Book Review: The First-Time Manager

Amacom (of the American Management Association) has just released the sixth edition of the best-selling book, The First-Time Manager -- originally published in 1981.

The book covers eight core responsibilities of a new manager, including:

Hiring
Communicating
Planning
Organizing
Training
Monitoring
Evaluating
Firing

Expert advice is additionally provided regarding:

Using Your New Authority
Managing Your Mood
Building Trust

One of my favorite sections of the book is the one about class in a manager:

Class is treating people with dignity.
Class does not have to be the center of attention.
Class does not lose its cool.
Class does not rationalize mistakes.
Class is good manners.
Class means loyalty to one's staff.
Class recognizes the best way to build oneself is to first build others.
Class leads by example.
Class does not taken action when angry.
Class is authentic and works hard at making actions consistent with words.

The First-Time Manager is an excellent how-to guide for anyone new to managing people.

Other books for new managers include any from the Top 20 list of Leadership Books, as voted on by LinkedIn Linked 2 Leadership group members, who were asked the question:

What's the first leadership book you would give to a new manager?

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