The Making of a Manager: What to Do When Everyone Looks to You
Original price was: $29.00.$14.59Current price is: $14.59.
Description
Congratulations, you’re a manager! After you pop the champagne, accept the shiny new title, and step into this thrilling next chapter of your career, the truth descends like a fog: you don’t really know what you’re doing.
That’s exactly how Julie Zhuo felt when she became a rookie manager at the age of 25. She stared at a long list of logistics–from hiring to firing, from meeting to messaging, from planning to pitching–and faced a thousand questions and uncertainties. How was she supposed to spin teamwork into value? How could she be a good steward of her reports’ careers? What was the secret to leading with confidence in new and unexpected situations?
Now, having managed dozens of teams spanning tens to hundreds of people, Julie knows the most important lesson of all: great managers are made, not born. If you care enough to be reading this, then you care enough to be a great manager.
The Making of a Manager is a modern field guide packed everyday examples and transformative insights, including:
* How to tell a great manager from an average manager (illustrations included)
* When you should look past an awkward interview and hire someone anyway
* How to build trust with your reports through not being a boss
* Where to look when you lose faith and lack the answers
Whether you’re new to the job, a veteran leader, or looking to be promoted, this is the handbook you need to be the kind of manager you wish you had.
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Specification: The Making of a Manager: What to Do When Everyone Looks to You
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Rodrigo –
This book is not only relevant for people who are becoming managers for the first time, in my opinion, it’s a fundamental read for everyone who has the responsibility of leading people, whether they are novices or experienced. I loved Julie’s writing style: It’s an educational book, easy to read, and full of advice, always getting to the point, without being as pompous as the classic leadership books from business schools. I not only learned a lot, but it also made me reflect on many topics (even though I have over 15 years of experience leading large teams of people, this book gave me many key tips that changed my way of thinking).
The only flaw is that it might be a book designed for teams and dynamics of medium and large companies in the technology sector, but if you are leading teams within a small company or a different sector, you will still find a lot of valuable information.
For me, this book was an unexpected gift, not because it was given to me, but because I never thought I would find so many useful tips inside a book that can be implemented to significantly improve my leadership skills.”
AudreyB –
This book is really helpful to learn more about management.
Celine –
Amazing read with concrete tips and lots of ideas /details on how to become better as a manager. I definitely bookmarked some sections that will help me reshape my current role!
Rocky Smith –
When I transitioned into management last year, I was told that there is no book out there that could teach me how to be an effective manager. It was like Morpheus telling me that no one can be told what managing is. You have to see it for yourself. That’s only half true. Like most things, you can’t just read about it, you have to experiment, think on your feet, and establish some kind of feedback loop that can yield growth from experience. However, your feedback loop should include as many high signal inputs as possible. Your team, your peers, your mentors — and a thoughtful and practical book like this — are some of the best signals you can leverage to maximize your growth.
The Making of a Manager is an immensely valuable field guide for anyone interested in managing. If nothing else, you’ll walk away with a clear understanding of what your role really is as a manager, but more likely you’ll end up with a greater understanding of how to lead a group of people, earn their trust, build a cohesive team, connect with and support others, foster a healthy culture for feedback, and — of course — actually get things done.
At this point I’ve read several books about managing and I’d prioritize this one above the rest for being so well-written, focused, clear, practical, engaging, etc. If you’re a new manager or just curious about what managing is about — or you’ve been doing it a while and want to level up by learning from one of the best leaders out there — pick up this book. You’ll be very happy you did.
Rameez C. –
Really enjoyed this book. It was an easy and smooth read. It was a book on management 101 and if that’s what you’re looking for I highly recommend.
Thank you Julie, good work
Rodrigo M. –
Esse livro é um excelente guia introdutório sobre o que é ser um gestor. Na minha empresa o utilizamos como objeto de um Clube do Livro para gestores e o feedback foi muito positivo.
Acho que os temas são apenas pincelados no livro, o que o torna um bom mapa mental de conceitos de gestão de pessoas, mas não acho que ele aprofunda o suficiente.
É uma leitura boa , o livro tem termos de fácil entendimento.
Wally Bock –
When I was partway through The making of a manager: what to do when everyone looks to you I was sure that I would be giving this an unqualified five-star review. Then, I got to the second half.
There are two very different halves to this book. I’ll cut to the chase about whether this is a great book for you.
The first half of the book is excellent and helpful for almost anyone. The second half of the book may be for you if you work at Facebook or a company very much like it.
Here’s how Ms. Zhuo defines a manager’s job. “A manager’s job is to help her team get better results.” That’s the key insight for the book. It’s clear and actionable. It’s true no matter who you are or where you work as a manager.
If you’re thinking about becoming a manager this is a great book for you.
If you’re thinking about becoming a manager. buy this book. In the section that begins on 28, Ms. Zhou asks you questions about who you are and what you’re like. She describes how your answers can help you decide if management is for you. Those few pages are worth the price of the book. They may keep you from making a terrible, irreversible mistake. If management is not for you, it’s good to know before you become one. The key insight is that you must love the work.
If you’re a new manager, this is a great book for you.
It usually takes a new manager a year or two to settle into the job, learn the basics, and manage effectively. If you’re somewhere in that first two years, buy this book. Ms. Zhuo’s descriptions of a manager’s work are clear, and you’ll be able to see yourself in them. Her analysis is good and includes ideas about what you can and should do. She describes her mistakes and misconceptions.
Now for the second half of the book.
The second half of the book will be great for you if you work at Facebook. It will be good for you if you work in a creative job in a tech company, especially one experiencing hyper-growth. It will not be so good for you if you work at a trucking company or a clothing store or any smaller company. Here’s why I think the second half of the book is so different from the first half.
Ms. Zhuo implies that she’s new and remembers the beginning well. Here’s a quote from the Introduction.
“I thought, Maybe I can write this book, because it’s more relevant for a certain group of people now: new managers thrown into the deep end, overwhelmed managers wondering how to best help their reports, managers dealing with fast-growing teams, or those simply curious about management. I was one of them not so long ago.”
When this book came out, she had been at Facebook for more than a decade and she was the VP of Product Design. In February 2020, she left Facebook to become a cofounder of InSpirit. But here’s the thing. The first half of the book sounds like “not so long ago.” The second half sounds like reflections of someone who’s been a manager for a while.
I suspect she may have written the first at one time and the other material much later.
The writing styles are very different. The first half flows easily and sounds natural. The second half is how authors write when they must finish by a deadline.
I would have preferred an excellent book for new managers in any kind of company. That’s the first 150 pages. I could have done without the last 150 pages, even if the publisher thought it was necessary.
In A Nutshell
If you’re thinking about becoming a manager, buy The making of a manager: what to do when everyone looks to you. Read the section on what managers do that begins about page 28.
If you’re a new manager, especially if you’re in your first two years, buy this book and read the first half.
What about the second half? Start reading it. You’ve already invested in the book and gotten your money’s worth from the first half. Read the second half as long as it stays interesting and helpful.
Nikolas –
Interesting story of how Julie Z. became a manager at Facebook. Can recommend.
Michael –
I enjoyed it. Blasted through it in a couple days, no problem (even for a slow reader like me). It is written with very casual language, not pretentious or preachy or pedantic.
The book is divided in such a way that you can reference particular chapters as needed. Some of the information is obvious, but it’s nice to have it said nonetheless.
This book has got be excited for my future in management (and beyond)!