Preface

Are you a purchasing manager, a production manager, or an IT manager? Do you manage in marketing, sales, or finance? Is it up to you to take charge of human resources or product development? Regardless of your industry or level of experience, you have to make optimum use of all the resources you have at your disposal. Being thrust into an unpredictable situation can be difficult, and this is doubly true when you are a manager. Regardless of whether you are a seasoned manager or someone who has not yet experienced all the power, perils, and pitfalls of leading people, you will be expected to take charge and make things better for your direct reports and the company. This balancing act isn’t always easy, and it can be especially stressful if you are fumbling for words or lacking in nuance in your communications. The fact that you reached for this book means that you probably aren’t satisfied with how you’ve been handling this aspect of your job. You know you can do better, but you need some magic phrases to help kick-start the process. And because you’re busy, you need a reference tool that is concise, easy to use, and portable. In this book you’ll find hundreds of specific responses that have helped managers and would-be managers just like you take control of their communications.

My goal in writing this book was to share these talking points so that you can develop a strong and capable managerial presence in any situation. The higher up you move in the chain of command, the more readily you will need to be able to summon powerful and effective words and phrases—to motivate, to inspire, to correct, to command. Ideally they should become second nature, a part of your everyday routine. To help you do that, this book is organized into 10 easy-to-digest sections, plus one bonus section at the end. There is also a comprehensive index at the end to help you locate relevant topics easily.

The fact is, no matter how successful or seasoned you are as a manager—or even if you’ve never managed before in your life—chances are your communication skills could use some polishing. This invaluable tool will enhance your command of the idiom and allow your confidence and managerial skills to shine through. You will find it incredibly rewarding, both personally and professionally, as you learn to speak boldly, persuasively, and, perhaps most of all, appropriately in any situation.

Let our journey to managerial confidence begin!