Starting In Management Pocketbook

There is only one opportunity to make a good a start and this Pocketbook will help new managers do just that. Central to The Starting in Management Pocketbook are team skills - creating staff loyalty and commitment, building working relationships that are constructive and creative, and forging teams that are successful. The author begins by defining management, identifying the skills required and highlighting the different styles of management. The importance of reconnaissance and preparation prior to taking up the post is then dealt with before spotlighting the key issues facing managers on day one in the new job.

The army of people who move up into management positions for the first time grows daily. How prepared are they for those first few weeks, when they meet members of their team for the first time, when they conduct their first staff meeting and when they attempt to establish their own brand of leadership?

"We cannot manage time. All we can do is learn how to use the time that we have, as well as we can", says Dr Mike Clayton, author of the all-new Time Management Pocketbook. Illustrated throughout, the book begins by explaining how to plan your time, how to balance the advantages of feeling in control against the necessity of remaining flexible, and how to adapt to changes. It then deals with ways of working that will make you more productive and looks at strategies for tackling one of the biggest problems you face: the challenge of 'too much'. A summary of the eight most popular time management systems in use comprises the penultimate section of the book. The author does admit, though: "I'm no fan of systems. Instead, I prefer broad principles, and a well-stocked box of tools to apply to different situations. To me, a system is a principle applied rigidly. And at some point, it won't apply. That's why I filled this Pocketbook with ideas to try; not just a single system." The book concludes by looking at how organisations can treat time as a strategic asset, systematically making better use of it for the greatest possible return

The Manager's Pocketbook is aimed at team leaders, supervisors and people managers of all levels. The 5th edition of this popular title in the Pocketbook Series will be published in March 2014. Using the acronym POLCA, the pocketbook teaches the five essential management skills: 'P' for 'planning'; 'O' for 'organising'; 'L' for 'leading'; 'C' for 'coaching/correcting'; and, 'A' for 'achieving'. There is a separate chapter on each of these five skills, preceded by an overview of the manager's role. The Manager's Pocketbook is extensively illustrated and concisely presented, reflecting the lively, right-brained approach that author John Townsend has developed throughout his long career in helping managers excel and deal with the many challenges they face.

How to get the best from your working relationship with your boss and other senior people is the subject of The Managing Upwards Pocketbook. It begins by looking at what makes a good boss and what drives the relationship - from both the subordinate's and the boss's perspective. There is advice on how to build a partnership that is constructive, straightforward, trusting and mutually beneficial. Under the heading 'working to create impact' the book deals with such matters as taking a brief, objectives and targets, using timings and deadlines to advantage, and progress reports. Subsequent chapters detail how to communicate with senior people (including listening to each other), how to get agreement and how to handle difficulties such as poor information flow, broken promises, the 'leave it to me' syndrome and more serious issues such as bullying and sexual harassment. Job appraisals, are dealt with too.

The Time Management Pocketbook is one of our most popular titles, now in its 6th edition. Effective use of time is not just about using your diary better; it calls for many management skills. The author looks at these skills within the context of a time management model. The model breaks down the process of managing time into these headings: managing what you do, managing where you work, managing communications, managing to work with others, and managing everyday. Skills covered include: objective setting, decision-making, problem-solving, creativity, assertiveness, listening, questioning, reading, writing, and handling paperwork and phone calls.