HOW DO I GET STARTED? Through no fault of their own, most new managers begin their careers with no real idea where or how to actually manage a team. Via its 125 KEY LESSONS NOBODY'S EVER TAUGHT YOU, "The Manager's Oracle" uses sharp, easy-to-grasp concepts and more than 40 clear examples to expose new leader/managers to all 125 of those secret lessons long before any career adversity or failure can ever confront them. The book identifies four fundamental areas that all new leader/managers absolutely need to grasp, including: • Managing your own activities and personal resources; • Managing the boss; • Managing staff; and • Leading! In mid-career, I returned to school to earn my MBA degree in the field of management. I was fortunate to be quickly offered my first major supervisory assignment, which was to lead a team tasked with developing a very complex computerized customer-billing application. The project brought with it a relatively short and very firm deadline. Even though we were successful, my team and I were completely exhausted! During development, I'd had to quickly learn many key management lessons that for some not very apparent reason had always been kept secret from me – even by the professors in my MBA program. I eventually realized that THOSE MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP LESSONS ARE NOT GENERALLY PACKAGED, NOR GENERALLY TAUGHT, in ANY graduate school! Most leader/managers have to discover these truths on their own, one at a time, usually when a difficult situation emerges - and right in the midst of lots of other pressing work. Like most new managers – I initially made lots of errors and could have been sent right to the minor leagues any number of times. Somehow though, I managed to circle the bases and score a run my first time on the field. Looking back, a good mentor would have been a very big help. Now, having learned all those lessons the hard way - and over a long period of time, I believe "The Manager's Oracle" will leave any new or aspiring leader/manager - or entrepreneur - with abundant tools, as well as the confidence to move smartly forward. I wish something like this had been in my hands when I started my own career. Reader, I want you to benefit - and succeed - from my experience.
