The First-Time Manager, 6th Edition

Book Preface

M Y F I R S T E X P O S U R E T O T H I S B O O K WA S W H E N AMACOM Books approached me about updating it. Upon reading this classic, I arrived at four conclusions. The first was that this book is a fantastic resource that has clearly helped countless new managers. The second was that it would be impossiblefor people to read this book and not improve their ability to manage well, regardless of how long they have been managing. The third was that I would have thoroughly enjoyed sitting down with Loren Belker and Gary Topchik because both our philosophies of management and our general approaches to life are so well aligned. My final conclusion was that improving this extraordinary resource would be a daunting challenge. I felt as though I was being asked to polish an already brilliant gem.

Having never had the opportunity to meet Loren or Gary led me to feel an even greater obligation to bring their work forward respectfully, add some new insights, and not diminish the value they have provided by their writings. To paraphrase Sir Isaac Newton, if I have provided value ‘‘it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.’’

Respectfully,
Jim McCormick