Quotable Quote

“Progress is never the work of contented people. Today’s contented companies, managers and employees are tomorrow’s has-beens.” -Michael Lebouef

Manager’s Corner

Two Quick Tips for Negotiating a Deal

By Anne Miller

Here are two tips that will help you be stronger in future negotiating situations. Tip #1—Your secret power is your plan. To create a plan: list your interests, your buyer’s interests, personality, pressures, the business facts and different plans you can offer. Have “chips” you can trade to make the deal work. Know your bottom-line and have a back-up plan. Determine the tone you want for the meeting. Practice your opening remarks. Anticipate pressure tactics and decide how you will handle them. Know how you want the meeting to end.

Tip #2—Bring the other side into the process. “Let’s review the issues and find out what we both want and work this out together. Okay?” Book Smarts

The First Time Manager

By Loren B. Belker & Gary S. Topchik

Reviewed by Christie Walker

Written in an inviting and accessible style, this skill-building book is an essential tool for becoming an effective, confident manager. While especially written for the first time manager, this easy-to-read book has plenty of practical advice for any manager.

What I liked the best was the underlying philosophy on which the entire book is based and that is to get your employees to be self-directed. Here’s an explanation of this idea.

“Another mistake that many new managers make is believing that their role is to be directive; that is, to tell others what to do, how to do it, and make sure it gets done. This may be part of the job or necessary to do sometimes. However, what enables you and your employees to succeed in the long run is getting your employees to become self-directed. This means that you must get their support and commitment, share power with them, and remove as many obstacles to their success as possible.” There are six parts to this book, each filled with short chapters that get to the point quickly, lay out the challenges, and then offer solutions. The book covers—Tackling Your New Duties, Working with People and Building Relationships, Job Descriptions, Performance Appraisals, and Salary Administration, Improving and Developing Yourself, and the Complete Person.

This book is extremely well organized making it easy to pick and choose what you want to read based on your level of experience or what issues you are encountering.

I highly recommend this book for anyone stepping into a new management position or a current manager who might have some trouble spots he or she would like to remedy.

Be the first person to send a Letter to the Editor about this month’s issue of LabTalk and receive a free copy of The First Time Manager. Go to www.LabTalkOnline.com to send your letter.