For more than twenty years, management expert Bruce Tulgan has been asking, What are the most difficult challenges you face when it comes to managing people? Regardless of industry or job title, managers cite the same core issues 27 recurring challenges: the superstar whom the manager is afraid of losing, the slacker whom the manager cannot figure out how to motivate, the one with an attitude problem, and the two who cannot get along, to name just a few. It turns out that when things are going wrong in a management relationship, the common denominator is almost always unstructured, low substance, hit-or-miss communication. The real problem is that most managers are managing on autopilot without even realizing it until something goes wrong. And if you are managing on autopilot, then something almost always does. The 27 Challenges Managers Face shows exactly how to break the vicious cycle and gain control of management relationships. No matter what the issue, Tulgan shows that the fundamentals are all you need. The very best managers hold ongoing one-on-one conversations that make expectations clear, track performance, offer feedback, and hold people accountable. For every workplace problem even the most awkward and difficult The 27 Challenges Managers Face shows how to tailor conversations to solve situations familiar to every manager. Tulgan offers clear approaches for turning around bad attitudes, reducing friction and conflict, improving low performers, retaining top performers, and even addressing your own personal burnout. The 27 Challenges Managers Face is an indispensable resource for managers at all levels, one anyone managing anyone will want to keep on hand. One challenge at a time, you ll see how the most effective managers use the fundamentals of management to proactively resolve (nearly) any problem a manager could face.

For more than twenty years, management expert Bruce Tulgan hasbeen asking, "What are the most difficult challenges youface when it comes to managing people?"Regardless of industry or job title, managers cite the same coreissues--27 recurring challenges: the superstar whom themanager is afraid of losing, the slacker whom the manager cannotfigure out how to motivate, the one with an attitude problem, andthe two who cannot get along, to name just a few.It turns out that when things are going wrong in a managementrelationship, the common denominator is almost always unstructuredlow substance, hit-or-miss communication.The real problem is that most managers are "managing onautopilot" without even realizing it--until somethinggoes wrong. And if you are managing on autopilot, then somethingalmost always does.The 27 Challenges Managers Face shows exactly how tobreak the vicious cycle and gain control of managementrelationships. No matter what the issue, Tulgan shows that thefundamentals are all you need. The very best managers hold ongoingone-on-one conversations that make expectations clear, trackperformance, offer feedback, and hold people accountable.For every workplace problem--even the most awkward anddifficult--The 27 Challenges Managers Face shows how totailor conversations to solve situations familiar to every manager.Tulgan offers clear approaches for turning around bad attitudesreducing friction and conflict, improving low performers, retainingtop performers, and even addressing your own personal burnout.The 27 Challenges Managers Face is an indispensableresource for managers at all levels, one anyone managing anyonewill want to keep on hand. One challenge at a time, you'llsee how the most effective managers use the fundamentals ofmanagement to proactively resolve (nearly) any problem a managercould face.

A Note on How to Use This Book 1Chapter One The Fundamentals are All You Need 3Chapter Two The Challenges of Being the "New" Manager 29Management Challenge #1: When Going from Peer to Leader 37Management Challenge #2: When Coming from the Outside to Take Over Leadership of an Existing Team 41Management Challenge #3: When Bringing Together an Entirely New Team 47Management Challenge #4: When You are Welcoming a New Member to Your Existing Team 51Chapter Three The Challenges of Teaching Self-Management 57Management Challenge #5: When Employees Have a Hard Time Managing Time 62Management Challenge #6: When an Employee Needs Help with Interpersonal Communication 71Management Challenge #7: When an Employee Needs to Get Organized 77Management Challenge #8: When an Employee Needs to Get Better at Problem Solving 80Chapter Four The Challenges of Managing Performance 88Management Challenge #9: When You Have an Employee Who Needs to Increase Productivity 98Management Challenge #10: When You Have an Employee Who Needs to Improve Quality 103Management Challenge #11: When You Need an Employee to Start "Going the Extra Mile" 107Management Challenge #12: When Your Employees are Doing "Creative" Work 110Management Challenge #13: When the Employee You are Managing Knows More About the Work Than You Do 114Chapter Five The Challenges of Managing Attitudes 118Management Challenge #14: When an Employee Needs an Attitude Adjustment 125Management Challenge #15: When There is Conflict Between and Among Individuals on Your Team 137Management Challenge #16: When an Employee Has Personal Issues at Home 140Chapter Six The Challenges of Managing Superstars 144Management Challenge #17: When There is a Superstar You Need to Keep Engaged 153Management Challenge #18: When You Have a Superstar You Really Want to Retain 158Management Challenge #19: When You Have a Superstar You are Going to Lose for Sure: How to Lose That Superstar Very Well 165Management Challenge #20: When You Need to Move a Superstar to the Next Level to Develop as a New Leader 170Chapter Seven The Challenges of Managing Despite Forces Outside Your Control 175Management Challenge #21: When Managing in an Environment of Constant Change and Uncertainty 179Management Challenge #22: When Managing Under Resource Constraints 184Management Challenge #23: When Managing Through Interdependency 188Management Challenge #24: When Managing Around Logistical Hurdles 196Management Challenge #25: When Managing Across Differences in Language and Culture 199Chapter Eight The Challenges of Management Renewal 204Management Challenge #26: When You Need to Renew Your Management Relationship with a Disengaged Employee 206Management Challenge #27: When You Need to Renew Your Own Commitment to Being a Strong, Highly Engaged Manager 212Epilogue 221Acknowledgments 223About the Author 227Index 229