When I typed ‘manager’ into the search bar of several stock image websites, the top row of photos that appeared on my screen were all, exclusively, of besuited white men. But hey, we all know that that’s not what a manager has to look like, and women are ever increasingly filling these roles, bringing our strength, skills and insight to bear for our teams. Just as there’s no ‘one-size-fits-all’ portrait of a manager, there's no one-size-fits-all manual for becoming a manager. And as I'm sure many of us know from first-hand experience, adept people management isn’t always a trait found in those in management roles! But being a skilled manager means you'll be rewarded with getting the best out of your team, and of yourself. So whether you're aiming for a promotion to a management role, or you're already taking care of a team – we've pulled together some inspirational and insightful reads to help you hone that management mindset!
The Little Black Book for Managers by John Cross, Rafael Gomez and Kevin Money
This is a classic for all kinds of managers: 'The authors have listed a whole host of situations most managers face, based on thousands of personal experiences, and have mapped out how to deal with each situation. The book contains specific examples of words and phrases that can be used as well as illustrations and exercises to analyse your current performance. It is short on waffle and high on practical wisdom. It is designed to be dipped in and out of – reached for whenever a situation arises. This is a practical support tool for managers at all levels, from shop-floor supervisor to main board director.'
The Making of a Manager: What to Do When Everyone Looks to You by Julia Zhuo
The first time tech exec Julie Zhuo was asked to lead a team she was just 25, and she was suddenly thrust into the potentially terrifying position of managing her co-workers with minimal guidance and training. This book is the one she wishes she'd had to help her through, offering practical advice on dealing with imposter syndrome, seeking help, offering critical feedback and managing people more experienced than you.
The Rules of Work by Richard Templar
This was the book my husband bought and read when he was recently given a whole team to manage for the first time in his career – it posits that there are 'Rules' being followed by the most successful people and that if we can just learn these 'Rules' ourselves, we're setting ourselves on the path to promotion, respect and better futures. It handles topics such as goal-setting, integrity, diplomacy and dealing with opposition.
Radical Candor - How to Get What You Want by Saying What You Mean by Kim Scott
Kim Scott has been an executive at both Google and Apple, and worked with a team at the latter to develop a class on being a good boss. She's brought her expertise to bear in this book (interestingly in the States subtitled: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity), arguing that we need to both Care Personally and Challenge Directly to fulfil our responsibilities as leaders (and basically not become evil bosses along the way).
Google's online Work resource features myriad articles on all aspects of working life, including an extensive section for managers, with practical exercises and tips.
Dare to Lead by Brené Brown
'Leadership is not about titles, status and power over people. Leaders are people who hold themselves accountable for recognising the potential in people and ideas, and developing that potential. This is a book for everyone who is ready to choose courage over comfort, make a difference and lead.
When we dare to lead, we don't pretend to have the right answers; we stay curious and ask the right questions. We don't see power as finite and hoard it; we know that power becomes infinite when we share it and work to align authority and accountability. We don't avoid difficult conversations and situations; we lean into the vulnerability that’s necessary to do good work.'
Her Way to the Top: Smashing the Glass Ceiling - by Hira Ali
Coach Hira Ali quizzed hundreds of women as part of her research for her book, revealing the internal and external obstacles that lie across a woman's path to the top. Obstacles she explores include FOMO, Imposter Syndrome, perfectionism and sexual harassment, and she offers concrete solutions for moving past these roadblocks.
'Written by a successful career woman for the benefit of career women around the world, Her Way to the Top demonstrates that women are all in this together, and together they can make a difference for each other.'
Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead - by Sheryl Sandberg
Lean In is such an iconic book that its very title has become embedded in our work culture. Sheryl Sandberg – Facebook COO and one of Fortune magazine's Most Powerful Women in Business – draws on her own experience of working in some of the world's most successful businesses and looks at what women can do to help themselves, and make the small changes in their life that can effect change on a more universal scale.
How to Own the Room: Women and the Art of Brilliant Speaking - by Viv Groskop
Being a manager will almost inevitably entail speaking before a group – possibly just your immediate team, possibly the whole company. Comedian Viv Groskop takes examples of inspiring women including Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey to examine what it really takes to make your audience sit up and listen, and how we can overcome society's tendency to shut women down by owning our voices, and ultimately the room.