The Making of a Manager

What to Do When Everyone Looks to You

By: Julie Zhuo

Narrated by: Karissa Vacker

Penguin presents the audiobook edition of The Making of a Manager written by Julie Zhuo, read by Karissa Vackers.

No idea what you're doing? No problem. Good managers are made, not born.

Facebook VP Julie Zhuo remembers the moment when she was asked to lead a team. She felt like she’d won the golden ticket, until reality came crashing in. She was just 25 and had barely any experience being managed, let alone managing others.

Her co-workers became her employees overnight, and she faced a series of anxiety-inducing firsts, including agonising over whether to hire an interviewee; seeking the respect of reports who were cleverer than her; and having to fire someone she liked. Like most first-time managers, she wasn’t given any formal training, and had no resources to turn to for help. It took her years to find her way, but now she’s offering you the short-cut to success.

This is the book she wishes she had on day one. Here, she offers practical, accessible advice like:

· Don’t hide thorny problems from your own manager; you’re better off seeking help quickly and honestly
· Before you fire someone for failure to collaborate, figure out if the problem is temperamental or just a lack of training or coaching
· Don’t offer critical feedback in a ‘compliment sandwich’ – there’s a better way!

If you’re looking to be promoted or in your first decade of management, this is your go-to-guide.

Critic reviews

Every business book I read as a consultant and later a CEO was written by a man. Julie brings an entirely fresh perspective on leadership as a brilliant hacker, first-generation American, and young mother. This book is everything Silicon Valley appreciates in Julie: humble, inspiring, and whip-smart.

Perfect

Very great book for new managers - great examples, simple explanations. I especially loved stories about 1 to 1 meetings.

Every manager should read this!

Whether you agree with the ideas in here or not, it’s a great perspective on management and the scenarios that can arise. It offers wisdom from years of experience. Highly worth reading for new managers!

Excellent tool for people managers

Regardless your experience in managing a team, this is a playbook of sorts to remind us of some important values in the art of management.

Content is quite straight to the point. No jargon, no technicalities. Just a very humanistic approach in story telling and bringing across key points that matter.