The goal of this book is to provide current and prospective managers with the personal, interpersonal, and group skills necessary reduce the gap between good ideas and accepted practice. Managers can hire content knowledge, but they cannot hire stand-ins to represent them in critical staff meetings, conversations with angry customers, schedulling discussions with their secretaries, counseling sessions with troubled employees, or performance evaluations. Skillful performance in these settings has been documented by literally dozens of studies (see the introduction that immediately follow this preface) as the essential and indispensable foundation of effective management practice.

Table of Contents:



Introduction

Part I. Personal skills

1. Developing self awareness

2. Managing personal stress

3. Solving problems analytically and creatively

Part II. Interpersonal skills

4. Coaching, counseling and supportive communication

5. Gaining power and influence

6. Motivating others

7. Managing conflict

Part III. Group skills

8. Empowering and delegating

9. Building effective teams and teamwork

10. Leading positive change

Part IV. Specific communication skills

Supplement A. Making oral and written presentations

Supplement B. Conducting interviews

Supplement C. Conducting meetings

Appendix I. Scoring keys and supplemental materials

Appendix II Glossary

Appendix III References

Index