The Essential Manager’s Handbook

Book Preface

The step up to a managerial role can be an exciting, but daunting, new challenge. Suddenly, you are responsible for making sure your team is working together, achieving results, and that overall your department is running smoothly. There is no single technique to becoming an excellent manager, but the Essential Manager’s Handbook provides indispensable advice on six of the key areas of management.

Lead your team

Managing People is essential to building a high-performing team, and in this section you will learn how to attain this goal. A successful manager must learn to set targets, plan work, delegate tasks, motivate employees, appraise performance, and solve problems. Managing people is a dynamic process thatis always evolving to reflect the complex workspace, but by learning the core skills outlined in this section, you will be well prepared to accommodate future change. To run your team successfully, it is critical to be seen as a good leader. Leadership is the ability to create an environment where each individual feels totally committed
to doing a great job. This section provides practical advice to help you to develop your leadership skills, allowing you to realize both your own and your team’s full potential.

Achieve your potential

Achieving this potential occurs through a combination of becoming more creative and confident, and improving your communication skills. In Achieving High Performance, you will be given the tools to understand yourself, and learn how to play to your strengths and overcome your weaknesses. The Effective Communication section of this book focuses on a wide range of topics, from planning a strategy to analyzing your audience, and will allow you to learn to communicate and listen well, both to your team and to your intended market.

Improve your business skills A good manager also needs to be a successful presenter, as presentations have become an essential tool for business communication around the world. Whether you are delivering a formal speech, giving an informal address to your staff, or communicating with the media, the elements of great presentations are described in the Presenting section in clear, concise, and practical detail. Negotiating is challenging, complex, and exciting, and another important skill that all managers should
master. This section outlines various techniques that can help to make you a more successful negotiator in every situation you face; from teaching you how to manage your own emotions, to understanding your negotiation style.

Throughout this book, there are many features aimed at helping you to learn the essentials of being a manager quickly and efficiently. “Ask Yourself” boxes allow you to review your situation and assess how you can improve your skills, while “Tip” boxes provide expert advice. Case studies demonstrate real-life examples for you to learn from, and “Do’s and Don’ts” boxes provide at-a-glance advice on key topics.