Henry Mintzberg once said, “Management is, above all, a practice where art, science, and craft meet.” In other words, great managers know how to make management ideas and concepts work for them.
The thing is, you must possess sharp managerial skills to win the career race and hold up the trophy of career success.
And be it time management or supervision of employees, the key to becoming an effective manager lies in practice and knowledge— learning what to do at the right time.
But how do you learn these skills?
Certainly, the best and fastest way to become a respected, inspiring, and effective manager is to to learn from the trailblazers of the field by reading books on management ideas and concepts.
Wondering which books to read? Feel free to look at the list below.
1- The Practice of Management by Peter F. Drucker. According to the Harvard Business Review, “His writings are landmarks of the managerial profession.” That is to say, this book is a must-read for serious managers.
2- Measure What Matters, by venture capitalist John Doerr, is an eye-opener with practical input, case studies, and advice from top-of-the-line CEOs, Bill Gates and Andy Grove, to name a few. Simply put, this book discusses the application of Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) to drive growth and innovation.
More Resources on Management Ideas and Concepts
3- The Deming Management Method by Mary Walton, based on the principles of Dr. W. Edwards Deming, focuses on approaches to deal with mistakes and issues.
As Robert Reich, former Secretary of Labor, said, “W. Edwards Deming is to management what Benjamin Franklin was to the Republican conscience — a guide, a prophet, an instigator. Here in one book is an incisive summary of his wisdom.”
4- The Toyota Way by Jeffrey K. This book discusses Toyota’s business philosophy and shares insights on improving business processes and product quality while cutting costs.
5- The Truth About Employee Engagement by business expert Patrick Lencioni. Most jobs, no matter how interesting, can sometimes become unbearable. So, this book offers insights into how managers should avoid and deal with this pitfall.
6- HBR’s 10 Must Reads on Teams: Harvard Business Review has combed through their best business articles and handpicked the top ten for you to read. For Instance, the articles offer invaluable advice on employee management, organizational skills, and performance improvement.
7- Radical Candor by Kim Scott. As Booklist said, “Her seven-step methodology―listen, clarify, debate, decide, persuade, execute, learn―is the tool by which bosses and employees get work done well. Plus it completely overcomes the paralysis and concerns during appraisal time. An amazing process that should work, when embraced and applied.”
Do you need guidance to create a system to reinforce your managerial skills? Email the CBL Team now. And please share this post with your smart friends.
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