The Making of a Manager
by Julie Zhuo
Zhuo became a manager at twenty-five at Facebook and writes the book she needed: what management is (purpose, people, process), running one-on-ones, giving feedback, hiring, managing yourself, and scaling. It is honest about early mistakes and specific about what to do. The best first-time-manager book of its generation.
Read it if…
you were just promoted and have no idea what managers actually do.
Skip it if…
you have managed for a decade; it is foundations.
Three things you will actually use
- Your job is the team's outcomes, not your own output.
- Give feedback early and often; it is kindness.
- Hire slowly and for the role you will need in a year.
Do this first
Ask each report in your next one-on-one: what would make this the most useful meeting of your week?
Our verdict
Warm, honest and practical; the new-manager handbook.
Compare with other Leadership books
High Output Management
Andrew S. Grove · Leadership
Rigorous and enduring; the operator's manual.
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Built to Last
Jim Collins and Jerry I. Porras · Leadership
Influential and still relevant, with caveats.
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Great by Choice
Jim Collins and Morten T. Hansen · Leadership
Practical and vivid; discipline over daring.
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