Oops, I got promoted. Now what?

REVIEWS BY STEPHANIE SWILLEY

Accidents happen

A promotion can be both a blessing and a curse. The good news (a hefty pay raise) helps offset the bad news (you have to manage former teammates), but few companies invest the time or resources to help their employees adjust during jarring transitions. A quarter of managers in a typical organization takes on new leadership roles each year, and without support and training, many keep doing what they've always done. Unfortunately, this doesn't guarantee success.

There's help for those asking, what do I do now? Whether you've just started a new job or suddenly found yourself managing 15 employees, these books come packed with accelerated, action-oriented answers for any question.

AMACOM Books just released two titles designed to ease promotion anxiety. Written for folks who never intended to be anyone's boss, Gary Topchik's The Accidental Manager teaches the radical concept that it's actually "easier, more rewarding, and less time-consuming" to be a good manager rather than a poor one. After identifying and describing the 10 worst manager types, Topchik explains the art of "doing nothing." While this plan sounds lazy, it actually requires "platinum skills" like developing the ability to delegate, active listening, giving and receiving feedback and creating a motivational climate. The advice is concrete and actionable, and role-playing examples make it easy to put into practice. Topchik's book is great for dealing with accidental promotions or learning to manage an office Dogbert.


A blessing for anyone who hates meetings (who doesn't?), How Great Decisions Get Made has simplified one of the biggest managerial challenges—the art of team decision making. Author Don Maruska, who writes the widely syndicated Business Success column, has designed a 10-step process to battle the fears that undermine decision making. The key to superior solutions is to cure fear by getting everyone involved and focused on shared hopes. Don't dismiss this approach as corny until you see how the steps work in the real world. For those still not ready to give up long, unproductive meetings, Maruska gives a simple 30-minute technique for a trial run. Plus, the author covers how to cope when you're not in charge, not in the same location or dealing with a large group. Short, focused chapters without jargon make the book easy to read while waiting for meetings to start.


Proving ground

The president of the United States gets 100 days to prove himself, but ordinary leaders only get 90. So says author Michael Watkins in The First 90 Days, a transition roadmap for anyone stepping in to turn a business around, guide a start-up or continue a history of success. The Harvard Business School professor lectures on how to build coalitions, a subtle but necessary skill for easing into a new job or promotion, and his advice leans toward the touchy-feely. Harvard MBAs aren't known for playing well with others, but this book can keep you from falling into the most common new-leader traps, like forgetting to develop relationships.

Watkins is about doing things faster, whether it's learning about the organization or securing early wins to build momentum. The goal is to get to the breakeven point where new leaders start contributing and not just consuming within 90 days. Following this survival guide will get you there, with fewer hard knocks along the way.


Good business

Still curious about how Enron went from a high-flying success to the largest bankruptcy in history? Me neither. That is, until I picked up The Smartest Guys in the Room, a sharp, provocative book that brings the company and its characters to life. While the book relies heavily on unnamed sources, authors Bethany McLean and Peter Elkind, both Fortune magazine writers, provide incisive and detailed portraits of the men and women involved. It's intriguing and comprehensive, and after the introduction, you'll be hooked.


Stephanie Swilley is studying for her M.B.A. at Vanderbilt University's Owen School of Management.

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