‘Time’ is one of the most prevalent and pernicious of challenges managers face today. Whether related to engaging employees, driving strategy, communicating effectively or just getting through the daily deluge of email, one hears a common chorus of ‘I don’t have time’ in most organizations. And nowhere does this apply more than to a leader’s own development. Given multiple, competing and kaleidoscopic priorities, wh
o has time to learn management skills?
EVERYONE!
Especially if my friend, Wally Bock, has his way. His new book, Become a Better Boss One Tip at a Time, provides busy leaders with a doable and durable way to develop their abilities, better serve their teams, and contribute powerfully to business results.
I’m excited about this book because of its practical, in-the-trenches approach offered by a leadership expert with decades of real-world experience. Below is a Q&A with Wally, delving more into the book, its purpose and how to use it.
Given escalating expectations and heightened competition coming from all directions, managers must continually up their games. Become a Better Boss One Tip at a Time can help them do that.
Q: What’s in the book?
A: There’s an introduction that summarizes what I’ve learned about being an effective boss over the decades I’ve been practicing, researching, teaching, and coaching. It should take about five minutes to read.
There are 347 total tips. Twenty-eight of them are about personal development. Eighteen are for specific situations. The rest are about everything else a boss does, things like making meetings more effective, working with your boss, having performance conversations, problem solving, and more.
This is all field-tested stuff. I’ve learned from studying working bosses and picking up ideas. I’ve tried them out. I’ve suggested them to other bosses and gotten feedback and some of those bosses told me about things that worked for them.
Q: Why tips?
A: I think that development is about getting a little bit better every day. Tips make that easy. You can pick something to work on today and something else tomorrow. Or you can zero in on a subject, like better performance management, and use tips to guide your learning. If you’re in a tight spot, you can get some ideas that may help. And, certainly, if you’re participating in a training program or getting some coaching, you can use some tips to make that experience more potent.
Q: How do you hope people use Become a Better Boss One Tip at a Time?
A: I can think of several ways. They can use the index and search function to find tips for a specific situation they’re facing. They can look at a different tip every day or pick a tip or group of tips to work on for a week or a month. They can browse the tips and pick something to try. I know one thing for sure. Readers will figure out ways to use this book that I can’t imagine. The bottom line for me is that if you’re serious about doing a better job as a boss, this book should help.
Q: How can readers get a copy of Become a Better Boss One Tip at a Time?
A: Become a Better Boss One Tip at a Time costs $9.99 (that’s less than 3 cents per tip). There are two bonuses that you get free. One is a Forms Packet with several forms that will help you sort out problems, keep records, and improve your performance conversations with teammates. And, I love this, there’s a collection of tips from Leadership Experts like you. There’s more than twenty of them, and you won’t find the collection anywhere else.
Wally Bock is an author, blogger, ghostwriter, and writing coach.
