In this fresh, new look at the art of management, author Bruce Tulgan has created a one-day manager's boot camp. This practical, easy-to-use Participant Workbook helps guide managers through the information and exercises that will encourage them to embrace their crucial responsibility of being a great boss.

WHAT IS HARD ABOUT MANAGING? 1 YOUR OBJECTIVES 3 WORKSHOP OBJECTIVES 4 THE BASICS OF MANAGING PEOPLE 5 The Consequences of Under-Management 6 Fight the Under-Management Epidemic: Be a Great Boss! 7 Real-World Obstacles 8 The Top Seven Management Myths 9 BACK-TO-BASICS TECHNIQUE 1 GET IN THE HABIT OF MANAGING EVERY DAY 11 One-on-One Conversations with the People You Manage 12 Getting Started 13 How to Make Time Available 14 Worksheet: Making Time for Managing Every Day 15 BACK-TO-BASICS TECHNIQUE 2 LEARN TO TALK LIKE A PERFORMANCE COACH 17 How a Coach Talks 18 Discussion Questions for Coaching Conversations 19 Coaching Script 21 Questions to Ask During a Coaching Conversation 22 For Useful Coaching Conversations 23 Worksheet: Coaching Script 24 BACK-TO-BASICS TECHNIQUE 3 TAKE IT ONE PERSON AT A TIME 25 Six Questions for Tuning In to Each Person You Manage 26 Tuning-In Tool 28 Worksheet: Manager’s Landscape 29 BACK-TO-BASICS TECHNIQUE 4 MAKE ACCOUNTABILITY A PROCESS, NOT A SLOGAN 31 Top Seven Complications to Accountability 32 Key Actions for Holding People Accountable 33 Worksheet: Strategies for Holding People Accountable 34 BACK-TO-BASICS TECHNIQUE 5 MAKE EXPECTATIONS CLEAR EVERY STEP OF THE WAY 35 Make Expectations Clear Every Step of the Way 36 Turn Best Practices into Checklists  37 To Delegate Successfully 38 Circles of Empowerment 39 BACK-TO-BASICS TECHNIQUE 6 TRACK PERFORMANCE IN WRITING 41 To Evaluate Performance 42 Reasons for Writing Things Down 43 Systems for Tracking Performance in Writing 44 Describe, Describe, Describe 45 Worksheet: Tracking Performance in Writing 46 BACK-TO-BASICS TECHNIQUE 7 SOLVE SMALL PROBLEMS EARLY BEFORE THEY TURN INTO BIG ONES 47 Diagnosing Performance Problems 48 Worksheet: Diagnosing a Persistent Performance Problem 49 BACK-TO-BASICS TECHNIQUE 8 DO MORE FOR SOME PEOPLE, LESS FOR OTHERS 51 Three Trends in Rewards 52 Using Rewards as Incentives and Quid Pro Quos 53 Worksheet: "What Can You Do to Earn That?" 54 MANAGER'S CHECKLIST 59 ACTIONS FOR BECOMING A BETTER BOSS 60 WORKSHEET: ACTION PLANNING 61 APPENDIX 63 Coaching Script 65 Tuning-In Tool 66 Manager's Landscape 67 "What Can You Do to Earn That?" 68 ABOUT THE AUTHOR 71

An Essential Tools ResourceFIGHT THE UNDER-MANAGEMENT EPIDEMICIF YOU ARE A SUPERVISOR OF A SMALL TEAM OF EMPLOYEES or a manager of a large complex department, It’s Okay to Be the Boss workshop will give you the information and tools you need to become a great boss who is highly-engaged when leading, managing, and supervising your employees. A companion to the dynamic It’s Okay to Be the Boss: The Management Workshop, this Participant Workbook is a hands-on resource that will help you learn how to overcome the common obstacles to becoming an engaged manager. You will gain a clear understanding of which management challenges can be controlled, along with tips and techniques for effectively controlling them. You will also discover the proven strategies for working around issues that cannot be avoided or controlled. Step by step the It’s Okay to Be the Boss: The Management Workshop leads you through a series of eight back-to-basics techniques that clearly show how to develop the skills that will enhance your management abilities and help youBuild relationships of trust and confidence with employeesDelegate tasks, responsibilities, and projectsKeep employees focused and moving in the right directionIncrease productivity, quality, retention of high-performers, and turnover among low-performersSharply reduce waste, inefficiency, errors, down-time, and conflict among employeesIt’s Okay to Be the Boss:The Management Workshop will help you incorporate into your daily routine the time-tested management techniques that spell success—tracking employee performance, correcting failure, and rewarding success.