Lead Well and Prosper: 15 Successful Strategies for Becoming a Good Manager

Business, Money & Investing

By Nick McCormick

Publisher : Be Good Publishing

ABOUT Nick McCormick

Nick McCormick
Nick McCormick is a practicing manager in the information technology field with extensive business experience and a passion for leadership development. He has built and managed dozens of teams and organizations of information technology professionals.

His efforts have been recog More...

Description

Are you a manager?  Are you a good one?  If you are not sure, take the
quiz in Nick McCormick's new book,
Lead Well and Prosper:  15
Successful Strategies for Becoming a Good Manager.
 You might be
surprised at what you learn about yourself.

McCormick, a seasoned manager in the IT industry, concentrates on the
fundamentals, presenting them in an insightful, instructional, and
entertaining way.  The book is divided into 15 chapters--each covering a tip
for management success--and all begin with a real-life management
situation showing some of the common mistakes managers make.

As the author points out, most managers don't aspire to mediocrity;  they
just don't work on the right things.  This book not only shows them what
those "right things" are, but it offers practical, ready-to-execute actions and
solutions.  In this unique resource, you'll learn:

  • How effective it is to get "back to the basics" of managing
  • Why being a good manager is great
  • Straightforward strategies you can implement immediately
  • The dos and don'ts of management success.

With this easy-to-read, enthusiastic resource, you'll be on your way to
being a more effective and successful manager.


Lead Well and Prosper
is a powerful little book that can reap huge rewards in your personal and professional life.  I especially enjoyed Nick’s action plans!

-- Pat Croce, entrepreneur, motivational speaker, and New York Times best selling author.

Lead Well and Prosper is a wonderful book for managers. It is logical, clear and to the point.  It describes the rules of management, and shows what should and should not be done in order to lead well.

-- Rhonda Dibachi, former Executive Vice President, Niku, Inc., co-author, Just Add Management


Lead Well and Prosper
is a wonderful little book to put in your briefcase to read (and re-read) whenever you have a few minutes. Great reminders, well presented. Do yourself a favor, and put this in your toolkit.

-- Dr. Philip Humbert, author, speaker, and personal success coach


This is a great book for a new supervisor (as a way to help get started), and it works equally well as a great reminder for any leader.  I agree with the title – when we lead well we will prosper. This book can help you make that happen.

-- Kevin Eikenberry, professional speaker, author, and consultant


The title says it all! Nick's 15 strategies are the fundamental building blocks that any manager can use to build a prosperous career.

-- Rob Waite, author, The Lost Art of General Management

 

Nick’s book provides a concise review of management and leadership concepts for learning and reaffirmation.  The Do’s, Don’ts, and Action lists provide easily actionable elements for the ever overworked manager.  It’s a must read for new and aspiring managers, and a great addition to the seasoned manager’s bookshelf for periodic review.

-- Bruce Govan, President, Govan Consulting, LLC

 

I conducted classes last week for my managers and supervisors utilizing Lead Well and Prosper as a basis for discussion.  I presented to about 40 people who are responsible for managing people in the support services and clinical ancillary departments.  Nick’s book was very helpful...it is straightforward and it is honest.  There are many management books on the shelf that are theoretical.  However, for a front-line supervisor, the book's presentation and content quickly get the message across on how to manage people. The advice is direct and appropriate with clear action plans.  

-- Robert S. Ross, Vice President of Operations, St. Luke's CornwallHospital

 

Lead Well and Prosper is the type of book that many companies would get for all of their middle management. The lessons would be easy to build a leadership training program on.

-- Jim Estill, CEO, SYNNEX Canada

 

This is a great book that reminds us of what being a manager is all about.  Working with people, motivating them, encouraging them, teaching them and helping them do their job better.  Keep it handy and read a chapter every now and then to remind yourself what your job really is about.  It is also a useful primer for someone just starting out as a manager and can help them get off to an excellent start.  Give it a read!

-- Mike Schaffner, Author of "Beyond Blinking Lights and Acronyms" http://www.mwschaffner.com

 

Nick McCormick has written a fabulous little book called Lead Well and Prosper.  Little that is in the number of pages but a massive tome of management wisdom. I have read books many times its physical size that emotionally just don’t get anywhere near the nuggets contained in Lead Well and Prosper. Nick is firmly rooted in the reality of everyday practical management and it shows. Every page contains a gem. It is well presented with do’s, dont’s and action points making it an invaluable addition to your essential reading. I really love it – simple, straightforward and practical. It can and should be read by front liners through to Chief Executives. 

-- Trevor Gay, UK Management and Leadership Trainer, Speaker, and Author

 

Lead Well and Prosper struck me as a sort of “Cliff's Notes” for management, and I think it provides a great reference resource, particularly for new managers who aspire to develop their leadership skills. In fact, I can see this as a very useful handout for companies that conduct any kind of new manager training.

-- Dwayne Melancon, Author of “Genuine Curiosity” http://www.genuinecuriosity.com

 

Nick's work here is an IV to managers because it lacks dilution and can be put right to work.  This book is so well written that it could easily grace the book shelves of executive, middle, and line management… Lead Well and Prosper provides an excellent platform for instruction.  One chapter of instruction, one half hour per week and the manager who is responsible for others will seriously strengthen his team. 

-- Dave Rothaker, Rothaker Reviews

 

This is my kind of book. Very short, packed with practical advice, simple but not simplistic, relevant but not preachy. It's a book you can read in an hour and use on your path to greatness.

-- Dan Coughlin, Author, ACCELERATE: 20 Practical Lessons to Boost Business Momentum

 

Not only is Lead Well and Prosper extremely well written and easy to follow, but also entertaining and very relevant. Even if you’re not a manager, I would highly recommend this book because I think you’ll really enjoy it.  It’s definitely not like one of those boring, stuffy theoretical leadership books.  In fact, they should make this book a required reading at HarvardBusinessSchool! You’ll love it!  Buy a copy for your boss, especially if he/she is one that needs a lesson or two in management.  Sneak it under the office door or something.

-- Stephen Hopson, Author and Motivational Speaker

 

In a world populated with too many management books which take themselves rather seriously, McCormick's is refreshing and fun… it works hard to be practical and helpful… even seasoned managers will find a useful story here, or a refreshing way to think about an existing challenge.

-- Mick Yates, Founder, Leader Values, Co-Founder Growing Global

 

I plan on mentioning Lead Well and Prosper to all my graduate students as a nice counter balance to the required texts they are reading. I always give them recommendations on "must have" books for their leadership library that they should return to after their formal education journey is ended. Lead Well and Prosper will be on that list.

-- Rod Smith, Adjunct professor, Ken Blanchard College of Business at Grand Canyon University, Founder of  Athena Consulting, a leadership development consulting firm


Lead Well and Prosper
is a quick and solid reminder of what managers should be focusing on as they drive, motivate and enhance their team's ability to be personally successful while creating value for their shareholders and customers alike.

-- Brian Sommer, Author of “Services Safari,” http://www.servicessafari.blogs.com/

 

I'd recommend Lead Well and Prosper as a useful revisiting of fundamental principles of good management and good leadership for managers at all levels.

-- Phil Dourado, Author, Speaker, Founder of “The Leadership Hub,” http://www.theleadershiphub.com


Simple, straightforward message that will help any manager reach higher.

-- Bob Prosen, Best Selling Author, Kiss Theory Good Bye

 

Don’t read Lead Well and Prosper unless you want to be a great leader.

-- Phil Martelli, Head Coach, Saint Joseph’s University Basketball, Author, Don’t Call Me Coach: A Lesson Plan for Life

 

This is a great addition to the library if you want people to want to work with/for you. From those individuals who run households to the CEOs of the largest companies, this is a book to be kept by the bedside… The only thing keeping this book from being a best seller is people not knowing about it.

-- Vik Duggal, Author, “Book Review Summaries,” http://bookreviewsummaries.wordpress.com/

 

McCormick has created a brilliant little management handbook here that is a perfect desk mate of any manager or want-to-be manager. He truly understands the problems with "typical" management and he offers a superb collection of steps and ways to turn yourself into a good manager.

-- Mike King, Author, “Learn This,” http://learnthis.ca/

 

Lead Well and Prosper is one of those books that is destined to become the "Art of War" for modern business leaders and managers.

-- Peter Jones, Author, “New Great Books,” http://newgreatbooks.blogspot.com/


If you have to manage staff and want some guidance on how to do it better, a great resource is Lead Well and Prosper. Unlike many management books that should be filed under “cures for insomnia”, Lead Well and Prosper is as entertaining as it is informative. Whether you are an experienced manager or are managing people for the first time, Lead Well and Prosper is a must for your bookshelf.

Andrea J. Stenberg, Author, “The Baby Boomer Entrepreneur,” http://thebabyboomerentrepreneur.com


Pick Lead Well and Prosper up once a quarter in order to get a good refresher and to ensure that you are executing the basics well. It is an investment of your time that will be well worth the effort.

-- Jeff Littlejohn, Vice President and General Manager of The Employment Guide, http://EmploymentGuide.com

Although Lead Well and Prosper is little in size, it is full of great management information. In my experience, it is simple tips and tricks like the ones covered in this book that can be the most useful in the real world. I’ll definitely be keeping it handy and sharing it with others around the office.

-- Andre Gaulin, Author, “Damn Good Manager,” http://damngoodmanager.com/


New managers will benefit from all of it. Senior managers will be surprised at how this quick read will have an immediately invigorating impact. Trainers should put this book in their curricula. Mid-level and higher managers should read it themselves and present it to new assignees. Lead Well and Prosper is a gem – but one you will want to share. Enjoy it - and prosper!

-- Jim Stroup, Author, “Managing Leadership,” http://managingleadership.com

 

When I first got serious about the craft of writing, I purchased a copy of Strunk and White's Elements of Style. Thin, highly readable, and practical, it became a constant companion during writing projects. If you are looking for a similar book on management, I recommend Nick McCormick's Lead Well and Prosper.

-- Stan Ward, Author, “Idea Leadership,” http://idealeaders.blogspot.com

 

Lead Well and Prosper is a quick read, user friendly and uses humor and story telling to convey key points. This book not only shows managers what the "right things" are to do as managers, but it offers practical, ready-to-execute actions… The key points are dead-on-accurate. I especially loved the names of the fictional characters Joe Kerr, Wanda B. Goode, Lee Dergood, etc. Funny stuff….Buy a few copies of this book and give them to your managers. And read it yourself.

-- Mark Willaman, CEO, Fisher Vista, LLC, the owners of HRmarketer.com, http://www.hrmarketer.com


Nick’s work here has produced a book that is simple by design, and significant in potential impact. Readers will universally agree that, “yep, I should do that” and be compelled to ask, “why don’t I do that?”

-- Rod Cleary, Senior Manager, Process Quality Assurance, Sallie Mae

 

Lead Well and Prosper is a teaching book... it gives you advice on how to handle much of the tactical, day to day processes of being a manager... This book could easily be used as a leadership training manual.

-- Lance Haun, Author, “Your HR Guy,”  http://www.yourhrguy.com

 

Lead Well and Prosper is very easy to read and the "role playing" is a great teaching method.  I found myself inserting "real" people that I have encountered over the years into a lot of the roles in the examples.  It’s a great book for young managers and students as well as a great reminder for the more experience managers.  

-- Bill Roth, President, ChesterCountySHRM

 

Lead Well and Prosper is a terrific guide for new managers and offers some reminders to seasoned professionals…go buy the book in bulk and force your junior managers to consume it whole.  Then test them.  Then reinforce its principals.  Then examine your own management and see if you pass the test.

-- Mark Stelzner, Principal/Founder - Inflexion Advisors

 

This book provides an important reminder on how to conduct yourself in a way that will make you and your team better.  Most good leaders, whether they be coaches, players, managers or CEOs, learn to master their own behavior first, before they try to lead others.  This book is a quick and entertaining read that will reinforce the importance of building the right leadership habits into your daily life.

-- Fran Dunphy, Head Coach, TempleUniversity Men's Basketball

 

This is a great little book full of wisdom for managers & leaders, especially those that are taking on their first management position.  It’s an easy read and covers the basics to help set the new leader down the right path.

-- Eric D. Brown, Author, “Eric D. Brown: Aligning Technology, Strategy, People & Projects” http://ericbrown.com

 

I’ve read a lot of books on management, and too often they’re gimmicky and theoretical.  What I liked about this title was that it was short, conversational, and to the point… the book includes concrete and realistic actions readers can take tomorrow to become better managers.

-- Alexandra Levit, Business Author and Consultant, http://www.alexandralevit.com/

 

In this very easy to read book, Nick McCormick provides 15 little gems on how to be a good manager. Nick introduces each gem with a real life situation. He then gets to the essential core of each learning and ends with the dos and don'ts and specific action items. There is much in here for both people new to managing and those that have been at it a while. What I like most is Nick's insights into the people side of management; a side that is generally paid lip service by ineffective managers. I also like how each gem is given in a bite-sized chunk so that a manager can easily take one dose each day.

-- Leslie Allan, Director, Business Performance P/L, http://www.businessperform.com/

 

Lead Well and Prosper provides useful direction for product managers working hard to lead their teams to success. Nearly all the strategies can be applied to making you more effective in your work as a product manager, and building your credibility as a leader.

-- Michael Ray Hopkin, Author, Lead on Purpose, http://leadonpurposeblog.com/

 

Lead Well and Prosper isn’t just for managers or leaders. It’s not even just for people who want to become a manager or leader. This book addresses challenges that we all face in the workplace, so I think any professional in any industry will enjoy it and put it to good use.

-- Simon Stapleton, Author, Author, 10 Habits of Highly Effective IT Professionals, http://www.simonstapleton.com