Premium Essay

Managing Your Boss - Review

In: Business and Management

Submitted By stefrosh88
Words 1385
Pages 6
Human Resource Management - Book Review

“Managing Your Boss” by John J. Gabarro and John P. Kotter
Harvard Business Review, 2005

Introduction
People sometimes do not realize how much their bosses depend on them and many people also do not realize how much they depend on their boss. For example bosses need honesty from manager’s direct reports. People can managing their bosses for very good reasons: to get resources to do the best job, not only for their-selves but also for their bosses and their companies as well.

Effective managers take time and effort to manage not only relationship with subordinates but also those with their bosses. This essential aspect of management is sometimes ignored by otherwise talented and aggressive managers. And there are some managers who actively and effectively supervise subordinates, markets, etc assume an almost passively reactive stance when they meet their bosses.

With this mutual dependence, effective managers seek out information about boss’s concerns and are sensitive to his work style. Whether see the boss as the enemy or viewing the boss as an all-wise parent.

Summary
The book is divided into four big parts. First part is Misreading The Boss-Subordinate Relationship. This part provide about how two people can on occasional be psychological or temperamentally incapable of working together, where a personality conflict sometimes only a very small part of the problems. Sometimes people did not realize that their relation with their subordinates involved mutual dependence between two unperfected human being. Some people behave base on their thought, that their bosses were not really rely on them. And some people behave as they not really rely on their bosses. To manage situation like this we need a good understanding of the other person and ourselves, and use that information to develop and manage a

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Asdf

...Managing Organizations and Leading People Pacing Guide for C200 Western Governors University Pacing Guide The following chart outlines all of the activities – learning resource reading, online material and quizzes, MindTap activities etc. – required for this course of study. It is highly recommended you complete all of the activities listed here to become competent in the objectives and to successfully complete the performance assessment task and objective assessment for this course of study. You may use this outline as a quick checklist as you work through the course and complete each activity. If you engage in all of the learning activities to develop your competence, this course of study may take up to six weeks to complete. Depending on your educational background, work experience, and the time that you are able to dedicate to your studies, you may be able to accelerate your progress. If you wish to do so, please consult with your course mentor. Week 1 Activity Read the following chapter in Management Learning Resource or Site Chapter 1 (“Innovative Management for a Changing World”) Complete the chapter review discussion questions and activities Watch the OTJ Video (“Camp BowWow”) Camp BowWow Complete the OTJ Video Assessment Camp BowWow Assessment Complete Interactive Quiz 1 Interactive Quiz 1 Complete the Aplia Assignment-Innovative Management for a Changing World Aplia Assignment Read supplemental articles ...

Words: 1177 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Being the Boss Review

...review BEING THE BOSS is a must read for all managers. This document is an outcome of the book review completed by Group 8 of PGSEM 2013 batch. The intention is to capture the key ideas endorsed by LINDA HILL and KENT LINEBACK through BEING THE BOSS BEING THE BOSS is a must read for all managers. This document is an outcome of the book review completed by Group 8 of PGSEM 2013 batch. The intention is to capture the key ideas endorsed by LINDA HILL and KENT LINEBACK through BEING THE BOSS BEING THE BOSS THE 3 IMPERATIVES for BECOMING a GREAT LEADER BEING THE BOSS THE 3 IMPERATIVES for BECOMING a GREAT LEADER Group 8 Jitesh Gopal( 1312017) Pravar Ranjan ( 1312054) Rajesh Unnikrishnan(1312034) Group 8 Jitesh Gopal( 1312017) Pravar Ranjan ( 1312054) Rajesh Unnikrishnan(1312034) BEING THE BOSS is a must read for all managers. Linda A. Hill and Kent LineBack have comprehensively explained the paradoxes associated with Management Job. As becoming a manager is a journey – A journey most managers fail to Complete, it’s important that people are given tools and methods that will help them progress through the long road of management. Through BEING THE BOSS, Linda and Kent have provided us with such a tool. Jason, the protagonist in BEING THE BOSS, embodies the paradoxes that...

Words: 3266 - Pages: 14

Premium Essay

Roles of Management in an Organization

...articles/case study “Managing Your Boss”, “When a new manager stumbles, Who’s at fault?”, and “A Day in the Life of Alex Sander: Driving in the fast lane at Landon Care Products” and looking back on some of my own work experiences I have realized that there are many key concepts in the roles of management in an organization. But there are a few key concepts in particular that I believe are the most important in the role of management in an organization. In this paper you will read about things that stuck out to me from the three articles and some of my personal work experiences that relate to messages the authors are trying to portray in these articles which include actions that I notice managers, employees, bosses, and myself take where I work every day and my opinions on how things could be done differently for the good of the company. I hope you enjoy reading this paper and also learn something along the way as well. Keywords: concepts, experiences ROLES OF MANAGEMENT IN AN ORGANIZATION 3 I thought this week’s readings were very interesting. Each reading provided different concepts in the role of management in an organization. The concept that I believe is the most important in the role of management in an organization is “good communication”. Without good communication in the workplace employees, managers, and bosses tend to assume everything is fine and then things can potentially go wrong. For example in the article “Managing Your Boss” the author stated “Many...

Words: 875 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Becoming the Boss

...what it means to be in charge. by Linda A. Hill E Paul Blow the process of becoming a leader is an arduous, albeit rewarding, journey of continuous learning and self-development. The initial test along the path is so fundamental that we often overlook it: becoming a boss for the first time. That’s a shame, because the trials involved in this rite of passage have serious consequences for both the individual and the organization. Executives are shaped irrevocably by their first management positions. Decades later, they recall those first months as transformational experiences that forged their leadership philosophies and styles in ways that may continue to haunt and hobble them throughout their careers. Organizations suffer considerable human and financial costs when a person who has been promoted because of strong individual performance and qualifications fails to adjust successfully to management responsibilities. VEN FOR THE MOST GIFTED INDIVIDUALS, O S S hbr.org | January 2007 | Harvard Business Review 49 THE TESTS OF A LEADER | Becoming the Boss The failures aren’t surprising, given the difficulty of the transition. Ask any new manager about the early days of being a boss – indeed, ask any senior executive to recall how he or she felt as a new manager. If you get an honest answer, you’ll hear a tale of disorientation and, for some, overwhelming confusion. The new role didn’t feel anything like it was supposed to. It felt too big for any one person...

Words: 5923 - Pages: 24

Free Essay

Managing the Boss

...The relationship with your boss is probably the most important relationship you have at work. Boss management can stimulate better performance, improve your working life, job satisfaction, and workload. Give your boss a hand and reap the rewards. ________________________________________ When we think of managing someone, we usually think of managing our team members or subordinates. The above title appeared for the first time a few years ago in a Harvard Business Review article written by two well known socio-psychologists. Their argument was that in modern companies, subordinates are not solely dependent on their bosses, but that today's complexity requires interdependence: the boss needs her team as well. I have the vantage point of being an adviser to top management, a CEO, and now as Co-Director of the PED program at IMD. In addition, I have been involved in the restructuring of a major international company, which involves some 12,000 people and 12 hierarchical levels. In order to unleash the energies and get closer to customers, we divided the group into 250 'small companies' of some 50 people each and of three hierarchical levels. To change the mindset, we organised a 20-day management seminar, during which we discussed the challenge of how to deal with bosses, who in the old structure, tended to hamper change. The whole process forced me to crystallize my observations and previous experience and test them with the 250 managers. I have grouped the results into...

Words: 3954 - Pages: 16

Premium Essay

Engineer

...BRAVE Framework for Thinking About Culture | PrimeGenesis NEWS BLOG CONTACT HOME ABOUT US EXECUTIVE ONBOARDING BEFORE DAY ONE OUR BOOKS THE NEW LEADER’S PLAYBOOK TOOLS BRAVE FRAMEWORK FOR THINKING ABOUT CULTURE DECEMBER 7, 2010 BY GEORGE BRADT 16 COMMENTS ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE: SO IMPORTANT – SO MISUNDERSTOOD We created some new frameworks for the 3rd edition of our book The New Leader's 100-Day Action Plan. One of those is the BRAVE cultural framework. At some level, everyone knows culture is important, but people struggle to define, understand, and influence it. Since we originally created this framework, many have found BRAVE helpful in building shared cultural understanding and action. BRAVE CULTURAL FRAMEWORK BRAVE encapsulates components of culture including the way people Behave, Relate, their Attitude, Values, and the work Environment they create: Behave: The way people act, make decisions, control the business, etc. Relate: The way people communicate with each other (including mode, manner, frequency, and disagreement), engage in intellectual debate, manage conflict, credit and blame, etc. (1) Attitude: How people feel about and identify with the organization, its purpose, and its stakeholders, etc. A big part of this comes through in individual and organizations' sense of commitment to what they are doing. Values: People's underlying beliefs, principles, approach to learning, risk, time horizons, etc. Environment: The way people...

Words: 1471 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

What Really Motivates You?

...CASE STUDY 123 SYNTHESIS 130 LIFE'S WORK 136 The first step in a testy negotiation The rise of women and the silence of men Former Irish president Maiy Robinson on wielding influence »(ähoiit authority Managing Your Professional Growth hbr.org MANAGING YOURSELF Know what really motivates you. by Heidi Grant Halvorson and E. Tory Higgins n n what kinds of situations are you most effective? What factors strengthen—or U undermine—your motivation? People answer these questions in very different ways, and that's the challenge at the heart of good management—whether you're managing your own performsince or someone else's. One-size-fits-all principles don't work. The strategies that help you excel may not help your colleagues or your direct reports; what works for your boss or your mentor doesn't always work for you. Personality matters. In business the most common tool for identifying one's personality type is the Myers-Bdggs Type Indicator. But the problem with this and many other assessment tools is that they don't actually predict performance. (In fairness to Myers-Briggs, it doesn't claim to.) These tests will tell you about attributes—such as your degree of introversion or extroversion, or your reliance on thinking versus feeling—that indicate what you like to do, but they tell you very little about whether you are good at it, or how to improve if you're not. Fortunately, there is a way of grouping people into types on...

Words: 2727 - Pages: 11

Premium Essay

Lisa Benton

...Benton had met several members of the Houseworld product management team during the recruiting process and been impressed with how knowledgeable and friendly they were. However, Benton’s first day of work as an assistant product manager in the Home Care division did not match her expectations. Benton’s new boss, Deborah Linton, offered a cool reception. Linton made clear during their first meeting with Benton that she didn’t like Harvard MBAs and gave the impression that she had no time to help train and orient her new employee. Instead, Benton was shown around by Linton’s other report, associate product manager Ron Scoville, who struck her as condescending and also derisive of MBAs. During her first weeks at Houseworld, Benton developed a good relationship with others in the company. However, she continued to be frustrated by her team. She was consistently relegated to analysis and excluded from strategy and, as such, felt that her talents and training were not being fully utilized. Benton was also troubled by her boss’s lack of interest in her development and noted that Linton seemed preoccupied with other matters. When Benton pressed her boss for her three month performance review, Linton notes included feedback that she was not assertive enough and did not take initiative. Benton felt frustrated that her strengths were not identified and that she received negative feedback as a result of conflicting messages she’d...

Words: 1825 - Pages: 8

Free Essay

Job Analysis

...Let me tell you that I am happily retired. About 20 years ago companies started coming up with goofy names and phrases for just about everything. Here are a few examples. Sales Associate. Does this mean that I am no longer a clerk? The word no really does not mean no when a customer tells you that he or she is not interested in the product. It is an opportunity to change their minds. Here is one of my favorites. Best Practices, what ever the Hell this means. Getting back to your question in the specific. Understanding job analysis information. I am guessing but I believe it means understand how to do your job and understand how others should be doing theirs and do it. Even if they mean something else it probably is just a straight forward concept and saying it in a round about way to make it sound really important. Jeez Louise these people can make you nuts with all their craziness. I would have loved to bash one of my boss's brain in with his best practices paper weight. Don't let it get to you like me. Best Regards Bob Summary: Many companies and managers use job descriptions and job analysis to set employee goals and objectives, so they are tied into the needs of the work unit or company. In this article, you'll learn what job descriptions (and job analysis) are, their uses and applications, and how they can be used to improve performance. What is job analysis? Before we can discuss job descriptions, it is important to understand the distinction between descriptions and...

Words: 2143 - Pages: 9

Premium Essay

Bad Bosses

...of others. A good boss creates clear focus on desired outcomes, properly equip their operations for high performance and above all build strong working relationships and foster teamwork. He creates a climate where employees receive ongoing feedback and coaching and they strive to maintain a work-life balance. Flexibility, understanding and the ability to listen to the employees makes up some of the important characteristics of a good boss. On the contrary, a leader who criticizes, belittles and disrespects his employees earns the label of a bad boss. A bad boss fails to give recognition for the little things his employee does. Such leaders not only make life miserable for their employees, but hamper organizational performance. No one starts out their career trying to be a horrible boss. Yet, it is amazing to see that a vast majority of the folk seem to accomplish this feat with absolutely no training. It is possible that a good leader turns into bad under difficult situations. This could be personal or professional. Ergo, the perception of whether a boss is considered good or bad, should be based on factors considering the psychological state of the boss and the outlook of the employees being supervised. It is believed that every person has had a bad boss at one time or another during their career. To explore the characteristics of a truly bad boss, one needs to consider the traits his/her boss exhibits, how...

Words: 2098 - Pages: 9

Premium Essay

Effects of Mass Media

...Good Boss Versus Bad Boss The difference between a good boss and a bad boss is based on the opinion of the employee, but the most important difference is whether they trust you to do your job. A good boss will leave their employees to do their work, but has an "open door" policy and is available to help the employees if needed. A good boss will also have good communication skills. Whereas, a bad boss will micromanage their employees, and do not trust them to do their work. A bad boss will also have poor communication skills, and shows favoritism among their employees. There are several characteristics that make a good boss, but the most important quality is creating a workplace environment where the employees will enjoy coming to work. Providing positive feedback for a job well done can go a long way in motivating employees to do their job to the best of their ability. A good boss will leave their employees to do their jobs, but is always available to help if needed. They will always have an "open door" policy, and be there to offer support not only in good times, but also in bad times. Creating this type of workplace environment will allow the employees to respect each other, which will help them work as team players. A good boss possesses good communication skills, which will allow them to give their employees good work direction. They keep their employees informed so they are aware of what is going on in the company, and are not caught...

Words: 889 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Managing Your Self

...strengths, their values, and how they best perform. Managing Oneself by Peter F Drucker . • Included with this full-text Harvard Business Review article: 1 Article Summary The Idea in Brief—the core idea The Idea in Practice—putting the idea to work 2 Managing Oneself 12 Further Reading A list of related materials, with annotations to guide further exploration of the article’s ideas and applications Reprint R0501K BEST OF HBR 1999 Managing Oneself The Idea in Brief We live in an age of unprecedented opportunity: If you’ve got ambition, drive, and smarts, you can rise to the top of your chosen profession—regardless of where you started out. But with opportunity comes responsibility. Companies today aren’t managing their knowledge workers’ careers. Rather, we must each be our own chief executive officer. Simply put, it’s up to you to carve out your place in the work world and know when to change course. And it’s up to you to keep yourself engaged and productive during a work life that may span some 50 years. To do all of these things well, you’ll need to cultivate a deep understanding of yourself. What are your most valuable strengths and most dangerous weaknesses? Equally important, how do you learn and work with others? What are your most deeply held values? And in what type of work environment can you make the greatest contribution? The implication is clear: Only when you operate from a combination of your strengths and self-knowledge can you achieve true— and...

Words: 8149 - Pages: 33

Premium Essay

Training Proposal

...[pic] Training Proposal Fundamental Communication Skills Training for Managers Prepared For: Institute for Children, Poverty, and Homelessness 44 Cooper Square New York, NY 10003 Provided By: Personnel Fusion Consultants Table of Contents ICPH Background: The Institute for Children, Poverty and Homelessness is an independent nonprofit organization that was founded in New York City in 1990. The organization was formed after the late 1980’s when family homelessness rates was increasing in the United States. (ICPH) is a research and development organization that studies the motives of family homelessness and as well, develops data to inform and help enhance public policy for family homelessness. During their past 25 years of service, the Institute of Children, Poverty and Homelessness has been committed to advance statistics as they believe this data is what interests the public and political provision to help with homeless families. Their mission is to study the impact of poverty on family and child well-being and to generate research that will enhance public policies and programs affecting poor and homeless children and their families. ICPH examines the condition of extreme poverty in the United States and its effect on educational attainment, housing, employment...

Words: 3670 - Pages: 15

Premium Essay

Business

...Consider the following case example of an ethical dilemma [Yuthas and Dillard(1999)]: Granger Stokes, managing partner of the venture capital firm of Halston and Stokes, was dissatisfied with the top management of PrimeDrive, a manufacturer of computer disk drives. Halston and Stokes had invested $20 million in PrimeDrive, and the return on their investment had been below par for several years. In a tense meeting of the board of directors of PrimeDrive, Stokes exercised his firm’s rights as a major equity investor in PrimeDrive and fired PrimeDrive’s chief executive officer (CEO). He then quickly moved to have the board of directors of PrimeDrive appoint himself as the new CEO. Stokes prided himself on his hard-driving management style. At the first management meeting, he asked two of the managers to stand and fired them on the spot, just to show everyone who was in control of the company. At the budget review meeting that followed, he ripped up the departmental budgets that had been submitted for his review and yelled at the managers for heir “wimpy, do nothing targets.” He then ordered everyone to submit new budgets calling for at least a 40% increase in sales volume and announced that he would not accept excuses for results that fell below budget. Keri Kalani, an accountant working for the production manager at PrimeDrive, discovered toward the end of the year that her boss had not been scrapping defective disk drives that had been returned by customers. Instead, he had been...

Words: 436 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Ethcal Issues

...Consider the following case example of an ethical dilemma [Yuthas and Dillard(1999)]: Granger Stokes, managing partner of the venture capital firm of Halston and Stokes, was dissatisfied with the top management of PrimeDrive, a manufacturer of computer disk drives. Halston and Stokes had invested $20 million in PrimeDrive, and the return on their investment had been below par for several years. In a tense meeting of the board of directors of PrimeDrive, Stokes exercised his firm’s rights as a major equity investor in PrimeDrive and fired PrimeDrive’s chief executive officer (CEO). He then quickly moved to have the board of directors of PrimeDrive appoint himself as the new CEO. Stokes prided himself on his hard-driving management style. At the first management meeting, he asked two of the managers to stand and fired them on the spot, just to show everyone who was in control of the company. At the budget review meeting that followed, he ripped up the departmental budgets that had been submitted for his review and yelled at the managers for heir “wimpy, do nothing targets.” He then ordered everyone to submit new budgets calling for at least a 40% increase in sales volume and announced that he would not accept excuses for results that fell below budget. Keri Kalani, an accountant working for the production manager at PrimeDrive, discovered toward the end of the year that her boss had not been scrapping defective disk drives that had been returned by customers. Instead, he had been...

Words: 436 - Pages: 2