13 Fatal Errors Managers Make: And How You Can Avoid Them

I wish I can give away the books to everyone I know. It is very good, down-to-earth and practical rules of managing. And the exercises and the contracts at the end of each chapter really works!I am a new person in the workforce with no prior experience, and now I understand the grounds on how effective and successful managers operates. I am also impressed by the usability of the content, meaning that even where I come from (which is not US) the errors and how to avoid it is amazingly applicable. Some people who I respected are also showing the qualities described by the book. Excellent reading. Highly recommended for young executives and newly appointed managers. It might be helpful to buy extra copies to be forwarded to some ineffective managers :P

My review will reflect the readability of this book - simple. I highly recommend this book to a person (like me) that is new to "management". I'm sure others can find it useful as well, but there were some simple mistakes that I had been making that were quickly corected after reading this book. It is so inexpesive, but do not mistake that "low price must equal low content"...that wasn't the case at all. As this text points out...the worst mistake you can make is to run an "unprofitable" business. If you are running a profitable business in this economy you are probably doing a lot of things right! I actually loaned this book to a peer and he hadn't returned it yet, so I am getting another copy so I can go back to it when needed.

This slim paperback might be hard to notice on a shelf filled with large hardbound management texts, but once you read it, you will know that it truly stands out from the rest. Mr. Brown has distilled the wisdom of managers from hundreds of companies into thirteen simple precepts that anyone in a position of authority should immediately memorize and put into practice. Fans of "instant answer" management fad books should probably look elsewhere, because this author teaches that real leadership requires introspection, dedication, and hard work... in short, he speaks the truth.These are the 13 principles, stated more positively: 1. Accept personal accountability. 2. Develop your people. 3. Influence thinking, don't try to control results. 4. Avoid cliques and office politics. 5. Tailor your management style to the needs of your employees. 6. Keep an eye on the bottom line. 7. Concentrate on objectives instead of problems. 8. Be a boss, not a buddy. 9. Set standards.10. Train your people.11. Demand competence.12. Recognize quality performance from all your employees.13. Do not manipulate people.If you would like to know how to achieve these goals, AND YOU DO, then get this book as soon as possible. The royalties from your purchase will help Mr. Brown enjoy a much deserved retirement.

13 Fatal Errors serves as required reading for our regional sales managers. We have created role play scenarios to use skills to prevent the mistakes outlined in the book. The book helped us with the value of ensuring our job descriptions were up to date and helped understand the importance of setting real first-year objectives for new salespeople. A must read for sales managers.

If you're trying to find out why things are not working in your organization, this book is a gold mine. Each error points out management weaknesses that are easily corrected. If you recognize the errors and fix them, your company is going to way better off. These are not difficult adjustments, but they require that managers should in fact manage.