People management - books to help a beginner?
Discussion
I remember a long time ago, reading a post from a PH'er, about how he secured a people management role at work despite not having much experience in people management. He read some books on the topic and this helped him a lot in his new role.
Does anybody have any recommendations for books I could read that would help me move successfully into a people management role? I already have some people management experience but not a huge amount. My next role could involve a fair bit of this so I'd like to be prepared as best as possible.
Does anybody have any recommendations for books I could read that would help me move successfully into a people management role? I already have some people management experience but not a huge amount. My next role could involve a fair bit of this so I'd like to be prepared as best as possible.
The term 'manager' is (sadly, some would say) not a protected title (like nurse/doctor etc), so 'membership' is open to all who are interested in the subject and wish to advance their knowledge of such.
Where you then have to prove competence is if you wish to upgrade membership to say Fellow level, or in the case of the CMI, you aspire to Chartered status.
PS hope all's well!
Where you then have to prove competence is if you wish to upgrade membership to say Fellow level, or in the case of the CMI, you aspire to Chartered status.
PS hope all's well!
I've been new to people management this year, and it's certainly been an experience. I think the three points that have been most important are:
1)Be clear
2)Be fair
3)Be consistent
Added to that, don't expect everyone to like you; your job will be easier if your team aren't your best friends anyway.
1)Be clear
2)Be fair
3)Be consistent
Added to that, don't expect everyone to like you; your job will be easier if your team aren't your best friends anyway.
davepoth said:
I've been new to people management this year, and it's certainly been an experience. I think the three points that have been most important are:
1)Be clear
2)Be fair
3)Be consistent
Added to that, don't expect everyone to like you; your job will be easier if your team aren't your best friends anyway.
Agree1)Be clear
2)Be fair
3)Be consistent
Added to that, don't expect everyone to like you; your job will be easier if your team aren't your best friends anyway.
plus set realistic and measurable objectives, conduct regular reviews and support people with proper development plans and personal coaching. In other words create an environment where people can succeed. If they don't it's usually their fault and you have the evidence to take necessary action.
Not a 100% sure, but I think it was me writing a post about people management (don't hold me to that)
The book I ended up buying was: "Leadership for Dummies" (Dr John Marrin). I found this book excellent. I would like to read it again soon.
There is another book going around which loads of managers are talking about, and this is: Shackleton's Way: Leadership Lessons from the Great Antarctic Explorer
Hope this helps.
The book I ended up buying was: "Leadership for Dummies" (Dr John Marrin). I found this book excellent. I would like to read it again soon.
There is another book going around which loads of managers are talking about, and this is: Shackleton's Way: Leadership Lessons from the Great Antarctic Explorer
Hope this helps.
davepoth said:
I've been new to people management this year, and it's certainly been an experience. I think the three points that have been most important are:
1)Be clear
2)Be fair
3)Be consistent
Added to that, don't expect everyone to like you; your job will be easier if your team aren't your best friends anyway.
Its this all day long. Especially the last bit regarding balance. 1)Be clear
2)Be fair
3)Be consistent
Added to that, don't expect everyone to like you; your job will be easier if your team aren't your best friends anyway.
Being able to deal with pressure from above is always useful. Coupled to evidence. Evidence of success and value added as well as the bits that are squiffy.
I think experience makes you a better man manager. I dont tend to read on the subject but have several mentors to talk stuff through with. I.e learning from those who have done similar or who seem to be successful at what they do.
oldbanger said:
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - Stephen Covey
Can second this one.Edited by oldbanger on Friday 18th December 12:33
A lesson my first boss ever taught me was never to ask anyone to do anything you either haven't done or wouldn't be willing to do yourself.
Adopt that philosophy and people below you will have a lot more time and respect for you.
tleefox said:
A lesson my first boss ever taught me was never to ask anyone to do anything you either haven't done or wouldn't be willing to do yourself.
Adopt that philosophy and people below you will have a lot more time and respect for you.
This is one I have some trouble with tbh, I think it's a popular but slightly old fashioned view.Adopt that philosophy and people below you will have a lot more time and respect for you.
In a previous employment with a high street bank their philosophy was quite the opposite; that managers managed and operators operated. If I was managing a team of loan advisors I wasn't expected to know my way around their computer systems for example. That was their job. My job was to manage the team's performance. If I was busy learning about updates which I wouldn't be using then that was time I wasn't actually doing the job they were paying me for. Plus the rank and file will (should) always be better at it than you anyway, as it's their job. No point being a martyr.
I understand the thinking behind it, but I'm not sure why being a s
t cook as I am should preclude me from buying a restaurant. That's why chefs exist.Anyway, people management isn't rocket science.
Expect the unexpected. Never assume people will think, say or do something the way you would, or which seems totally natural and obvious. There is always someone who will bust your assumptions with the most ridiculous, crazy thought process which seems rational to them but is way out there.
Bribe them. Cake, sweets, holiday requests, things like this can go a long way to keep people happy (and ensure you get what you want).
Ultimately, treat others as you'd like to be treated yourself.
And lastly, having done everything from hiring to firing, dealing with theft to child porn, performance to politics, religion to retirements the MOST awkward thing I ever had to address was BO.
I'd prefer to find kiddie porn on a work PC (as I did) than pull someone in for being a smelly b
d, especially the second or third time. The kiddie porn guy isn't coming back, the smelly one you've got to work with tomorrow, and every day after that.Oh and I should for professionalism's sake say don't f
k your team members, your team members daughters or your married boss. And definitely not all three unless you want a world of pain. 
Robert Goffe's book - why should anyone be led by you is excellent - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Why-Should-Anyone-Led-You/...
technodup said:
tleefox said:
A lesson my first boss ever taught me was never to ask anyone to do anything you either haven't done or wouldn't be willing to do yourself.
Adopt that philosophy and people below you will have a lot more time and respect for you.
This is one I have some trouble with tbh, I think it's a popular but slightly old fashioned view.Adopt that philosophy and people below you will have a lot more time and respect for you.
It is about only asking staff to work late for the next week to meet a deadline if you'd be willing to do that too if you had to. It is only insisting staff take a 24 month wage freeze if you would. It is only expecting staff to be punctual if you are. And it is only anticipating staff will keep a tidy workplace if you can keep a tidy office. And it could be as simple as mucking in if a delivery of goods has arrived and you go and give a hand because you can see it's going to take them a bit longer than normal to sort as 2 of the staff are away on sick leave.
Having said all that, taking the time to understand what your staff do and the daily challenges they face will be time well spent for you and the staff will appreciate it.
Agreed, but there are still people around who think exactly that, at all levels. People who think for example you have to join the police as a PC and work up, when actually the right skilled people to manage police might come from a different industry altogether.
But as to the points you made, aye 100%. Don't be seen as a do as I do, not as I say type.
But as to the points you made, aye 100%. Don't be seen as a do as I do, not as I say type.
Some very good suggestions posted already. Personal tips would be;
1. set and communicate clear expectations, linked to what your organisation is trying to achieve
2. Behave consistently and without regard for personal like or dislike for those under your management
3. Treat those that you are managing as you would like to be treated in their position
4. Give regular feedback; no one should ever be surprised by your assessment of their performance
I would not put any store in the "don't ask people to do anything you wouldn't/couldn't do yourself" statement. This is poor management; it creates a narrow set of skills and capabilities in the organisation and engenders a parent/child management culture which is unhelpful beyond the simplest and most repetitive activities.
1. set and communicate clear expectations, linked to what your organisation is trying to achieve
2. Behave consistently and without regard for personal like or dislike for those under your management
3. Treat those that you are managing as you would like to be treated in their position
4. Give regular feedback; no one should ever be surprised by your assessment of their performance
I would not put any store in the "don't ask people to do anything you wouldn't/couldn't do yourself" statement. This is poor management; it creates a narrow set of skills and capabilities in the organisation and engenders a parent/child management culture which is unhelpful beyond the simplest and most repetitive activities.
Edited by ClaphamGT3 on Thursday 24th December 10:31
me great advice in here personally I used Covey's 7 habits..... , Sir John Whitmore's performance coaching, and many of the Ken Blanchard stuff which I found very easy to use with my teams and for them to use with theirs:
Who moved my cheese is a very simple change management analogy
One minute manager stuff is good for priorities and time management
Situational leadership was very good for understanding roles and how they change in different situations .
Gung Ho! was probably the most fun we had as a team and was good with a new young team that were coming together for a specific task or project.
The Blanchard stuff is very readable and there are lots of good resources available .
We also used a program called Fish which worked very well when creating new teams for new channels or special projects like major store makeovers.
Good Leadership is a vey valuable commodity and transferrable too so its well worth the investment. Lookout for Seagull managers and remember if you do what you always did, you will get what you always got!
Who moved my cheese is a very simple change management analogy
One minute manager stuff is good for priorities and time management
Situational leadership was very good for understanding roles and how they change in different situations .
Gung Ho! was probably the most fun we had as a team and was good with a new young team that were coming together for a specific task or project.
The Blanchard stuff is very readable and there are lots of good resources available .
We also used a program called Fish which worked very well when creating new teams for new channels or special projects like major store makeovers.
Good Leadership is a vey valuable commodity and transferrable too so its well worth the investment. Lookout for Seagull managers and remember if you do what you always did, you will get what you always got!
There can't be a business in Britain that hasn't rolled out that video at some stage.It's been mentioned above, but if you haven't already got one, a mentor is a great asset n 'chewing over leadership issues', someone you can confide in :-)
I enjoy reading around the subject, and trying new things out :-) I dislike the term 'manager' as it has its own connotations, but on the premise that your role in people management is not to be the expert, but to ensure others are able to deliver their best, some books that haven't been mentioned:
- the leadership book http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Leadership-Book-Outsta...
- Rumsfelds rules http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rumsfelds-Rules-Leadership...
- time to think (maybe a little left field!) http://www.amazon.co.uk/Time-Think-Listening-Ignit...
I enjoy reading around the subject, and trying new things out :-) I dislike the term 'manager' as it has its own connotations, but on the premise that your role in people management is not to be the expert, but to ensure others are able to deliver their best, some books that haven't been mentioned:
- the leadership book http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Leadership-Book-Outsta...
- Rumsfelds rules http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rumsfelds-Rules-Leadership...
- time to think (maybe a little left field!) http://www.amazon.co.uk/Time-Think-Listening-Ignit...
I've not read it yet, but I will be buying a book later today recommended to me called Teams of Teams by McChrystal, Collins, Silverman and Fussell.
'The authors are senior US military, Navy Seal and Harvard types. Their purpose; to demonstrate how utterly unprepared we are, in our management practices and understanding, to cope with the changing world we face.'
'The authors are senior US military, Navy Seal and Harvard types. Their purpose; to demonstrate how utterly unprepared we are, in our management practices and understanding, to cope with the changing world we face.'
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