The Rules of Management: A Definitive Code for Managerial Success [Brossura]

Unlike majority of leadership and management texts, the author here has taken a very different approach. And he has undoubtedly succeeded in making it a fun-filled read with rules based coaching on management principles. Now, while most of the texts become very lingo-oriented, and "written for corporate bulldogs", this one is very simple, precise and to-the-point.

What you will like:
- Every rule/learning is completed in a very short time, maximum 2 pages.
- After every rue, there is a text box, which shows the key take-away in one sentence.
- The language is very simple, and goes with the flow. No need for management jargon.
- No need to for a continuous cover-to-cover read. Just pick it up, flick any page, read a rule, think about about it and make a conscious effort to apply it. Or modify according to your business setting and then apply it.

What I liked most:
- Book is divided into two sections, Part 1: Managing Your Team and Part 2: Managing Yourself. It is equally important to understand and develop your own traits and also be able to relate to your team and get work done. Both the skills require different set of efforts and "Rules".

If you are an aspiring manager, or a soon-to-be manager, I'd recommend reading the Part 2 first. Because you have to demonstrate the managerial traits in your personality and work-style, before you can actually contend for a managerial job. This is especially true for corporates, where one has to "deserve" such positions.

On the surface The Rules of Management sounds like a book that concentrates on the current state of management and its future requirements. Rather than being a study of management as a discipline, this book provides 107 specific do's and don'ts for mangers to follow. This book is for managers and how they work with their teams, within their organizations, and with themselves. The rules provide solid reminders of what it means to be an effective manager and why you need to adhere to these rules. Too often the stress of being a manager can lead you to bend or even break one of these rules, often with the result of more work, aggravation and reduced effectiveness.

Richard Templar provides concise and action oriented statements around each of these rules. Experienced managers will benefit from periodically flipping through the rules and identifying the ones they are bending or breaking. The book provides the type of quick corrective action required to get you back on track. New managers will benefit from these rules as well by seeing how they derive from being a team member.

This is not a book about management and many of the rules will lead you to being a good manager but not necessarily a great leader or executive. But great leaders and executives do not get there and more importantly stay there without practicing the solid advice found in this book.

Overall, this is a self-help styled book with a focus on accessibility and application rather than explanation or building understanding. If you were looking for a book that explains why these rules apply and the context of being a manager, then I would strongly recommend Linda Hill and Kent Lineback's Being the Boss.

The rules of management is recommended as being exactly the type of manager support and reference you need to continuously improve your management performance.

Templar has created and compiled some of the best common-sense, no frills, easy to understand guide for managers (and really, anyone who works with anyone else). The "rules" in this book aren't hard and fast by any means, but serve more as a reminder of things we all should know, but aren't sure how to incorporate into our current practice. That, or they are simple things that we have overlooked and need to be prodded into noticing.

Its not life changing or corporate culture shattering, but the book is a handy reference and guide to navigating the sometimes choppy seas of employee and resource management. Managers aren't (or shouldn't be) the drill sergeants who bark orders and underlings...but rather people who captain a ship and steer it in the right direction. Using the rules in this book will make you more aware of your position, the position of your boss, or just how to navigate the culture of your institution and position. Worth a read for any working class person who needs a "cliff-notes" version on how to figure it all out.