The Accidental Manager: Get the Skills You Need to Excel in Your New Career

By Gary S. Topchik

"Every day, people are promoted into the ranks of management . . . even if they never intended to become managers. They agree to their new responsibilities either to stay employed or to make more money. It is a universal phenomenon. But for these ""accidental managers,"" it makes more sense to manage well than to manage badly, and this book tells them how. Using examples and real-life case studies, The Accidental Manager gives readers the tools they need to make the most of their situation, showing them how to: * Develop their people by having them work on their own and with others * Actively listen in order to build trust and increase communication * Give positive and constructive feedback to keep employees on track * Motivate by providing the best possible environment for each team member The book reveals the ten worst types of managers (and how to avoid being one of them), and features a special Management Assessment tool. The Accidental Manager gives managers the skills they need to shine in their new -- accidental -- positions."

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0814474497
• ISBN13: 9780814474495
• Release Date: July 2006
• Publisher: Amacom
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.0" x 9.0"
• Age Range: 17 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 12 and higher

Customer Reviews

Interesting. Useful. Don't miss it.

I am no accidental manager. Well, not a manager anyways. I found this book in the hands of a colleague who is on his way to becoming a manager. Flipped a few pages, and said "hmm... interesting". Later I grabbed a chance to read this book myself. Have you read the joke about a kid reading "Good Parenting" book? When his parents told him it was not the right time for him to read such a book, he replied with "But I'm checking if you're bringing me up the right way." I wanted to check the same thing. (I'm kidding). Anyways, on to the book. I found this a good read. I mean two things: 1) I didn't get bored. I actually managed to read all of it. 2) It taught me something useful. There is a lot of management common-sense scattered around in books. This book brings some of that common-sense together in an interesting, easily digestible way. It tells you about the common fallacies of new 'accidental' managers, and lists recommendations on how to behave to avoid getting into those traps. It was fun to relate many characteristics to people you typically find in the industry (I am not referring to a specific industry here - it just applies to a lot of them). Another note - it's not just for 'accidental managers', but for every person who has been in a people management/leadership role and thinks he/she could improve. I know many people who would certainly benefit from this book, and I am going to recommend it to them. I am surprised why this book isn't as popular yet as it should have been. Thanks to those who recommended it to my office's library though. I'm giving this book a 5-star because it delivered what it promised - nothing more, but nothing less too.

very infomative--leaned a lot!

A must book for anyone who is new to managing. This is a situation I have found myself in and this book has really helped me manage my new job!Recommend to anyone in management!