance and Succeeding as a Manager is a great short guide to learning skills to best practice as a manager. It provides tips and suggestions on how to support and work to better your staff.

[Lara · Rating 5 out of 5]

"...great managers... discover what is unique about each person and then capitalize on it."

"Be generous... time, energy, resources, with sharing credit and giving meaningful feedback..."

[Moran · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of the articles were helpful, some irrelevant, it was nice.

[Lucille Nguyen · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a few HBR articles about being a manager. Not terrible, not terribly insightful, good enough to listen as an audiobook on long drives (which is what I did).