NEW BOOK
“The Accidental Manager: Get the Skills You Need to Excel in Your New Career,” by Gary Topchik, Amacon, $17.95.
What you’ll learn: One day you’re one of the troops; the next you’re their manager. What prepared you for your new role? Performance, and management’s view of your potential. What will make you successful in management? Honing skills that deal with people and priorities.
Topchik points out that as a non-manager, you were strictly a doer. You managed yourself. You’ll be spending less time doing (unless you fall victim to micromanaging) and more motivating (i.e. mentoring, leading). When it comes to doing, he says that new managers must understand that his/her overall performance depends more upon the productivity of staff than his/her individual doing. Topchik believes that new managers must resist the temptation to roll up their sleeves and do. Instead, they must learn to do nothing and rely on staff to get things done.
–Jim Pawlak, BizBooks
NEW BOOK
“Winning Negotiations That Preserve Relationships,” collection of articles, Harvard Business School Press, $14.95.
What you’ll learn: Sections cover negotiating collaboratively, forging and sustaining strategic partnerships, negotiating under pressure and negotiating across cultures. It’s a great quick-reference tool. Reread articles covering what you’re likely to encounter before negotiations begin.
Anne Field’s article tackles the take-no-prisoners negotiator. You must anticipate and address issues and arguments that would put you in a defensive position.
–Jim Pawlak, BizBooks
