Be(Come) an Awesome Manager: The Essential Toolkit for Impact Leadership

What?—in this book, we look at managerial capabilities, how to evaluate them, and build the ones needed to create value for the customer, the employees and the organization. Through user stories, vignettes, examples, guided reading questions, interactive exercises, and assessments we explain how to reflect on your own capabilities and determine areas for self- improvement and growth. So What?—most organizations neglect the role of managers, undervalue it and, therefore, suffer from a lack of strong management capability. Employees want managers who will provide goals as well as direction, feedback and coaching—and who recognize and reward them for good performance. Yet not all managers are delivering on these expectations and this has ripple effects for the organization in terms of engagement, productivity and retention risks. Today’s workforce has options, and people are clear about the fact that they want to work for companies that will invest in their ongoing development. Employees want managers to help grow their careers and support them along the way—and if their bosses don’t step up, they will leave and take their talent elsewhere! Now What?—if you’ve ever managed or been managed, you’ll understand the critical role that managers play in engaging, motivating and retaining critical employees and talent. But, while good intentions count, managers cannot make a real impact when they do not have the necessary knowledge and skills to back them up. This book is an opportunity to assess your own skills, create your own development plan, and gain new insights. The important part is that you reflect on what worked well and, especially, what did not work well in your past experiences and learn how to improve your skills in the next situations.