Product Description

Managing is a perilous business: how to 'let go' yet stay in touch, how to balance short-term tactics with longer-term strategy, how to motivate people to do more with less, how to 'walk the talk' when you don't feel like it, how simultaneously to be an inspirational leader and an effective manager - the dilemmas are endless. Peter Honey has spent more than 35 years advising managers, from a wide cross-section of functions and organisations, and draws on his experiences in this entertaining, insightful book. The whole of management life is revealed in 50 short stories, some sad, some funny - all based on real managers and real events. You'll find control-freaks, autocrats, egotists, bullies, perfectionists, ditherers and eccentrics as well as a few managers simply striving to do their best in difficult circumstances. Peter Honey bravely offers each flawed manager practical advice in a bid to improve their performance and make life more tolerable for their colleagues. The result is a realistic, engaging and ultimately effective book from which any manager, at whatever level, can learn a great deal.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #530251 in Books
• Published on: 2006-04-28
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 262 pages

Review
Pre-publication reviews: "There are wise lessons here, seasoned with humour, for every manager who aspires to be a good leader of others. An invaluable book" Professor John Adair "The strength of this book is that it personalizes instead of generalizing about managerial behaviour" Professor Alan Mumford "The author uses his deep knowledge as a behavioural psychologist to expose the underlying problem and propose a solution, in a way that is relevant and helpful to all of us" Sir Antony Jay"Either read the advice and act on it, or buy another copy, stick a Post-It note in the relevant chapter, and send it to the manager in question" Recommended - Better Business

Better Business
"Either read the advice and act on it, or buy another copy, stick a Post-It note in the relevant chapter, and send it to the manager in question" Recommended.

About the Author
Dr Peter Honey, regarded as one of the world's leading gurus on learning and behaviour and their application to making people more effective in the work place is best known for the Honey and Mumford Learning Styles Questionnaire that was first published in 1982. Since then, Peter Honey Publications has produced a stream of high quality resources promoting learning for individuals, teams and organisations. Peter also manages to be a prolific author, consultant and speaker. He is based in Maidenhead, Berks.

Customer Reviews

Essential for managers, and even more so for people who HAVE a manager!
Peter Honey tells thought-provoking stories about real-life managers which spark off ideas about what ANYONE can do in their own situation. This book is enjoyable and sensible, down to earth and easy to read.

Simplistic Tales
In this book Peter Honey gives us a series of short, readable and light-hearted tales on management. You will certainly recognise traits of managers you have worked with here; and, if you are honest, yourself. Nevertheless it is difficult to know what the purpose of these tales is - apart from wry amusement. They are short and, therefore, simplistic - "the manager who was hooked on initiatives"; "the manager who oozed cliches"; etc. They don't really tell us much. The learning points delivered by Dr Honey as short homilies are occasionaly interesting, but largely obvious; and there is little to learn. Too obvious to be used for training or coaching; and too simplistic to use effectively with managers who take themselves too seriously to appreciate their wry humour; I am not sure how you would use them. Easy, amusing bedtime or airport reading sure, but I am not sure what other purpose these tales might serve.

Learn from stories
Stories are a good way of learning. These cautionary tales give a human face to real situations many will recognise - coupled with wise and practical advice. Much more enjoyable and useful than most management textbooks.