Managing for People Who Hate Managing
Be a Success By Being Yourself
By: Devora Zack
Published: August 27, 2012
Format: Paperback, 192 pages
ISBN-10: 1609945735
ISBN-13: 978-1609945732
Publisher Berrett-Koeler Publishers, Inc.
"Learning techniques to reverse your secret hatred of managing ban have a colossal impact on your work life - to infinity and beyond", writes award winning entrepreneur, CEO of Only Connect Consulting, and author of the entertaining and very results oriented book Managing for People Who Hate Managing: Be a Success By Being Yourself. The author describes how management is really about people, and offers the skills to incorporate the manager's own personality traits into their management style, resulting in more engaged employees and less frustrated managers.
Devora Zack understand that managers face unexpected challenges in their new roles and unexpected situations. The author shares the concept of understanding oneself as the key to effective management. Devora Zack guides managers to place themselves along a spectrum to determine if the individual is either a feeler or a thinker. With this insight in place, the author provides series of exercises and techniques to put this personal reflection into action. Devora Zack offers ideas for managers to adapt their approach to employees based on the feeler and thinker concept to create more meaningful engagement. The author expands this personality assessment premise, to include both introverted and extroverted managers, to ensure their success as well.
Devora Zack (photo left) recognizes that to manage others effectively, managers must be also fully understand and manager themselves. To connect with employees, and establish effective lines of communication, managers need to become more flexible in their approach to their staff. Managing their own attitudes and outlook goes far toward creating a climate of trust and respect.
Devora Zack presents strategies and techniques for guiding managers toward establishing their own strengths, personality, and best selves in their management style. The author covers the following aspects of the manager's worldview and flexibility:
* Why your hate it: Discovering your personal management style
* Who are you: Personal self assessment
* But I liked my real job: Adapting to the transition to manager
* Flex for success: Adapting your approach to employee personalities
* Lonely at the top: Managing former colleagues and peers
* Being bossy: Treating others as they want to be treated
* Don't cry in my office: Firing someone with less damage
* Charisma 'n' you: Being successful, effective, and happy
For me, the power of the book is how Devora Zack presents a very hands on survival guide for managers through a combination of wisdom and humor. The author offers a personality based approach to managing where a leader applies their own traits to their role. This alignment of feeling or thinking profiles helps a manager to be more flexible in communicating and connecting with staff members. The author presents enlightening case studies, as part of each chapter to further illustrate each concept in the real world.
Devora Zack demonstrates how personal self awareness, and understanding of the preferences of employees, creates a more effective workplace. To assist in the self assessment process, and to ensure that the key points of each chapter are fully understood, the author provides hands on work sheets and exercises for each major point.At the end of the book, the author also offers bibliography of other books for further study, to assist managers further deepen and improve their skills.
I highly recommend the engaging and very practical book Managing for People Who Hate Managing: Be a Success By Being Yourself by Devora Zack, to any reluctant or dissatisfied managers who may be starting to dislike their job, or who are already hating the position completely. This book will guide you on the journey to liking, and even loving your role as a successful and effective manager.
