It's Okay to Be the Boss: The Step-by-step Guide to Becoming the Manager Your Employees Need - Library Edition

by Bruce Tulgan

Do you feel you don't have enough time to manage your people?

Do you avoid interacting with some employees because you hate the dreaded confrontations that often follow?

Do you have some great employees you really cannot afford to lose?

Do you secretly wish you could be more in control but don't know where to start?

Managing people is harder and more high-pressure today than ever before. There's no room for downtime, waste, or inefficiency. You have to do more with less. And employees have become high maintenance. Not only are they more likely to disagree openly and push back, but they also won't work hard for vague promises of long-term rewards. They look to you--their immediate boss--to help them get what they need and want at work.

How do you tackle this huge management challenge? If you are like most managers, you take a hands-off approach. You "empower" employees by leaving them alone, unless they really need you. After all, you don't want to "micromanage" them and don't have the time to hold every employee's hand. Of course, problems always come up and often snowball into bigger problems. In fact, you probably spend too much of your time solving problems and falling behind on your work . . . which leaves even less time for managing people . . . which opens the door for even more problems!

In It's Okay to Be the Boss, Bruce Tulgan puts his finger on the biggest problem in corporate America--an undermanagement epidemic affecting managers at all levels of the organization and in all industries--and offers another way. His clear, step-by-step guide to becoming the strong manager employees need challenges bosses everywhere to spell out expectations, tell employees exactly what to do and how to do it, monitor and measure performance constantly, and correct failure quickly and reward success even more quickly. Now that's how you set employees up for success and help them earn what they need. Tulgan opens our eyes to the undisciplined workplace that is overwhelming managers and frustrating workers and invites bosses everywhere to accept the sacred responsibility of managing people. His message: It's okay to be the boss. Be a great one!

Genres: Business, Management, Leadership, Nonfiction, Self Help, Audiobook, Buisness

Audio CD

First published March 13, 2007

About the author

Bruce Tulgan is internationally recognized as the leading expert on young people in the workplace and one of the leading experts on leadership and management. Bruce is a best-selling author, an adviser to business leaders all over the world, and a sought-after keynote speaker and management trainer.

Since 1995, Bruce has worked with tens of thousands of leaders and managers in hundreds of organizations ranging from Aetna to Wal-Mart; from the Army to the YMCA. In recent years, Bruce was named by Management Today as one of the few contemporary figures to stand out as a “management guru” and he was named to the 2009 Thinkers 50 Rising Star.

On August 13, 2009, Bruce was honored to accept Toastmasters International’s most prestigious honor, the Golden Gavel. This honor is annually presented to a single person who represents excellence in the fields of communication and leadership. Past winners have included Stephen Covey, Zig Ziglar, Deepak Chopra, Tony Robbins, Ken Blanchard, Tom Peters, Art Linkletter, Dr. Joyce Brothers, and Walter Cronkite.

Bruce’s newest book is IT’S OKAY TO MANAGE YOUR BOSS (Jossey-Bass, September 14, 2010). He is also the author of the recent best-seller IT’S OKAY TO BE THE BOSS (HarperCollins, 2007) and the classic MANAGING GENERATION X (W.W. Norton, 2000; first published in 1995). Bruce’s other books include WINNING THE TALENT WARS (W.W. Norton, 2001), which received widespread acclaim from Fortune 500 CEOs and business journalists; the best-seller FAST FEEDBACK (HRD Press, 1998); NOT EVERYONE GETS A TROPHY: HOW TO MANAGE GENERATION Y (Jossey-Bass, 2009); and MANAGING THE GENERATION MIX (HRD Press, 2006). Many of Bruce’s works have been published around the world in foreign editions.

Bruce’s writing appears regularly in human resources, staffing and management journals, including a new regular column in TRAINING magazine called ‘Sticky Notes’ and a regular column in the New York Enterprise Report. His writing has also appeared in dozens of magazines and newspapers such as the Harvard Business Review, BusinessWeek, HR Magazine, the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, and USA Today. As well, his work has been the subject of thousands of news stories around the world.

Before founding RainmakerThinking in 1993, Bruce practiced law at the Wall Street firm of Carter, Ledyard & Milburn. He graduated with high honors from Amherst College, received his law degree from the New York University School of Law, and is still a member of the Bar in Massachusetts and New York. Bruce continues his lifelong study of Okinawan Uechi Ryu Karate Do and holds a fifth degree black belt. He lives in New Haven, Connecticut with his wife Debby Applegate, Ph.D., who won the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for Biography for her book THE MOST FAMOUS MAN IN AMERICA: THE BIOGRAPHY OF HENRY WARD BEECHER (Doubleday, 2006).

Reviews

[Pavel Annenkov · Rating 5 out of 5]

О ЧЕМ КНИГА:
Автор уверенно и логично доказывает, что несмотря на большое количество новомодных подходов и концепций управления, компаниям не обойтись без классических приемов менеджмента. Руководители должны помнить, то их главная работа не вдохновлять и мотивировать, а по настоящему управлять людьми: отдавать приказы, следить за их производительностью, исправлять ошибки и поощрять успехи на всех этапах работы.
Последний раздел «Как мне на такое отвечать?» Отговорки подчиненных и ответы сильного менеджера» - просто находка для любого руководителя.
Книга отличная. Сразу включил ее в свой ТОП10 работ по менеджменту.
Эту книгу мы обсуждали в марте на встрече моего Книжного бизнес-клуба.

КАКАЯ БЫЛА ЦЕЛЬ ЧТЕНИЯ:
- Узнать новые приемы управления людьми.

ГЛАВНЫЕ ВЫВОДЫ:
-«Проблема любой компании в том, что невозможно нанять неограниченное количество суперзвезд и руководить приходится обычными людьми. К тому же даже суперзвездами нужно управлять.»

- Настоящая справедливость - это делать больше для одних людей и меньше для других, основываясь на том, чего они заслуживают по результатам работы.

- Не все мы — победители. Исправление ошибок — значительная часть работы управления людьми.

- Сотрудники не могут заниматься только теми задачами, которые им больше нравятся, поскольку работы много, а сотрудников нанимают, чтобы делать то, что необходимо компании.

- «Некоторые менеджеры предпочитают устраивать общие собрания вместо индивидуальных встреч, но собрания не могут их заменить. Встречаясь с подчиненным, вы смотрите ему в глаза, говорите о своих ожиданиях, спрашиваете о работе, оцениваете результаты или предлагаете советы, и ему негде скрыться. На общем же собрании скрыться просто — как менеджеру, так и подчиненным»

- Я должен помнить, что большинству моих подчиненных требуется намного чаще беседовать со мной о работе, чем я думаю.

- Одна из самых больших проблем руководителя - взять и поменять свои стандарты работы и стать требовательным к подчиненным. Не надо этого бояться, а брать и уверенно менять ситуацию.

- Самая главная причина проблем с людьми на работе - это обманутые ожидания. Подчиненные не понимают, что от них хочет руководство. Поэтому надо ясно и четко формулировать ожидания.

ЧТО Я БУДУ ПРИМЕНЯТЬ В ЖИЗНИ И БИЗНЕСЕ:
- Введу жесткое правило - "1 час менеджмента в день". Ведь даже на него в рабочей суете часто нет времени.

- Инструмент "Пейзаж руководителя". Сделать таблицу с шестью колонками: «Кто? Почему? Что? Как? Где? Когда?» В первой колонке, под словом «Кто?», в новых строках перечислить всех своих подчиненных и написать то, что я знаю о них или думаю, что знаю. Затем написать заметки о каждом сотруднике в колонках «Почему?», «Что?», «Как?», «Где?» и «Когда?».

ЕЩЕ НА ЭТУ ТЕМУ:
Дэн Кеннеди «Жесткий менеджмент»

[Miranda - Life Between Chapters☕ · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 and a half stars...why? I like how he breaks it down regarding a few things but...this guy would drive me crazy as a boss. He's the epitome of a micro manager and if I worked for him I'd be so unbearably miserable that I'd end up doing as little as possible until he told me EVERY SINGLE STEP... because that's the type of work environment this guy creates.

Where's the inspiration and motivation...the love for people?

On a side note, I did like how organized he is...but this guy needs to lighten up just a bit and see the human side of his employees. But who knows...maybe I just misunderstood this guy.

THE END.

[Denis Vasilev · Rating 5 out of 5]

Хорошая книга по менеджменту для начинающего руководителя среднего звена. Не все применимо для творческих и IT компаний.

[Christina (A Reader of Fictions)]

Makes a lot of good points about management, and it's certainly a good text to consider. That said, I did, at some points, find this guy insufferable. It's very much marketing the ideas to you, and so it feels quite salesy at times. He also has a tendency to talk down to you like you're an idiot, I felt. That bit where he suggested that if a person who reported to you came in to get free candy from your office, grabbing them and being like "oh you want chocolate? here's how you earn it" nearly made me cringe out of my skin. But I did think it was valuable to listen to and the basic ideas are solid. Some of the suggestions for what actually to do feel deeply unnatural and forced, but the ideas are good if you apply them your way, I think.

[Nicole Enlow · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is great. It has really helped me create a good baseline for how to manage my staff! Can't wait to try it!

[Dawn Lennon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well-written book with an important central theme: the epidemic of under-management in the workplace.

Tulgan describes, accurately in my view, the lack of management leadership dedicated to ensuring that employees understand what their jobs are and the company's expectations for results and adherence to processes designed to ensure them. It's a helpful working guide for managers who are aware that they aren't as effective as they need to be and want to make improvements. Tulgan's advice is clearly stated, functional, and convincing.

Throughout the book, there were times when certain phrasing and points of emphasis came across as harsher than I believe Tulgan intended: using terms like punishment of employees, concepts around telling employees exactly what to do and how to do it, and proposals that have a watchdog tone. These often didn't match up with most of the book's tone (Tulgan's voice) of commitment to providing direction, oversight, performance feedback, and rewards designed to help employees perform well and grow.

When weighing the need to balance the human elements of management with productivity requirements, there is the need to reinforce the realities of the employer-employee work compact and the value of helping employees grow and develop. Tulgan, I believe, gave his best effort to do that.

It came across to me that Tulgan was writing mostly about managers of individual contributors and that the stet-by-step processes were described a tools for managing them. There was a brief section at the end that covered managers of other managers. Although the processes still apply, there are other challenges for that equally under-managed group

Writing how-to books is always a challenge and Tulgan gives this topic its due, driving home the business and personal value of effective managing.

[Kelsey Navarro Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved loved LOVED this book. Completely changed my philosophy of management (while it is still a new skill I'm developing). Tulgan breaks down the complexity of hands on management in an easy to digest volume. It covered management over many facets career fields without compromising the overall message. As a Starbucks store manager, I feel that I can apply many of his methods to my daily tasks. I look forward to starting my observations and truly being a better manager.

[Egor Gurev · Rating 5 out of 5]

Отличная книга, раскрывает идею что менеджмент - это общение с сотрудниками каждый день, исследование проблем которые у них возникают, понимания каких знаний им не хватает и помощь в получении знаний, коучинг.

Дает понять что причина всех проблем в компании, на 100% это только вы. Но изменив свое отношение вы сможете исправить и построить компанию, люди в которой будут стремится к высоким достижениям.

[Guilherme Zeitounlian · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Responsibility without sufficient direction and support is not empowerment. It is downright negligent.”

There's an undermanagement epidemic.

Everybody thinks they are "hands-off" managers, but they are negligent in dealing with employees.

That makes for crisis in work, discouraged employees and bad performance everywhere.

The way to counter that is to be more hands-on.

To meet constantly with employees, one on one.

To track performance, to go over the details of the work, to spell out expectations, to provide exact feedback, to write down what is discussed in meetings. To be present and aware, and help employees do good work.

This is real management. It works and it is fine.

Because it really is ok to be the boss.

[Sergey Morovshik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Встречи 1-1 с сотрудниками, подготовка, поощрять лудших, увольнять худших. Быть гибким, справедливости нет. Ну и много других полезных действий.
1 час в день менеджить минимум.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great summary of basic management principles and techniques. The author believes there's an undermanagement epidemic and it's undermining nearly every work environment where leaders fail to stay attuned to those they manage. I'm likely to recommend this to our new managers/leaders because it is a) easy to read and understand, b) clearly organized and very practical.

Some highlights:

"High performers want a boss who is strong and highly engaged, who know exactly who they are and exactly what they are doing every step of the way. High performers want a boss who lets them know that they are important and that their work is important. They want a boss who spells out expectations clearly, who teaches them the best practices, who warns them of pitfalls, who helps them solve small problems before they fester and grow, who rewards them when they go the extra mile. High performers want a boss who will clear the low performers out of the way. They are always looking for strong managers who will set them up for success and, thereby, help them earn what they need and want from the job, every step of the way. Strong hands-on managers are like magnets for high performers." p. 30

"Concentrate on four or five people a day.

Make your meetings quick, no more than fifteen minutes.

Consider holding meetings standing up, with a clipboard in hand, (to keep them quick and focused).

Don't let anyone go more than two weeks without a meeting." p. 42

". . . at work, you need to be the boss . . . the best way to build rapport . . . is by talking about the work. Work is what you have in common. p. 46.

"The most effective managers have a special way of talking . . . authoritative and sympathetic, disciplined and patient . . . The voice of performance coaching is steady and persistent, relentlessly methodical and hands-on, enthusiastic and pushy. It is the constant banter of focus, improvement, and accoutability. Think about the best boss you ever had, or the best teacher or camp counselor or pastor" . . . his/her honesty and clarity. p. 47

Develop an obsession with Standard Operating Procedures Convert best practices into "standard operating procedures--and then require employees to follow these procedures precisely." p. 96

Give employees step-by-step checklists whenever possible.

"Ask for an account. In every one-on-one conversation with every employee, ask for an account of what that employee has done since your last conversation: 'What concrete actions did you take? Did you meet the clearly spelled-out expectations?' p. 114

Most people need to do the job for a while before they feel any enthusiasm for it. Also, it's usually not what they do but rather how they are doing it. When people do something with purpose and precision, it is possible to unlock the join in that work. It also helps when they do it with other people who care a lot about that work as well. " p. 130

". . . nearly all performance problems fall into one or more of three categories: ability, skill, or will. "

If ability: it may not be a natural strength and therefore the fit may be wrong.
If skill: it's likely the person needs some knowledge or training.
If will: it's likely a question of motivation and proper recognition.

There are four reasons to fire stubborn low performers: 1) they get paid, 2) they cause problems other employees have to fix, 3) high performers hate to work with low performers--and you can't afford to lose your high performers, 4) low performers send a terrible message to everybody else: 'low performance is an option around here,'

Basics

Set aside one hour a day for managing
Practice talking like a performance coach
Create a managers landscape
Make a preliminary schedule
Set up a performance tracking system

Landscape is simple chart with these columns: who? why? what? how? where? when?

[Jeremiah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Suggested new title :"it's okay to micro manage your staff"
Tulgan espouses a Very hands-on style of management. Tulgan's claim is that most managers are under-managing.
Good management is close to micro management in Tulgans view.
"If I had to choose, I'd risk micromanaging." P 102.
"Usually, what people refer to as micromanagement is in fact an example of undermanagement managers not telling their employees what to do and how to do it."
Tulgans thinking is the polar opposite of many popular current management experts advising to give your employees a task to do and trust them to figure out the best way to do it.
Good management practice according to Tulgan looks like a A performance improvement plan.
"Here's how (PIP) works. The manager and the employee together set clear expectations and work out a plan for what the employee needs to do to improve performance. Goals are broken down into concrete steps and to do Kratts with tight deadline and guidelines and parameters are clearly spelled out. Every week or sometimes every day the manager is supposed to monitor the employees performance very closely according to the plan and document regularly whether the employees performance meets expectations. ... The standard PIP actually covers the basics of managing. " P 119.
"It is worth remembering that few people start out passionate or enthusiastic about anything. Most people need to do the job for a while before they feel any enthusiasm for it".
! Really?! That describes no one I've met at any workplace ever.

[Ellen McIver · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh man... this book. I wanted to like it so much more than I did. I really wish I could’ve given it 3.5 stars, but since I can’t, and since I’m a nice person, I rounded up. I think what disappointed me about this was its lack of subtlety and elegance. It was blunt. It lacked refinement. And ultimately, that’s likely what its target audience needs... it just wasn’t what I was looking for.

If a manager isn’t getting the results they’re looking for, this book will be a valuable asset. It plays it safe in its advice and clearly lays out the points it is trying to make, much like the way it suggests managers lay out expectations for employees. If A, then X. If B, then Y. If C, then Z. Unfortunately, it is precisely because it is so explicit in its direction that it has its shortcomings. What happens when the path is so clear for the sort of manager who will benefit most from this book when they are faced with Situation D, for which no solution has been given? I am not sure this book gives them enough of a toolbox to handle that situation- but it potentially unrealistically gives them the idea that they’ll know what to do.

As part of a healthy diet of managerial improvement literature, this book has merit, and I stand by my four star rating. However, readers should keep in mind that this book does not have all the answers, and potentially has gaping holes that will be instrumental to their future success.

[Marichka Dzhala · Rating 4 out of 5]

Більше книжка про мотивацію для менеджерів ніж про менеджмент.
Суть полягає у тому, щоб виділяти щодня близько години на те, щоб проговорити зі своїми підопічними(по 15 хв на людину) віч-на-віч робочі моменти щоб зрозуміти які у них слабкі місця, і як можна допомогти їм працювати краще.
Всю цю ідею можна було описати у 50 сторінок, але автор вирішив, що для того, щоб це зробити потрібна мотивація і 150 сторінок ми читаємо воду.
Не зважаючи на те, що книжка була написана у 2007 році, автор вважає, що чим довше ми сидимо на роботі, тим ефективніше і краще ми працюємо. Я зустріла ~3 рази приклади того, як заставити свого співробітника сидіти 8 годин на офісі. Абсурд трохи.
Попри всю мою критику ця книжка має гарну ідею, яку можна попробувати втілювати на своїх проектах.

[Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was interesting to realize that a past manager must have read this book, since I recognized some of the techniques covered. Should be useful, though a little broad/vague at points where I would have liked more concrete examples.

[Oscar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ser o chefe que sua equipe precisa mas nem sempre o que ela deseja.

Conselhos bons, práticos e muito diretos. Direcionamentos para um gerenciamento “corpo a corpo” de forma a identificar mais rápido as necessidades de sua equipe e agir de forma adequada para cada colaborador.

[Erin Crittenden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recommended by my supervisor, this book TOTALLY motivated me to improve THE RIGHT WAY that my team needs! A HUGE inspiration for me!!

[Rash J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Practical & good refresher for people managers. The effect of 'undermanagement epidemic" and it's causes. How to be a stronger & an effective manager.

[Gretchen Seremetis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Favorite quotes:

“Managing is a sacred responsibility. If you are the boss, it is your responsibility to make sure everything goes well. You have to make sure all the work is getting done very well, very fast all day long. If you are the boss, employees look to you first when they need something, or when they want something, or when something is going wrong. If there’s a problem, you are the solution. If you are the boss, you are the one everyone is counting on.”

“too many leaders, managers, and supervisors are failing to lead, manage, and supervise. They simply do not take charge on a day-to-day basis. They fail to spell out expectations every step of the way, track performance constantly, correct failure, and reward success. They are afraid to, or they don’t want to, or they just don’t know how to. All across the workplace, at all levels of organizations in every industry, there is a shocking and profound lack of daily guidance, direction, feedback, and support for employees. This is what I call “undermanagement”—the opposite of micromanagement.”

“Undermanagement is not a household word like micromanagement, but it should be because its impact makes micromanagement look like a molehill.”

“Great news, I’m the boss! And I’m going to try really hard to be a great one!” Unfortunately, highly engaged managers are rare. Frankly, most bosses are not so great. Many struggle to be better. Some don’t even bother to struggle. Most bosses are so hands-off they mostly don’t manage unless they absolutely must.”

“Here’s the problem: Most managers still avoid conflict. Most still lack any special aptitude for leadership and receive little training in the basic tactics of effective supervision. And the legacy of leadership in most organizations great and small is still hands-off: “Here’s the mission. Figure it out. Wait for us to notice you. We’ll let you know if you do something wrong and the system will reward you the same as everyone else.”

“Responsibility without sufficient direction and support is not empowerment. It is downright negligent.”

“#1. The Myth of Empowerment: The way to empower people is to leave them alone and let them manage themselves. This is false empowerment, the number one myth in the workplace. What is the reality? Almost everybody performs better with more guidance, direction, and support from a more experienced person.”

“#2. The Myth of Fairness: The way to be fair is to treat everybody the same. Where does this myth come from? First, the Human Resources/EEO/Legal Department aversion to any kind of litigation risk has led to a blanket default presumption in the working world that differential treatment of employees is “against the rules.” Second is the closely related political correctness that causes so many people to self-censor any mention of differences between and among individuals—even observable merit-based differences. Third is the popular misunderstanding of humanistic psychology and human development theory, which holds in essence that “we are all winners.” The underlying theory is that because every person has innate value, we should treat everybody the same. That’s only fair if you are running a commune. The reality is that we are not all winners, as any one of your employees could tell you. Treating everybody the same, regardless of their behavior, is totally unfair.”

“#3. The Myth of the Nice Guy: The only way to be strong is to act like a jerk, but I want to be a “nice guy.” Lots of managers act like jerks. That doesn’t mean they are strong. It just means they are acting like jerks. What is the reality? Real “nice guy” managers do what it takes to help employees succeed so those employees can deliver great service for customers and earn more rewards for themselves.”

“#4. The Myth of the Difficult Conversation: Being hands-off is the way to avoid confrontations with employees. Most managers find that the most painful and damaging aspect of managing is when they must have very difficult conversations, even confrontations, with employees about some problem or another. They believe that being a strong manager requires or even causes these confrontations, whereas being a weak manager allows them to avoid these confrontations. What is the reality? Being a weak manager makes these confrontations inevitable, whereas being a strong manager means these confrontations rarely occur, and when they do happen they are not so painful after all.”

“When management conversations happen only on special occasions, they tend to be very difficult. Why? Neither the manager nor the employee is experienced at having management conversations, so neither is very good at it. The manager has not been making expectations clear, so much of the conversation comes as a big unpleasant surprise to the employee. These conversations usually happen when a problem absolutely must be dealt with, so the conversations are more likely to become heated. Plus, solving a problem after the fact is a whole lot more difficult than preventing it in advance. Because the manager is out of the loop, he usually doesn’t have all the facts and thus has less confidence in his point of view and fewer resources with which to make his points and respond to employee push-backs.”

“#5. The Myth of Red Tape: Managers are prevented from being strong because there are many factors beyond their control—red tape, corporate culture, senior management, limited resources. Managers tell me every day that despite their best efforts, they are held back by rules and red tape and contracts. By the way, some managers hide behind this challenge as an excuse to not manage. And almost always, right beside them, in the very same organization with the very same rules and red tape and contracts, there are lots of managers who find ways to work within and around the rules and red tape and contracts. It’s difficult, but they do it anyway because that is their job. How do you work within and around the rules, red tape, and contracts? I am a lawyer technically. So let me tell you what lawyers do when confronted with rules and red tape and contracts. They learn the rules and red tape and contracts backward and forward. And then they work them. What else is there to do? Learn the rules and work them.”

“What is the reality? Focusing on what you can’t control makes the most powerful person weak, whereas focusing intensely on what you can control—to the exclusion of what you cannot control—will always make you stronger.”

“#6. The Myth of the Natural Leader: I am not “good at” managing. The underlying theory here is that some people are natural leaders and therefore the best managers, whereas others are not natural leaders and are destined to be not-so-great managers. What is the reality? Lots of natural leaders are not such great managers. The best managers are people—natural or not—who learn proven techniques, practice those techniques diligently until they become skills, and continue practicing them until they become habits.”

“#7. The Myth of Time: There’s isn’t enough time to manage people. This myth comes from the fact that there are only 168 hours in a week and you have zillions of demands on your time—you have your own tasks and responsibilities and projects besides your management obligations. What is the reality? Since your time is so limited, you definitely don’t have time to not manage people. Managers who try desperately to avoid spending time managing people always spend lots of time managing people anyway. That’s because when a manager avoids spending time up front in advance making sure things go right, things always go wrong. Small problems pile up. Often, small problems fester unattended until they become so big that they cannot be ignored. By that point, the manager has no choice but to chase down the problems and solve them. In crisis, the manager is virtually guaranteed to be less efficient, a further waste of time. So these managers run around solving problems that never had to happen, getting big problems under control that should have been solved easily, recouping squandered resources, dealing with long-standing performance problems, feeling even more pressed for time. That means in all likelihood they will go right back to avoiding managing people, and the next time they’ll make time for management is the next time there is another big problem to chase down and solve.”

“the “hard” realities of managing: You cannot always hire superstars. You have to hire the best person available, and often that person is in the middle of the talent spectrum, not at the top. When you do hire superstars, they can be even harder to manage than the mediocre people. Even if you set expectations clearly, sometimes employees don’t achieve those expectations. Not everybody is a winner. Dealing with failure is a big part of managing. Employees can’t always work in their areas of strength because there is lots of work to be done, and employees are hired to do what needs to be done. Employees don’t always earn praise. And those who do earn praise usually want tangible rewards, not just praise.”

“Employees are expected to work longer, harder, smarter, faster, and better. And employees are not about to wait around for long-term rewards. They rely on their immediate boss more than any other individual for meeting their basic needs and expectations at work, and for dealing with just about any issue that arises at work. They want to know, “What’s the deal around here? What do you want from me? And what do I get for my hard work today?” The boss is the point of contact—but much more than that, on a daily basis, the boss defines the work experience. On this there is widespread consensus: In study after study, the number one factor in productivity, morale, and retention is the relationship between employees and their immediate boss.”

“Low performers are looking for a boss who is hands-off and tries to treat every employee the same. They want a boss who doesn’t know who is doing what, where, why, when, and how, a boss who doesn’t keep track, a boss who ignores performance problems. Low performers want a boss who doesn’t tell them what to do and how to do it, who doesn’t spell out expectations every step of the way. They want to be left alone to hide out and collect the same paycheck as everyone else, regardless of their low performance. Low performers are the great beneficiaries of undermanagement. They are drawn to undermanagers the way vermin are drawn to dark cold places.”

“high performers want a boss who is strong and highly engaged, who knows exactly who they are and exactly what they are doing every step of the way. High performers want a boss who lets them know that they are important and that their work is important. They want a boss who spells out expectations clearly, who teaches them the best practices, who warns them of pitfalls, who helps them solve small problems before they fester and grow, and who rewards them when they go the extra mile. High performers want a boss who will clear the low performers out of the way. They are always looking for strong managers who will set them up for success and, thereby, help them earn what they need and want from the job, every step of the way. Strong hands-on managers are like magnets for high performers.”

“If you are hands-off and treat everybody the same, you are treating your employees like low performers. You will undermanage most of them into a slow downward spiral. And you will attract more low performers who want to “work for you.” If you are strong and highly engaged, you are treating your employees like high performers. You will manage most of them into a steady upward spiral. And high performers will beat down your door for the chance to work for you.”

“Be the boss who says, “Great news, I’m the boss! I consider that a sacred responsibility. I’m going to make sure that everything goes well around here. I’m going to help you get a bunch of work done very well, very fast, all day long. I’m going to set you up for success every step of the way. I’m going to spell out expectations for you every step of the way. I’m going to help you plan. I’m going to work with you to clarify goals, guidelines, and specifications. I’m going to help you break big deadlines into smaller time frames with concrete performance benchmarks. I’m going to go over standard operating procedures. I’m going to offer reminders. I’m going to provide checklists and other tools. I’m going to help you keep track of what you are doing and how you are doing it every step of the way. I’m going to help you monitor and measure and document your success every step of the way. I’m going to help you solve problems as soon as they occur, so they don’t fester and grow into bigger problems. I’m going to help you find the shortcuts, avoid the pitfalls, and follow the best practices. Count on me. When you need something, I’m going to help you find it. When you want something, I’m going to help you earn it.”

“I call this phenomenon—managing only when it can no longer be avoided—“management by special occasion.” Most of these “special occasions” are big problems that need solving, but there are other special occasions too: assigning a new project to an employee, communicating a change from on high to the team, or recognizing a huge success. In the absence of some “special occasion,” though, most managers simply don’t manage. The only alternative to management by special occasion is getting in the habit of managing every day.”

“Start by setting aside one hour every day as your sacrosanct time for managing. During that hour, do not fight fires. Use that hour for managing up front, before anything goes right, wrong, or average. That one hour every day is just for staying in shape—just for taking a walk.”

“In an ideal world, you would talk with every single person—reviewing his work and setting him up for success—who calls you his boss every single day. You would take that management walk every day with every person. Some managers favor team meetings instead of daily one-on-one talks, but team meetings are no substitute.”

“Managers often feel more comfortable sharing difficult news or providing feedback to the whole team than talking directly to one person. The problem is, the difficult news or feedback is often aimed at only one or two people. So the rest of the team is confused and insulted. Meanwhile, the very people you are trying to “manage” in that team setting might not even realize that you are talking to them! Managers tell me all the time about that team meeting in which they meant to shine a bright light on Mr. Blue, the employee who has been coming in late and taking too many long breaks. They announce at the meeting, “We have to stop coming in late. And we have to stop taking so many long breaks. Remember, you get two ten-minute breaks—and ten minutes means ten minutes.” Most of their employees are sitting there, puzzled: “What is he talking about? I come in early every day, and I hardly ever take breaks.” But the one employee the manager is really talking to is looking at her watch thinking, “Come on already. Wrap it up. I’ve got to take my break.”

“don’t give anyone management responsibilities of any kind—formal or informal—unless you are prepared to focus on that leader intensely and personally manage that leader’s management practices very closely.”

“Some people need more attention than others. Talking to every person every day is not always possible. You have to choose your targets. Just don’t make the mistake of choosing the same targets over and over again. Spread out your management time. Some employees may need you more than others, but everybody needs you.”

“At fifteen minutes per meeting, you should be able to have four meetings a day in an hour. That’s twenty meetings a week, at least. I bet that’s a whole lot more than you’ve been managing lately. Here are a few tips to get you started. Concentrate on four or five people a day. Make your meetings quick, no more than fifteen minutes.”

“These tactics may not be convenient. I’m sorry, but you are the boss. Inconvenience goes with the territory.”

“The fundamental activity of managing is communication. Talk about the work when things are going right, wrong, or average. Maintain an ongoing dialogue with every employee: “Here’s what I need from you. What do you need from me?”

“Every employee is a special case. If you don’t know what makes one of your employees a special case, you better find out. Keep asking yourself: “Who is this person at work?” Assess each employee’s basic strengths and weaknesses. Consider the role each person plays in your workplace. Know how issues at home bear on an employee’s role at work. Manage the self each employee brings to work.”

“With every employee, keep asking yourself: “What do I need to talk about today?” Talk about the work. Focus on what you want the employee to do in the immediate future. Decide whether you should talk about the big picture or all the minor details. For some employees, breaking things down and spelling them out can make the difference between high performance and low performance.”

“Keep asking yourself: “How do I need to talk to this person?” Think about what motivates this person. Figure out what tone and style work best. Most employees respond best to verbal communication supported by visual aids in writing. Choose the right communication tools and techniques for each person.”

“Deciding that an employee requires so much of your management time that it’s just not worth it is a tough business call. You have to consider whether this employee is much less able, skilled, and motivated than other employees that you could hire from your available labor pool. Sometimes, depending on the job and the labor available for it, the only way you are going to get high performance consistently is if you commit to high-intensity management—twice, three times, four times a day. But sometimes the answer is clear: “No way! I’m paying this person too much and this job is too high level to justify the kind of management time this person requires.”

[Rob Markley · Rating 3 out of 5]

He has a point in that there is a deficit of management, more particularly good management... and there are some good ideas herein. On the other hand this isn't the answer. Really this book is more an argument for becoming a genuine manager rather than being much practical help in actually becoming one. Most of the actual suggestions are far too dictatorial for using in a real work place. These suggestions are probably originally aimed at a Gen Y workforce where young people need close guidance, and that does seem to be the problem behind the thinking.

Quite a different approach is needed for managing people who are in turn actual managers - either of people of processes. However even more generally, people aren't machines and they don't work quite like this book imagines - this approach attempts to address this, but lacks the necessary psychology. Furthermore managers aren't necessarily (even often) right all the time against their employees views, and thus the book's approach is likely to lead to more workplace issues rather than less.

[Russell Yarnell · Rating 4 out of 5]

My 4-star review is with mixed feelings. Parts of the book were great and deserved four stars and some parts even more. Other parts deserved three and perhaps only two stars.

I saw other reviews stating this guy is a typical micromanager. I tend to think he might come across that way. There are things I would not want any boss to do and would not want to do it to anyone else. Writing a book to address management between sectors, industries, and companies cannot make everyone happy.

There are good parts and things that need said. Too many managers treat "out of sight, out of mind" as the normal or they like the drama of dumpster fires so they can be the hero. I think one of the best parts of the book was minimized to the end. How do you work and treat your boss? It could have been a bigger part of the book.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a business owner with a “blue” personality, this book was written for me! I’ve read alot of business books over the last few years and this was by far the most useful. It gives specific, detailed instructions on how to be The Boss—and be okay with it! (I’ve never been ok with it—that’s my hurdle.) Key takeaway: your employees WANT you to manage them! They want detailed instructions, honest and immediate feedback, and lots of it. AND they won’t get mad or hurt if you ask them to do something and then make sure they do it. I honestly wish I’d read this when I became a mother—it 100 percent applies to raising children! Every business owner, manager, supervisor and PARENT shld read this book. Well-written, readable and quick to get thru.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the book I recommend to anyone who has an opinion about management and managers.

My Management 101 formula is simple: Read chapter one of this book, and study the following Peter Drucker quote (approximately): The manager's job is to make the employee's strengths productive (for the organization) while making the employee's weaknesses irrelevant.

Chapter 1 of this book says this: Why do some managers micromanage? Because they don't know how to manage. They don't understand their job as a manager.

I recommend chapter one of this book as an ingredient in anyone's recipe for being and/or becoming a good manager.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book I've been recommended and now already, just a few months after reading, find myself recommending to others. It's not long, but a nice quick coverage of "if it is your job to give people instructions, it is completely okay to give them those instructions." As a new manager, I've been reading a variety of management theory (much different reading it now than when I read that genre before managing) and this is most definitely a valuable perspective. And at the length, it doesn't hurt to check it out.

[Sergii · Rating 1 out of 5]

The worst book I ever read. It just teaches micromanagement techniques with no good reathon for it. It shows magaer as the only smart and competent person in the company, none of other people can be even considered close to them or understand themselves what and mainly how they can or should do their work. Only manager knows it and can show, control, estimate and evaluate the quality, because he/she empowered yo for it. Don't really recommend the book and for dire don't use techniques described in this book, if you wish to be a good manager.

[Anatolii · Rating 2 out of 5]

По ощущениям, автор считает всех подчиненных глупыми и поддерживает идею тотального контроля, но просит не называть это микро-менеджментом. Не смог дочитать до конца. Читал как антипод agile-подходам.
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For me, it feels like the author considers all subordinates stupid and supports the idea of total control, but asks not to call it micro-management. Couldn't finish reading. Read as an antipode to agile approaches.

[Sasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Неплохое пособие для специалиста, которого внезапно повысили до начальника отдела, но не объяснили, что с этим делать дальше.
Как и все подобные книги, грешит многократным повторением одной и той же мысли (видимо, чтобы она побыстрее впечаталась в мозг).
Итак, по мнению автора, необходимо:
1. Не бояться требовать.
2. Активно интересоваться, чем занимаются подчиненные.
3. Признать, что некоторые люди просто туповаты и нуждаются в подробных инструкциях.

[styxee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Отличная книга для тех, кто только начинает управлять командой или уже в процессе, но не совсем понимает, что нужно делать. На ситуациях разбираются конкретные действия и шаги, которые стоит предпринять. Описывается четкое понимание хорошего руководителя/менеджера. Что как раз смущает в этой книге — руководитель = менеджер, хотя в моем понимании это две разные роли, каждая из которых занимается разными задачами. Но может это зависит от компании.

[Tracey MacDonald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant- exactly the book I needed

I have been a boss before but this new team has been a big struggle. I came in after a long absence of mgmt and the team was looking for a strong leader. My “we are all in this together” hands off approach was not serving me well. This book laid out some clear action and I am becoming a much better boss.

[Vincent · Rating 3 out of 5]

Blue collar management

This book definitely has a big focus on simpler jobs with not very well trained employees that rotate often.

The principles, thought, are worth reading about. I wouldn't implement all the practices in software engineering management, but some of them might be helpful.

Take this book with a grain of salt. Some advice is too old-school.