The lessons and takeaways these experts relay show you a path to being not just a good manager, but a great manager who wins over a team<\/a> and generates the momentum to rally success.<\/p>\n For any newbie manager who’s bumbling around in the position, it can be such a relief to peek behind the curtain of someone who’s walked the same path before.<\/p>\n Julie Zhuo began managing at the ripe age of 25. In her engaging book, The Making of a Manager<\/em>, which earned her a spot on the Wall Street Journal Bestseller List, she relates her own experience of growing into the role of VP of product design at Facebook.<\/p>\n Her understanding evolved from thinking that management is about having meetings and figuring out who should be promoted and fired, to realizing that it’s more about building a team, empowering, coaching and streamlining processes.<\/p>\n Zhuo asserts that managers are made, not born. In order to manage well, it’s necessary first to break away from any false ideas about the role, and understand what it’s really about.<\/p>\n \u201cManagement has nothing to do with employment status and everything to do with the fact that you are no longer trying to get something done by yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n The measure of a good manager isn’t in how well he or she is liked, but in the quality of the team’s output.<\/p>\n \u201cYour role as a manager is not to do the work yourself, even if you are the best at it, because that will only take you so far. Your role is to improve the purpose, people, and process of your team to get as high a multiplier effect on your collective outcome as you can.\u201d<\/p>\n Zhuo organizes her book into ten chapters, with simple titles that include: \u201cAmazing Meetings,\u201d \u201cLeading a Small Team,\u201d and \u201cYour First Three Months.\u201d<\/p>\n She relates anecdotes of starting out at Facebook back when it was more of a \u201cloose collective\u201d and there weren’t any managers at all. Although the stories include many practical takeaways, they aren’t bulleted or codified, but simply stated within the text.<\/p>\n Zhou was born in Shanghai and graduated from Stanford. Currently she is the co-founder at Inspirit.<\/p>\n Readers appreciate how Zhou made herself vulnerable and benefit from reading about her evolution as a manager. Some found that the lessons were more applicable to management within high-growth tech companies, and not within smaller companies.<\/p>\n What if you brought someone on board in your company, then waited an entire decade to finally train them in the duties of the role?<\/p>\n This sounds absurd, but, according to Peter Economy, author of Wait, I’m the Boss?!?<\/em>, this is how things generally roll with managers. Only after a decade of working in the role do companies provide training!<\/p>\n His book speaks to new and current untrained managers, particularly in \u201cnew\u201d work environments, which he defines as those impacted by evolving technology and changing demographics. It’s a how-to manual, the guide they’ll never receive in the workplace.<\/p>\n \u201cSo what can you do if you’re a new manager who hasn’t been offered any training in how to lead or be a manager? Read this book. And then put what you’ve read into practice\u2026.This book is a complete guide to all the things you need to know as a manager.\u201d<\/p>\n The book first breaks down the role of manager, then covers managerial skills and challenges. It includes chapters on hiring and retaining, delegating, and coaching and mentoring, with titles such as: \u201cSurviving Politics and People\u201d and \u201cUh-oh\u2014Dealing with Employee Problems.\u201d<\/p>\n The book’s clear presentation and friendly tone make it a fun read. He begins each chapter with a quote, such as John Maxwell’s, \u201cTo add value to others, one must first value others.\u201d The formatting includes headings and subheadings that make it super easy to capture key ideas.<\/p>\n In his career as a writer, Economy has ghostwritten 125 books! He also wrote the bestselling book, Managing for Dummies<\/em>, and has published over 1,200 articles at Inc.com. He earned an economics degree at Stanford.<\/p>\n Readers find the principles in the book apply to any managerial position, and that it’s excellent for anyone wanting to level up as a manager. It\u2019s easy to skim for takeaways, or to read all the way through.<\/p>\n \u201cEvery successful career is a series of successful assignments, and every successful assignment is launched with a successful transition,\u201d writes Michael D. Watkins in his bestselling book, The First 90 Days.<\/em><\/p>\n Transitions are the most difficult part of any career. To succeed in a new role, the first 90 days must be approached strategically.<\/p>\n Watkins’ book speaks to managers heading up the chain of command, and provides a blueprint for creating the momentum necessary to catapult a new assignment.<\/p>\n \u201cOpinions of your effectiveness begin to form surprisingly quickly, and, once formed, they’re very hard to change. If you’re successful in building credibility and securing wins, the momentum likely will propel you through the rest of your tenure. But if you dig yourself into a hole early on, you will face an uphill battle from that point forward.\u201d<\/p>\n The First 90 Days<\/em> covers specific lessons in how to avoid transition traps and create positive momentum. They include: preparing yourself, accelerating learning, securing early wins, negotiating success, building a team and accelerating everyone.<\/p>\n Watkins makes it easy for managers to apply the lesson to their situation. The book also includes helpful checklists for things like acceleration, alignment, early wins, onboarding, self-management and teams.<\/p>\n This book is quite a phenomenon. It’s sold over a million copies, has been translated into 24 languages and is included in Amazon’s 100 Top Business Books. The Economist named it \u201cthe onboarding bible.\u201d The First 90 Days<\/em> also has a YouTube channel and FaceBook page.<\/p>\n Currently, Watkins works as a coach to executives.<\/p>\n Readers find the book’s advice helpful, if not groundbreaking. It’s particularly beneficial for people newly appointed to senior management positions. The presentation makes the lessons easy to digest.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople are messy,\u201d Mark Hortsman observes in his book, The Effective Manager.<\/em><\/p>\n This makes managing super tricky. There is no one single formula or metric for mastering the skill of overseeing and leading a team of diverse individuals. And since little training is provided, most managers perform rather poorly.<\/p>\n \u201cMost managers are terrible at the most important thing they’re supposed to be doing: getting top performances out of the people they are managing.\u201d<\/p>\n He calls his book a training guide and addresses it to managers in any field: sales, engineering, marketing, operations, logistics and software development. He asserts that managing fundamentally is about behaviors that can be taught.<\/p>\n \u201cSuccess at work is about what you do\u2014you are your behaviors. Almost nothing else matters.\u201d<\/p>\n The first objective of any manager is to deliver the expected results. The second is to retain people. His guide provides a step-by-step plan to retain, coach, empower teams and improve output.<\/p>\n Hortsman wrote his book in conjunction with his popular podcast, Manager Tools. He also runs a company with the same name, providing conferences and coaching in manager training.<\/p>\n The book is organized into 14 chapters, the majority of which cover coaching, delegating, giving one-on-ones and providing feedback.<\/p>\n His clear lessons include personal stories and clever insights such as \u201cThe plural of anecdote is not data.\u201d<\/p>\n Hortsman began his career in the military, and studied mechanical engineering at West Point. He provides training sessions to tens of thousands of managers each year.<\/p>\n His podcast fans found that The Effective Manager<\/em> provides an excellent compilation of all the lessons from the podcast. However, some wish it included specific steps for implementing the lessons.<\/p>\n Harvard Business Review’s 10 Must Reads for New Managers<\/em> compiles into one simple volume some of the most incisive contributions in the area of new management. It’s the cr\u00e9me for advice on the topic.<\/p>\n Anyone new to management has a lot to learn, and these articles offer insight into an array of topics, including: time management, rapport building, delegation, leadership, transitions for managers, constructive feedback and change management.<\/p>\n The articles are written by thought leaders in business and marketing. They include: \u201cBecoming a Boss\u201d by Linda A. Hill, \u201cHarnessing the Science of Persuasion\u201d by Robert Cialdini, \u201cManaging Your Boss\u201d by John J. Gabarro and John P. Kotter and \u201cWhat Makes a Leader\u201d by Daniel Goleman.<\/p>\n The writing is scholarly and dense, and not surprisingly many of the authors, if not all, work as professors.<\/p>\n Each article has been formatted for easy browsing, and feature summaries, bulleted sections that recap key ideas, sidebars that tease out key messages and boxes that demonstrate what the concepts look like in practice.<\/p>\n The guide also includes a six page index, which makes it easy to ferret out specific topics quickly.<\/p>\n The Harvard Business Review is an authority for sound business advice. It creates digital content, as well as publishes a magazine and books through HBR press. This book is part of HBR’s \u201cMust Read\u201d Series, which also includes the topics: Emotional intelligence, Innovation, Leadership, Managing People and Collaboration.<\/p>\n Readers find that the articles cover classic managerial lessons, which are helpful for anyone who’s thrown into managing with no training. However, many articles present worst case scenarios, and so the tone isn’t always encouraging or empowering for new managers.<\/p>\n Growing from a performer into a leader is the hardest transition anyone makes in a career, Ryan Hawk writes in his book, Welcome to Management.<\/em><\/p>\n He introduces the Peter Principle, and explains that generally, people are promoted into managerial positions because they excel at their current positions. However, the new role requires an entirely different set of skills. Whereas formerly, an employee may have been creating something (such as software), as a manager they’re no longer \u201cdoing,\u201d but rather coaching or leading.<\/p>\n \u201cBeing promoted up the ranks is exciting, but unfortunately, the typical organization does an underwhelming job of preparing its new managers for success.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis book is for you and about you,\u201d he writes. It aims to fill this training gap and provide much-needed coaching to new managers.<\/p>\n The writing is funny and sharp, and includes many lessons Hawk learned playing football in college and with the NFL.<\/p>\n The book starts by explaining that managers need to work on themselves first. It includes chapters on self-discipline, morning routines, curiosity and self-awareness. The rest of the book focuses on building and leading a team.<\/p>\n Hawk is host of the popular podcast, The Learning Leader Show, which is named by Inc. Magazine as one of top five leadership podcasts. He’s a former college and professional football player, and advises athletes at the NFL, NBA and NCAA.<\/p>\n Many devoted podcast fans read the book and find it’s helpful for managers at any stage of their career journey. It includes actionable advice, and lessons taken both from Hawk’s experience and those he picked up from interviews.<\/p>\n According to Rachel Pacheco, author of Bringing Up the Boss<\/em>, the career of a direct report hinges on the job performance of a manager.<\/p>\n \u201cOne of the dirty little secrets of managing is that it is a profoundly frustrating and disappointing job…the other dirty little secret of managing is that much of this disappointment is our own fault as manager.\u201d<\/p>\n For example, oftentimes a team’s output is way below the manager’s expectations. This may have nothing to do with the capabilities of the team, however, but rather with a failure of the manager to communicate expectations.<\/p>\n Managing is serious work, she contends. A poor manager causes people to quit or be fired. But at the same time, she assures readers they’re sure to mess up, and encourages them to not take themselves too seriously. She hopes managers use her book as a guide to navigate the challenges of managing<\/a>, which include giving feedback, coaching and hiring.<\/p>\n This is a fun book. Pacheco has a breezy writing style that incorporates humor, graphics and cartoons to illustrate lessons.<\/p>\n Plus, the information is clearly presented. Significant points are highlighted with bold text, and each chapter includes a TL; DR section with key points bulleted.<\/p>\n She organizes the book into three parts: managing an individual, a team and yourself. Chapters include intriguing and humorous titles such as, \u201cFeedback is Like Underwear: It’s a Gift You Need, Maybe Not One You Want,\u201d \u201cBreaking Up is Hard to Do\u201d and \u201cThe Meeting Paradox: We Hate Going, But We Still Want to Be Involved.\u201d<\/p>\n Pacheco offers plenty of takeaway advice. The appendix includes templates on expectation-setting, onboarding, team norms, an individual development plan, as well as a list of powerful coaching questions.<\/p>\n Readers praise the book, and appreciate its humorous presentation of challenging lessons. They apply the lessons at work the very next day.<\/p>\n Pacheco is a researcher at The Wharton School and has served on the board for several digital and wellness startups. She also teaches courses to entrepreneurs at the University of Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n According to Jim McCormick, author of The First-Time Manager<\/em>, when anyone starts out as a manager, they encounter four types of employees: the jealous coworkers, the skeptics, the \u201cyes-men\u201d seeking to gain from the relationship, and the observers who reserve from passing judgement.<\/p>\n It’s tricky to contend with this crowd. \u201cThis book centers around two overarching messages: Be thoughtful in your actions and always conduct yourself with class. You will never regret either.\u201d<\/p>\n McCormick believes that management is more art than science, and that working together, teams achieve far more than individuals.<\/p>\n Whatever problem you face as a new manager, within the 43 chapters in this book, McCormick has a kernel of wisdom to impart to you. Topics cover self-development, performance appraisals, risk management and team building.<\/p>\n He also includes helpful points: \u201cIf you want to be thought of as a brilliant manager, be an active listener\u201d and \u201cA good rule of thumb is not to have more direct reports than you can meet with once a week.\u201d<\/p>\n The short chapters make it easy to plug through the book’s 300 pages.<\/p>\n McCormick is the former COO of the world’s fifth largest architecture firm. Currently, he’s the founder and president of Risk Intelligence, where he coaches business leaders.<\/p>\n Readers believe The First-Time Manager<\/em> includes timeless advice applicable to any managerial position. It reduces legal headaches and creates higher retention and a happier workforce.<\/p>\n Even while new managers are thrilled with a promotion, it doesn’t take long for them to realize that managers don’t have it easy.<\/p>\n It’s a role that requires mastering so many soft skills that it’s nothing anyone can pull off in a day. Every new manager stumbles, underperforms and hits roadblocks. This is assured.<\/p>\n The good news is that plenty of managers have taken the time to share their expertise.<\/p>\n Even if you haven’t been formally trained as a manager, the guidance in these books for new managers offers a guiding light through any obstacle you face.<\/p>\n It’s always an adventure to do something new, and these books leave any new manager empowered to excel in the new role.<\/p>\n<\/span>The Making of a Manager: What to Do When Everyone Looks to You<\/strong> by Julie Zhuo<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.teamly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/The-Making-of-a-Manager-The-Book-by-Julie-Zhuo.png\")
Publisher<\/strong>: Portfolio Penguin
\nYear Published<\/strong>: 2019
\nNumber of Pages<\/strong>: 288<\/p>\n<\/span>Wait, I’m the Boss?!?: The Essential Guide for New Managers to Succeed from Day One<\/strong> by Peter Economy<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"Wait,](\"https:\/\/www.teamly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Wait-Im-the-Boss-The-Essential-Guide-for-New-Managers-to-Succeed-from-Day-One-by-Peter-Economy.png\")
Publisher<\/strong>: Career Press
\nYear Published<\/strong>: 2020
\nNumber of Pages<\/strong>: 208<\/p>\n<\/span>The First 90 Days: Proven Strategies for Getting Up to Speed Faster and Smarter<\/strong> by Michael D. Watkins<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.teamly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/The-First-90-Days-The-Book-by-Michael-D.-Watkins.png\")
Publisher<\/strong>: Harvard Business Review Press
\nYear Published<\/strong>: 2013
\nNumber of Pages<\/strong>: 304<\/p>\n<\/span>The Effective Manager<\/strong> by Mark Hortsman<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.teamly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/The-Effective-Manager-The-Book-by-Mark-Hortsman.png\")
Publisher<\/strong>: Wiley
\nYear Published<\/strong>: 2016
\nNumber of Pages<\/strong>: 208<\/p>\n<\/span>HBR’s 10 Must Reads for New Managers<\/strong> by Harvard Business Review<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"HBR's](\"https:\/\/www.teamly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/HBRs-10-Must-Reads-for-New-Managers-The-Book-by-Harvard-Business-Review.png\")
Publisher<\/strong>: Harvard Business Review Press
\nYear Published<\/strong>: 2017
\nNumber of Pages<\/strong>: 224<\/p>\n<\/span>Welcome to Management: How to Grow From Top Performer to Excellent Leader<\/strong> by Ryan Hawk<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"Welcome](\"https:\/\/www.teamly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Welcome-to-Management-How-to-Grow-From-Top-Performer-to-Excellent-Leader-by-Ryan-Hawk.png\")
Publisher<\/strong>: McGraw-Hill Education
\nYear Published<\/strong>: 2020
\nNumber of Pages<\/strong>: 240<\/p>\n<\/span>Bringing Up the Boss: Practical Lessons for New Managers<\/strong> by Rachel Pacheco<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"Bringing](\"https:\/\/www.teamly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Bringing-Up-the-Boss-A-Book-on-Practical-Lessons-for-New-Managers-by-Rachel-Pacheco.png\")
Publisher<\/strong>: Matt Holt
\nYear Published<\/strong>: 2021
\nNumber of Pages<\/strong>: 304<\/p>\n<\/span>The First-Time Manager<\/strong> by Jim McCormick<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.teamly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/The-First-Time-Manager-The-Book-by-Jim-McCormick.png\")
Publisher<\/strong>: AMACOM
\nYear Published<\/strong>: 2018
\nNumber of Pages<\/strong>: 306<\/p>\n<\/span>Conclusion<\/span><\/h2>\n