It's like CliffsNotes for managers. No question about it, many times you are better off diving into a real book when you're grappling with complicated and serious managerial issues. We suggest many such readings on this Web site. But other times, let's face it, who has the time? This very afternoon, for example, you need to interview a job candidate, and it's been awhile since your last encounter with a job applicant. How are you going to prepare yourself? What bases do you need to cover? What sorts of questions must you never ask? The Instant Manager has a chapter on interviewing—and you can read it in about five minutes.
So with our caveat that The Instant Manager is not the War and Peace of management volumes, it is excellent for what it is: a handbook of quick hits, how-tos, and reminders on a wide range of topics.
Chapters are organized into six big subject areas: personal growth, communication, teamwork, leadership, human resource management, and performance improvement. Leadership, for example, is then divided into seventeen sub-areas including "Encouraging Creativity," "Giving Feedback," and "Handling Conflict between Associates" and others. Most of the advice is dispensed in the form of checklists and bullet points.
The author is a consultant who works with Fortune 500 companies and government.—Martha Lagace