Management Book Review

Anna Kathryn Sanford

ADPR 5910

Management Book Review

2/13/2012

Finney, Martha I. The Truth about Getting the Best from People. Upper Saddle River, NJ: FT, 2008. Print.

Summary

Martha Finney’s “The Truth about Getting the Best From People” is definitely a book every manager needs to read.  The book is organized into mini chapters each focusing on a different truth about becoming a great manager and motivating people to do their best.  Throughout the book Finney focuses on three major aspects of being an effective manager: the employees, the workplace, and the individual manager.

  First she discusses the truth about managers themselves.  She states that managers must lead by example. According to Finney, if a manager is going to be successful in getting the best out of his or her employees he or she must first expect nothing less than their own personal best.  A manager must lead by being authentic and earning their employees trust and respect.  Only by achieving these three goals can managers hope to inspire the workforce they lead to success.

  Second, Finney discusses the most effective ways to motivate workers to do their best by recognizing them as individuals, praising their strengths and encouraging them to improve their weaknesses.  Finney does not give a specific leadership formula but instead explains that the best leaders get to know their followers and then derive their leadership style.  This means that the best leaders know the way in which their followers need to be lead.

  Finally, she outlines the best way to build a positive and passionate work force with loyal employees.  Finney’s main idea is that the work place must be a safe environment where employees feel that they can come to the manager with new creative ideas and be heard. 

Analysis

Throughout the book Finney emphasizes the importance of each individual in a team in the success of the organization as a whole.  I think this is an extremely important concept.  By emphasizing the importance of the individual the manager is forced to look at his employees in parts.  In this way a manager can see both the employees strengths and weaknesses.  This will allow him or her to make important decisions on his or her leadership style as a whole.

I think this approach to leadership that Finney outlines is very effective and coincides with other successful management styles we have discussed in class.  For example, Follett discusses the importance of working together as a collective group in her Collaborative Management Theory.  This theory coincides with Finney’s ideals of the importance of each individual member of the group working together to achieve a common goal.  Specifically, often the best leaders are those that understand the importance of versatility, individuality, and change in leadership style when the occasion arises. 

Recommendation

I would definitely recommend “The Truth about Getting the Best From People” to other Public Relations students.  The book outlines many of the current ideals about effective management that we have reviewed in class.  The fast paced straightforward style that Finney uses in writing makes the book very interesting and easy to understand.   The book also highlights the importance of individuals, passion, and creativity, which I believe are vitally important in successful management.  Today these ideals are often given a backseat to organization and authority.  Finney’s refreshing perspective on the whole idea of management helps the reader to think outside the box and will definitely help shape highly effective, passionate, and inspirational managers in the future.