Developing Management Skills (6th Edition)

Rating:
Summary: Useful book, with a lot of practical exercices
Review: Here's one of the best management book available. Not only it will give you practical management techniques, but this book is also full of good exercices. I will definitely but the next edition as soon as it will become available. If you are a manager or want to become one, do not hesitate to invest your money in this book. It might look expensive, but when you consider all the techniques shown in this book, it is cheaper than a ...no-more-than-average management book.

Rating:
Summary: Very useful and easy to read book
Review: I taught a class based on this book for two years while I was myself a graduate student at a business school. I found it to be very informative and helpful to my students, as well as to myself and my classmates. It talks about a lot of things that we face in our everyday lives, like stress management, problem solving, supportive communication, power management, conflict resolution, team building, etc. It is very easly wtitten. You don't have to have any background in any of the subjects to benefit from this book.

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Summary: Extremely Useful and Practical Guide to Effective Management
Review: This book has been widely adopted and is now in its sixth edition because it has proven to be a valuable and effective text for people who want to think about what skills go into being an effective manager, how to develop them, and what are the practical means of application. The book is divided into four parts:

Part 1 - Personal Skills
Part 2 - Interpersonal Skills
Part 3 - Group Skills
Part 4 - Specific Communication Skills

Part 1 starts with developing self-awareness, then discusses managing personal stress, and concludes with approaches to solving problems analytically and creatively.

Part 2 starts with coaching, counseling, and supportive communication, then discusses gaining power and influence, motivating others, and concludes with managing conflict.

Part 3 starts with empowering and delegating, then building effective teams and teamwork, and concludes with leading positive change.

Part 4 is a series of helpful supplements and appendices on making oral and written presentations, conducting interviews, and an extremely useful section on conducting meetings based upon material by John Tropman from the University of Michigan. I had Prof. Tropman for my required class on Organizational Behavior and it was a highlight in my program. He covered some of this material in that class and it makes wonderful sense. He often says that you can use this material to cover as little as you do now, but in half the time.

What I particularly like is that each chapter opens with one or more assessments to help the student / reader think in a personal way about his or her thoughts, beliefs, and skills focusing on the key issues that will be discussed in the chapter. The approach of the book is always practical and the language uplifting and positive. I think this book shows the way to being a positive manager who can be successful in any situation without having to resort to negative human interactions to get things done. It really is a healthy approach to management.

Also, with this new edition, Prentice-Hall and the authors are offering an ONLINE version of the 30 plus assessments so that students (and general readers) can instantly receive automated feedback without having to use pencil and paper and then figure out how to score each assessment. It is all done for you. And for professors, they will be able to drill down on their class data by student or the overall class. It really is a step forward.

There are also name, subject, and combined indexes.

Rating:
Summary: unhappy
Review: this book i felt was more practical in what i can do rather than why management skills and styles are needed which i felt was going t give me that answer

Rating:
Summary: A classic, with much to apply for anyone who wants to grow
Review: This is a spectacular book. I was first introduced to it in a managerial skills class in graduate school. It is a very well-written text, and is full of practical knowledge that anyone can apply. You don't have to be a manager to appreciate what this book can help you do. Anyone can benefit from the book's teachings.

Each chapter (most of them, at least) begins with one or more self-quizzes to determine your abilities or knowledge of each subject. The chapter then helps you to improve your deficiencies. If you repeat the quizzes after you've studied and applied the material, you'll see improvements, as well as additional areas in which to work.

To use this book to the greatest benefit, you should develop solid plans to:

1. Assess your needs (through quizzes)
2. Learn the material (reading the chapters, or the sections in which are lacking)
3. Apply the material (in your life, at work, etc.)
4. Reflect on what happened, what worked, what didn't, etc.
5. Re-assess your abilities (with the quizzes)

As for the topics this covers, it includes nearly every situation you could run into at work. However, a lot of the material is applicable to life in general.

This book is a must read if you want to grow. Before you rush out and buy cheaper, less complete books, add this one to your library. That way you'll have a much better framework from which to purchase other books (if you even need them!).

Rating:
Summary: Most Comprehensive Book On Management Skills Available
Review: While some may find this book simplistic it is quite interesting to note that many of the skills discussed by Cameron and Whetten go unused in failing organizations (I say failing because successful organizations use the techniques found in this book). Having spent 5 years as a blue collar worker and 15 years as a white collar worker I cannot emphasize enough the applicable teachings in this book.

The authors provide "how to's" for many managerial situations that one might find themselves in and outline specific processes to use that are time tested. There is obviously a lot of thought given to both the subordinate and the supervisor as all examples are thought through with mutual respect.

I own over 200 management books and if there were a fire (God forbid) where I could take only one book with me, this one would be it.