Managing people doesn't have to be Mission Impossible. With the right mindset and the right skillset, it can be richly rewarding for both you and the business you work in. Mission: To Manage will develop both, and help you become the leader your team want to follow.

About the author .........................................................................xi Foreword by Paul Barnes ......................................................... xiii What to expect from Mission: To Manage ..................................1 Prologue ................................................................................3 People management: Is it really mission impossible? .........3 Who are you and how did you get here? ..............................5 What is a manager? ...............................................................11 Chapter 1 Mastering your mindset .................................... 19 Power vs responsibility .........................................................19 What you believe in matters ................................................20 What are your values? ...........................................................21 Values lead to culture ............................................................23 Shadow of the leader .............................................................24 Harness the power of your big MAC ..................................25 Chapter 2 Mastering your team-building skills ................. 35 Building your team from scratch ........................................35 Taking over a team ................................................................49 Understanding your team dynamics ..................................53 Chapter 3 Mastering your team’s performance.................. 57 Training your team is not optional .....................................57 The learning journey .............................................................60 The tools you’ll need .............................................................63 How to train your team members .......................................72 Develop for growth ...............................................................76 Chapter 4 Mastering feedback ........................................... 85 Why managers fear giving feedback ...................................86 How to give non-confrontational feedback .......................90 Common mistakes managers make when giving feedback .............96 Giving formal feedback ........................................................97 How to receive feedback .....................................................102 Chapter 5 Mastering your communication ..................... 107 How to keep your team engaged .......................................108 Common mistakes ..............................................................111 How to communicate .........................................................116 Chapter 6 Mastering your team’s rhythm ........................ 129 Your planning cycle .............................................................130 Your communication system .............................................134 Your routines and rituals ....................................................145 Chapter 7 Mastering your personal management system ................ 153 Your personal management system ..................................154 Teach your team how to work with you ...........................164 How to get control of your biggest time vampire ...........167 How to manage your relationship with your boss ..........171 Epilogue: Mission complete?............................................ 177 Resources ...................................................................................179 Managers’ Development Programme (MDP) .........................181 Recommended Reading................................................185

This book is a great read for a new manager or someone who wants to be a leader. The book contains practical advice on how to lead and be more effective that can be applied easily. I really enjoyed the section that discussed email organization and how often to meet with you employees. I thought this book was easy to read and I could understand each topic!

You owe it to your team to read Mission: To Manage. The book provides a framework for managers who want to empower their teams, deliver better results and enjoy their role. It’s full of practical exercises that can be implemented straight away and are clearly drawn from extensive experience. Great for any manager who wants to improve their people management skills. - Steve Brennan, CEO, Bespoke Digital Any manager who picks up Mission: To Manage will find themselves exclaiming ‘that’s so true!’ at regular intervals. From managing teams in different locations to dealing with team members who ask too many questions (a problem I was discussing with one of my managers just this morning), the challenges Marianne presents are very real and common to managers at all levels in all industries. In typical, uncomplicated Marianne style, her solutions to these problems are simple and practical, with resources and missions to keep you on track. Her positive energy flows through the book and will leave you ready to see the potential rather than the worst in people – it’s infectious and it’s uplifting. Through Mission: To Manage Marianne shows us that leading and inspiring a team doesn’t have to be mission impossible! - Kathryn Stedman, Chief Language Officer, Supertext As business owners we all, at some point crave the Holy Grail – time freedom – to do the stuff that makes us happy. Not enough of us realise that the key to our happiness is having a happy team. A team led by an empowered and empathic managing leader. Mission: To Manage gives a blueprint for anyone wanting to become such a leader. An insightful read with practical tips and strategies for managers and business owners that can be implemented straightaway. - Heena Thaker, Business mentor @Intentional Wealth Creation Mission: To Manage is an essential tool for any manager who wants to be good at managing people. This book has completely refreshed my mindset, and I feel that I have rediscovered my mojo for managing my team! Thank you, Marianne, for opening my eyes to essential communication and feedback skills, and so much more! - Kelly Feltham, Practice Manager, JLA In Mission: To Manage Marianne gives us a blueprint for effective people management that will help every struggling manager to become the leader their team want to follow! - Paul Barnes, Managing Director, MAP Marianne encapsulates every aspect of a manager who has completed her mission. This book is a pleasure to read, it encourages the reader to reflect honestly about how they’ve managed in the past or what type of manager they hope to be. Mission: To Manage inspires the reader to view people management as a positive and enjoyable task that will bring countless benefits to the manager. Having worked with Marianne on her management and business owner courses it is no surprise that I am enthused to buy each of my managers a copy. A must read for any aspiring manager, new manager, experienced manager or business owner. - Harri Colman, Managing Director, FABRIC This book is a must for anyone who wants to build and keep a great team motivated! It is such an easy read, with step-by-step guides to the building blocks to becoming – and continuing to develop as – a great manager and leader. It’s based on sound evidence and Marianne’s own experiences and values shine through in every chapter. The ‘missions’ at the end of each chapter push you to implement what you’ve learned straight away – and help dispel fears and barriers to becoming the manager your team, your business and your customers deserve! - Hilary Lloyd, Business Change and Transformation Leader