Rules of Management, The: A Definitive Code for Managerial Success

Introduction

Strange thing, management. It’s something few of us set out in life to do, yet most of us find ourselves doing at some point.

Career adviser:	What would you like to do when you finish school?
16-year-old:	I want to be a manager.

Did this happen to you? No, me neither. But here you are anyway.

As a manager you are expected to be a lot of things. A tower of strength, a leader and innovator, a magician (conjuring up pay raises, resources, and extra staff at the drop of a hat), a kindly uncle/aunt, a shoulder to cry on, a dynamic motivator, a stern but fair judge, a diplomat, a politician, a financial wizard (no, this is quite different from being a magician), a protector, a savior and a saint.

You are responsible for a whole group of people ...