A Manager's Guide to Self Developmentby Mike Pedler, John Burgoyne and Tom
Boydell This is powerful stuff and can change lives. It is designed to enable you to take responsibility for your own learning, and for choosing the means to achieve this. The book is therefore a toolkit of exercises and questionnaires for self assessment and goal setting, followed by a range of developmental activities. You can either start at the beginning and use it formally as a managerial workout programme, or treat it as a treasure house of ideas and inspiration on learning and management to be dipped into when needed. The authors avoid the abrasive style of some self help books that insist that you stop now and run round the block, or forget it as you are not serious. The team are British and well grounded in both management practice and learning across all sectors. They promote ethical management and are aware of equal opportunity issues. A useful framework is provided of eleven qualities for effective managers, from command of basic facts and relevant professional knowledge through continuing sensitivity to events, to emotional resilience, creativity, mental agility, and balanced learning habits and skills. As a managerial fitness programme, rather than exercises for "tums and bums" here are the equivalents for the eleven qualities, including analytical skills, social skills, and study skills, with titles such as credulous listening, choosing solutions with a chance, and practising new group behaviours. Designed for managers, it is also appropriate for self-managing freelancers, and the activities can be undertaken alone, with a colleague, or in small groups. Each activity is designed around a three stage model of learning - "what, so what, and now what". The "what" phase is the experience itself and your immediate observations, the "so what" phase consists of thinking what has happened and noting your reactions, and the "now what" phase is taking stock of what and so what, and deciding its significance for you in future action. There is excellent signposting to further reading, and it can lead you gently into the world of serious management writing.
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