Lead Well and Prosper: 15 Successful Strategies for Becoming a Good Manager

The book is split into fifteen chapters with each chapter describing a strategy that can be used by managers. Each chapter starts out with a nice little storyline to introduce the chapter and then a few pages are used to describe the strategy. The fifteen chapters cover obvious things such as `teach', `adopt a serving attitude', 'share information', `do the right thing' and other fairly common sense approaches to leading & managing. This book describes common sense approaches to leading people and teams, but as we all know, common sense and business don't always go hand-in-hand. Common sense doesn't always make it to common practice and this book helps bridge the gap between knowing and doing. This is a great little book full of wisdom for managers & leaders, especially those that are taking on their first management position. It's an easy read and covers the basics to help set the new leader down the right path.

Another of my vacation reads was "Lead Well and Prosper: 15 Successful Strategies for Becoming a Good Manager," by Nick McCormick (Be Good Publishing, 2006, 96 pages). This was a little gem of great advice, particularly suited to new leaders. If you have been leading five years or less, and want some practical advice, this book is for you. McCormick has a degree from Georgetown University and is an IT manager. With this little book, he has done a nice job of pulling together his key lessons as a leader into an easy-to-read, easy-to-use leadership guide. McCormick calls on leaders to do 15 things (each one covered in a four page chapter): 1. Adopt a serving attitude. 2. Teach. 3. Provide honest and timely feedback. 4. Share information. 5. Listen. 6. Treat people like human beings. 7. Set goals, plan, and execute. 8. Learn. 9. Do the right thing. 10. Embrace the uncomfortable. 11. Clean up your own house first. 12. Persist. 13. Do what you say you'll do. 14. Always follow up. 15. Plan your week. Each chapter begins with a funny anecdote showing you how not to do it right. McCormick then explains the strategy and finishes with three lists: "Do", "Don't" and "Action". Conveniently, the lists of dos, don'ts and actions are summarized at the end of the book. There's also a quick test at the back of the book, to help you see where you need to learn more. This is a great book - well worth the time and money. Get it and use it - you'll be glad you did.

Nick McCormick is absolutely on the mark with this book. As leaders we need to step back and reflect on our habits and team building behaviors. Two of the appendices are particularly pragmatic - "Am I a Good Manager Test" and "Planning Your Week". Common sense principles that too often are not common practice are described in Nick McCormick's entertaining style. It is an easy and useful read - buy it.

"The title says it all! Nick's 15 strategies are the fundamental building blocks that any manager can use to build prosperous career."

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I've read many leadership and management business books, but none have had the immediate impact and recognition of issues I need to embrace more than this one. Nick writes clearly and concisely. An easy, enjoyable, insightful and entertaining read. He get's to the point and delivers each message effectively. A must read for any manager or business leader. Thanks for the great advice Mr. McCormick. Waiting anxiously for your next offering.