About the Book

---

This book has 4 goals:

1. Articulate real challenges which all of us face as managers, and help you identify when those challenges are in front of you. Let’s face it, we all find ourselves in the deep end. My goal of this book is to help you see it before you start drowning.
2. Provide real life anecdotes from me and other industry leaders, helping you to understand that we’ve all been there before, and helping you connect with the concepts.
3. Provide actionable lessons which will help you immediately improve your management skills. And by immediate, I mean it. If this goal is met you will be able to apply its lessons within 24 hours of reading. If you think you’re reading generalized fluff, I’ve failed you.
4. Through mastery of these concepts, and with your own experience added, help you evolve from a Manager to a Leader.

By clearly stating these goals, I can provide to you a litmus test --- if you feel I am achieving my goal we both will know that our time hasn’t been wasted and you can feel confident that acting upon the lessons herein will make your life, and the lives of your people, better. 

Why you should trust me

You shouldn’t trust me. You don’t even know me. I never ask people to trust me. If I do, don’t.

However, I do believe the following: the lessons you’ll read in this book are real. 

Each experience actually happened to me or a co-author, and some variation will happen to you. It is my belief that if you carefully read this book and apply its lessons, over time, you will begin to trust what I am teaching. 

The proof, as they say, will be in the pudding. And pudding is awesome.

As for this book’s other contributors, you’ll learn to trust them as well. I know I do. My career and life simply wouldn’t be the same without them.

What are you about to read?

Most chapters follow a simple format:

1. The main principles and experiences will be written by me, and in this order:
   1. Topic
   2. A real example of how the concept was poorly done
   3. How I learned the right way to do it, and examples of the right way.
   4. 5-10 action items you can implement immediately
   5. Links to the same chapter, but written by various other leaders from their own perspective
      1. Example: For the “Managing Up” chapters, you will see links to the same chapter, but written by Kristin Kidman, a powerful woman who had to navigate the principles differently. You will also see the perspective of Paul Madott, a leader who got his first job at a massive company and had to navigate 18 levels of management.

Note:  Not all chapters will be meaningful to every reader, as I expect my readers to have myriad backgrounds. New managers, or those who want to become managers, will get value from every single chapter. Other managers may find value in 75% of chapters.

Enough already, let’s get to work!

Seriously, though, it is an honor to have you read this book. My sincerest hope is that you will be stronger for it.

Lastly, please feel free to reach out with questions and comments.

And be candid! If you hate the book, tell me. I won’t get offended. I may send you a glitter bomb, but I won’t be offended.