The Rules of Management ^{3rd Ed.}

Some people find management so easy. They glide effortlessly onwards and upwards through the system, the politics, the people problems, the impossible targets and the work overload. They always seem to say the right thing, do the right thing and know instinctively how to handle every situation.

Is there something they know that the rest of us don't? Is it something that we can all learn? The answer is a resounding yes. The know the Rules of Management.

These golden principles show you how to inspire your team to perform (and what to do when it doesn't). They reveal the secrets of managing yourself and your team in a way that gets results.

• Managing your team
1. Get them emotionally involved
2. Know what a team is and how it works
3. Set realistic targets — no, really realistic
4. Hold effective meetings…
5. …No, really effective
6. Make meetings fun
7. Make your team better than you
8. Know your own importance
9. Set your boundaries
10. Be ready to prune
11. Offload as much as you can — or dare
12. Let them make mistakes
13. Accept their limitations
14. Encourage people
15. Be very, very good at finding the right people
16. Hire raw talent
17. Take the rap
18. Give credit to the team when it deserves it
19. Get the best resources for your team
20. Celebrate
21. Keep track of everything you do and say
22. Be sensitive to friction
23. Create a good atmosphere
24. Inspire loyalty and team spirit
25. Have and show trust in your staff
26. Respect individual differences
27. Listen to ideas from others
28. Adapt your style to each team member
29. Let them think they know more than you (even if they don't)
30. Don't always have to have the last word
31. Understand the rules of others
32. Ensure people know exactly what is expected of them
33. Have clear expectations
34. Use positive reinforcement motivation
35. Don't try justifying stupid systems
36. Be ready to say yes
37. Train them to bring you solutions, not problems
• Managing yourself
38. Work hard
39. Set the standard
40. Enjoy yourself
41. Don't let it get to you
42. Know what you are supposed to be doing
43. Know what you are actually doing
44. Value your time
45. Be proactive, not reactive
46. Be consistent
47. Set realistic targets for yourself — no, really realistic
48. Have a game plan, but keep it secret
49. Get rid of superfluous rules
50. Learn from your mistakes
51. Be ready to unlearn — what works, changes
52. Cut the crap — prioritize
53. Cultivate those in the know
54. Know when to kick the door shut
55. Fill your time productively and profitably
56. Have a Plan B and a Plan C
57. Capitalize on chance — be lucky, but never admit it
58. Recognize when you're stressed
59. Manage your health
60. Be prepared for the pain and pleasure
61. Face the future
62. Head up, not head down
63. See the wood and the trees
64. Know when to let go
65. Be decisive, even if it means being wrong sometimes
66. Adopt minimalism as a management style
67. Visualize your blue plaque
68. Have principles and stick to them
69. Follow your intuition
70. Be creative
71. Don't stagnate
72. Be flexible and ready to move on
73. Remember the object of the exercise
74. Remember that none of us has to be here
75. Go home
76. Keep learning — especially from the opposition
77. Be passionate and bold
78. Plan for the worst, but hope for the best
79. Let the company see you are on its side
80. Don't bad-mouth your boss
81. Don't bad-mouth your team
82. Accept that some things bosses tell you to do will be wrong
83. Accept that bosses are as scared as you are at times
84. Avoid straitjacket thinking
85. Act and talk as if one of them
86. If in doubt, ask questions
87. Show you understand the viewpoint of underlings and overlings
88. Add value
89. Don't back down — be prepared to stand your ground
90. Don't play politics
91. Don't slag off other managers
92. Share what you know
93. Don't intimidate
94. Be above interdepartmental warfare
95. Show that you'll fight to the death for your team
96. Aim for respect rather than being liked
97. Do one or two things well and avoid the rest
98. Seek feedback on your performance
99. maintain good relationships and friendships
100. Build respect — both ways — between you and your customers
101. Go the extra mile for your customers
102. Be aware of your responsibilities
103. Be straight at all times and speak the truth
104. Don't cut corners — you'll get found out
105. Find the right sounding board
106. Be in command and take charge
107. Be a diplomat for the company
• End game

Mostly standard, obvious stuff. But how often do we not forget this stuff?

Well worth reading if you need a short refresher or is a junior manager. Don't expect any revelations from it, but it is readable.