Harvard Business Review Manager's Handbook: The 17 Skills Leaders Need to Stand Out

by Harvard Business Review

The one primer you need to develop your managerial and leadership skills.

Whether you're a new manager or looking to have more influence in your current management role, the challenges you face come in all shapes and sizes--a direct report's anxious questions, your boss's last-minute assignment of an important presentation, or a blank business case staring you in the face. To reach your full potential in these situations, you need to master a new set of business and personal skills.

Packed with step-by-step advice and wisdom from Harvard Business Review's management archive, the HBR Manager's Handbook provides best practices on topics from understanding key financial statements and the fundamentals of strategy to emotional intelligence and building your employees' trust. The book's brief sections allow you to home in quickly on the solutions you need right away--or take a deeper dive if you need more context.

Keep this comprehensive guide with you throughout your career and be a more impactful leader in your organization.

In the HBR Manager's Handbook you'll

Step-by-step guidance through common managerial tasksShort sections and chapters that you can turn to quickly as a need arisesSelf-assessments throughoutExercises and templates to help you practice and apply the concepts in the bookConcise explanations of the latest research and thinking on important management skills from Harvard Business Review experts such as Dan Goleman, Clayton Christensen, John Kotter, and Michael PorterReal-life stories from working managersRecaps and action items at the end of each chapter that allow you to reinforce or review the ideas quickly

The skills covered in the book

Transitioning into a leadership roleBuilding trust and credibilityDeveloping emotional intelligenceBecoming a person of influenceDeveloping yourself as a leaderGiving effective feedbackLeading teamsFostering creativityMastering the basics of strategyLearning to use financial toolsDeveloping a business case

HBR Handbooks provide ambitious professionals with the frameworks, advice, and tools they need to excel in their careers. With step-by-step guidance, time-honed best practices, real-life stories, and concise explanations of research published in Harvard Business Review, each comprehensive volume helps you to stand out from the pack--whatever your role.

Genres: Business, Management, Leadership, Nonfiction, Professional Development, Buisness, Self Help

353 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 13, 2016

Reviews

[Toyin Spades · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is divided into 5 parts:

1.Developing a Leader mindset;
2.Managing yourself;
3.Managing Individuals
4.Managing Teams; and
5.Managing the Business.

It provides coping mechanisms and strategies to deal with stress.

For example, it lists 4 sources of stress (Role strain, Problem-solving fatigue, Isolation and Imposter Syndrome), the symptoms and solutions.

There are action items provided at the end of each chapter for the reader to undertake,

I particularly like how the book defines Influence as “helping to create positive and productive outcomes for your organisation, with and through other”.

Favourite Quote: “People are likely to perceive you as untrustworthy when you clasp your hands, touch your face, cross your arms or lean away from a conversation”. I didn’t know that!

Recommendation: This is a definitely a book for all managers and leaders to read. Not only do the action items provide a process for managing/ leading effectively, it is also a go-to guide for people in new positions.

[Bent Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I had read this book before getting into my first managerial position some 10 years ago, I would have run away screaming instead! Talk about pressure... Well, the prestigious Harvard Business Review (HBR) knows stuff about management and leadership (yep, there is a difference!) and tons of other business-related things, and the importance here lies in the subtitle of the book: "The 17 Skills Leaders Need to Stand Out". So of course so can be a mediocre or flat out terrible manager without working on any of these 17 skills dealt with in this book.
The book points at some very important things and takes a point of departure in both classic and new theory on these subjects. My main objection - and the reason why I only give it 4 stars - is that is tries to cover too much, and by doing so, only scratches the surface of all of them. The purpose of the book is most likely to give a brief intro to the 17 skills and lure the reader into buying specific books on the subjects with most relevance to the him or her, which of course is a great marketing plan for HBR but I ended up feeling underwhelmed. To cover so different subjects as making good presentations, hiring and developing talent, understanding financial statements, and writing business cases in less than 340 pages is simply not doable if you want to do it properly.
There are some really good points in the book, while other things are downright self-evident, but the bottom line is that HBR is a professional authority on these matters, and if you are a newly appointed manager and you look for a "quick-and-dirty" introduction to which skills to master to become a good manager, this book is a good place to start. The problem is just that it is just that: a place to start; with this book, you only scratch the surface and need a lot more - including on-the-ground experience - to learn more and improve.

[An ARC of this book was generously provided by the publisher through NetGalley. The copy was so poorly formatted to the Kindle format that the many tables were almost impossible to read and with word and line divisions at random places. I hope that the real Kindle version is nothing like this, because otherwise you should stick to the printed version of the book!]

[Heleen.A.H · Rating 5 out of 5]

بەڕێوەبردن بریتییە لە تێکەڵەیەکی زانست و هونەر. تێکەڵەیەک کە لە هەموو کایەکانی ژیان پێویستە. بەڵام ڕێژەیان لە یەکێک بۆ یەکێکی تر جیاوازە. خۆ بەڕێوەبردن بۆنموونە زانستی گەرەکە زیاتر لە هونەر. بەڵام بەڕێوەبردن لە کۆمەڵگایەک کە خەڵکی بە یەک جۆر بیردەکاتەوە زانست و هونەرێکی زۆریشی گەرەکە.

ئەم پەرتووکە بەگشتی باس لە بنەماکانی بەڕێوەبردن دەکات و بەتایبەت لە بزنسدا، ئەم پەرتووکە دەیەوێ کارکەرێک کە لە ڕێگەی ئیش و کۆششیەوە بووە بە بەڕێوەبەر فێر بکات کە چۆن لە بەڕێوەبەریشدا سەرکەووتوبێت. کە دەبێت چ شتێک بگۆڕێت. فێری دەکات کە مەرج نییە ئەو بنەمایانەی دەبنە هۆی سەرکەوتنت لە قۆناغێکی کار لە قۆناغەکانی تریش سەرت بخات. پەرتووکەکە باس لە بەڕێوەبردن دەکات لە سیستەمێکی کاپیتالیستی کە تێیدا کار و تاسکەکان بە وردی دابەش بوونە و شوێنی کار هایرارکی تایبەت بەخۆی هەیە و سەرکەوتن بۆ سەرەوە زانست و هونەریشی دەوێت. بەڵام زۆرێک لەم بنەمایانە لەکایەکانی تریش دەکرێت بەکاربێت.

ئەوەی لەم کتێبە زۆر بەدڵم بوو بابەتیبوون بوو. کتێبێکە زۆر بابەتیانە باس لە بەڕێوەبردن دەکات و یارمەتیت دەدات بابەتییانە پەرە بە سکیلەکانت بدەی. فێرت دەکا چۆن هارمۆنی دروست بکەی لەنێوان گۆڕان و پابەندبوون. لە نێوان زانست و هونەریش.
بە دڵنییاییەوە پەرتووکەکانی تری ئەم زنجیرەییەش دەخوێنمەوە.

[Becca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book it had some very practical advice that I hope to take on in my current and future work life. I plan to refer to it if I need any tips. At the end I feel like it was slightly too whistle stop tour of creating a strategy and understanding financial statements but the dummy’s guide was good in a way seeing as it’s relatively new to me.

[Wesley Zapellini · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great start for aspiring managers.

This book covers a lot of ground regarding skills a person should develop to become a new manager or even to improve as a seasoned one.

It does not delve deeper into topics, but in the way content is presented, there are always references to other content if the reader feels the need for a more thorough understanding of the subject.

[Tiina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Siin räägitakse küll meeskonna juhtimisest, aga ka enesejuhtimisest. Kindlasti on sellest abi kõigile, kes töötavad asutuses, kus on olulisel kohal meeskonna dünaamika või sõltuvad sellest otseselt tootmisprotsessid või kasum. Autor võtab kokku erinevate artiklite ja Harvard Business Review alt avaldatud teoste põhimõtted ning annab need edasi 17 peatüki kaupa. Räägitakse küll delegeerimisest ja otseselt juhtimisest, aga ka sellest, kuidas kirjutada häid e-kirju, kuidas juhtida koosolekut, teha virtuaalseid või kohapealsed esitlusi. Muidugi seda, kuidas enda jaoks mõtestada lahti eesmärgid, mida keegi oma töös leiab. Miks midagi teeb või ei tee. Milliseid oskusi saab arendada, mida peaks arendama, mida silmas pidada. Ehk siis eelkõige saan ma igalt lehelt mõtteid, kuidas teadlikult töötada selle nimel, et su enda eesmärgid klapivad asutuse omaga, kus töötad. Boonuseks see, kui saate kogu meeskonna ühe asja nimel töötama. Teoses on palju praktilisi näpunäiteid sõnastusest kuni arenguvestluse küsimusteni, nii et see pole vaid anekdootidest ja teoreetilisest situatsioonidest koosnev juhtimisõpik. Minul aitab see igapäevaselt oma tööd teha ja tunnen, et pärast lugemise alustamist said mitmed asjad paljud selgemaks, millele ma varem kahjuks ei taibanud mõelda.

[Karol Gaida · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is loaded with tips and action points. Completing them will help you become a better manager, earn trust of your boss, your direct reports, and help you reach your goals. I personally used some of these already during my latest performance review.

Also, the chapter about mastering financial tools is gold. It walks you through the basic financial statements and budgeting of a company, explaining where all the numbers come from. This is a must-read for anyone who wants to tackle the finances of a team or a startup.

[Tom De Kooning · Rating 5 out of 5]

Straight to the point book, doesn’t only ponder around ideas and concepts but proposes actual action points. Definitely see myself using this book in the future, as guideline.

[Zumrud Huseynova · Rating 3 out of 5]

... your role as a manager is to set direction for your team and coordinate resources to meet your organization’s goals.

Influence is a combination of two kinds of power, positional (having to do with your title) and personal (having to do with your social capital).

What do you want out of your work? How should your career fit into your life overall?

[Dimitris · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book to retain and get back to in every occasion during one's management era, covers almost all aspects need to be covered and very up to date.

[roxi Net · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are so many resources for new, middle, and veteran managers that it can be overwhelming, but the HBR Manager's Handbook was very interesting to read. It's nice to read that "to succeed, you must compliment the development of your practical skills with inward reflection and an investment in your personal growth" - words that encourage self-reflection and not selfishness. The book breaks down into 5 parts what skills and mind-sets are needed to be an effective leader then how to manage individuals, teams, and the business. Having a "Primer" for strategy was fantastic (in "Managing the Business"). Overall, it's a resource that I know I'll be revisiting as needed.

[Mariyan Tashev · Rating 3 out of 5]

A big reference. It's more like a textbook.
Good info though, if you are into long lists of "how-to".

[Karin Künnapas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really good overview of the essential skills of being a manager with case studies, clear instructions and ideas to follow. I really enjoyed reading it and would definitely recommend to a new or even more established managers.

I agree with some other reviews that it doesn't go too much in depth with any of them and I agree. Nevertheless, this is a great overview to start with and has very practical guidelines with how-to's and checklists.

These topics are quite extensive and can (and do have) multiple books written on each of them if you want to go deeper. Also, it really depends on your organization and the setup if all this skills are relevant or not. Some of them were not for me, but

I found some great tips and feel that I will turn back to this book later on in the future again. I also want to read some other HBR business books.

A quick overview of the skills covered:
* Transition to leadership
* Building trust and credibility
* Emotional intelligence
* Positioning yourself for success
* Becoming a person of influence
* Communicating efficiency
* Personal productivity
* Self-development
* Delegating with confidence
* Giving effective feedback
* Developing talent
* Leading teams
* Fostering creativity
* Hiring and keeping the best
* Strategy
* Mastering financial tools
* Developing a business case

[Satwik S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think of this book as a staple for every budding/new manager. It’s one of the “classics” which can lay out simple, clear management advice which frankly, seems to be quite time-tested. I know I can read this today, or 10 years from now too, and it will still make sense.

When I saw HBR I expected it to have complicated leanings but I was pleasantly surprised by how simple and actionable every last page of this book is. It truly is a “handbook”- you can leave it, come back to it, re-read, or refer to certain elements of it as and when you need clarity, as and when you progress in your career.

Another positive theme I could see consistently throughout the book was how empathetic their leadership best practices actually are. They’re quite humanistic and psychological, and doesn’t overwhelm you with “know-hows” and incomprehensible, over-complicated practices most management “gurus” teach online.

For me personally, a lot of teachings could be boiled down to being aware of and sensitive towards:

• Your team
• Your organisation
• You, yourself.

(PS: it’s actually a delight going through the reflection exercises with yourself/ your team. You learn a lot, so look out for those!)

One tip: read a chapter or two of this book and LEAVE it. Put whatever you absorbed to practice first, and then come back to it to refer back / move forward. Looking to do that myself! :)

[Simon · Rating 5 out of 5]

How useful you’ll find this book will, I think, depend on where you are in your career or your company.

I was familiar with quite a lot of the thinking having done an MBA, but for me this is a brilliant guide for anyone just starting out in management and interested in learning the basics of how to be a great leader.

While the book never goes into great detail on any one subject, it’s a brilliant starting point, giving you quick frameworks on how to navigate several situations and scenarios and covering different aspects of management thinking.

Chapters include building trust and credibility, becoming a person of influence, giving effective feedback as well as fostering creativity and developing a business case.

I found the book a really good refresher but also picked up a couple of new ideas as well. I’d recommend it to anyone at the beginning of their management or leadership career, or even those a bit more established who are looking to turbocharge the way they work.

[Donn Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very practical book, and one that I would recommend to any one who is starting out on managing people. Then again, even those more experienced but wanting to learn "best practices" would be well-advised to read this.

It's certainly not very "inspirational", in that it's not the kind of book that makes you want to go out and immediately try its ideas (though there were some in which I did just that).

I find it more of a book that you read through once, keep on your shelf, and when a situation arises in which you need to tackle some managerial tasks you pick the book up again to refresh your memory of what exactly it is you should do.

[Frida · Rating 5 out of 5]

All about how to become a better manager and leader. Then why do you care about the quality of your leadership at all. But the point of becoming a great leader isn’t simply to be a great leader.

It’s about the impact you have on the world around you, on the people you work with and the things you produce together those ideas, processes, connections, products, and solutions that spark growth, make the world run a bit more smoothly, or fulfill a deep need.

[Maddy Baboian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good principles / ideas I used in 1:1s at work. Helped me think beyond consulting —> broader business ideas. Part 5 of 5 (last 3 skills) less applicable to me, could’ve done without them.

You can ask my analyst if I’m a “better manager” after reading this book (:

Would recommend to anyone who’s prepping to manage teams and wants to intentionally learn some strategies / ideas alongside the auto day to day experience.

[Helio Jacinto · Rating 5 out of 5]

My experience reading this book

I have been reading the HBR blog for a while. But having the opportunity of having all knowledge on a book is amazing
The book covers everything from how to handle your transition from an individual performer to how to develop meaningful proposals.
There's a lot to take back here and apply with my team

[Rafał Pawłow · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have very mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, it contains a lot of useful knowledge, but on the other, it feels a bit out of touch with today’s reality. While reading it, I couldn’t help but imagine the author as a 60 year old who started his career in a completely different era. I’m giving it only 3 stars, but still think it’s a good starting point.

[Midori · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a gem, very well written with scientific evidence. In my opinion it is not only for new and seasoned managers, but also for aspiring employees who are preparing themselves for management roles. Sadly that not so many people read this kind of books.

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Concise and useful tips for managing people. Good to stay informed as the job market requirements are rapidly changing. Different people have different views on what they see in a good Manager but this book brings them together and creates a universal standard of its own.

[İlhan Aydoğan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not only to read when appointed as a manager, but also to read and reference throughout your managerial career.

Thanks to all contributors of this book, I will be able to change my view on managerial skills.

[Cris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book, especially to benchmark what others are doing and assess the skill level

The ending quote is memorable: “Management is the noblest of professions if practiced well; no other occupation helps others better to learn and grow”

[Jacqueline · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is definitely a book I wish I'd read when I first became a manager. I'm going to build my company's leadership/manager training around this and I'm definitely keeping it on my shelf for future use.

[Samuel Stener · Rating 2 out of 5]

Enstaka kapitel är tänkvärda och användbara i ledarskap. Jag har säkert tagit med mig mer än jag minns. Men sen kommer kapitel som blir väldigt pladdriga och inte så konkreta. Väldigt löst förankrat i forskning.

[Margo Lombardi · Rating 4 out of 5]

MBA Required Reading - Leading Effective Organizations

[Duong Tan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simply a good practical book for first time managers.

[Vimal Kumar · Rating 4 out of 5]

lucid, fluid, and informative.

[Ignacio Echegoyen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excelente libro, resume muy bien las habilidades que un gerente debe desarrollar.