First Person

Tales of Management Courage and Tenacity

Harvard Business Review Press
Edited by Thomas Teal
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In this collection of first-person accounts from the Harvard Business Review, the 11 contributors describe the hazards and frustrations of trying to be a good manager. From "How I Learned to Let My Workers Lead" and "Reluctant Entrepreneur" to "Nothing Prepared Me to Manage AIDS" and "The Purpose at the Heart of Management, " these essays document the complex and often conflicting responsibilities of the manager: conceiving and implementing strategy; motivating people to do what's best for customers, the business, and themselves; putting themselves in the hot seat of authority while pushing people toward shared responsibility; and developing sensitivity to the needs of subordinates while having the courage to say no. "Unrelentingly compelling.... The perfect refutation for anyone who claims a career in business is boring." — Quality Digest

Contributor Bio

Harvard Business Review is the leading destination for smart management thinking. Through its flagship magazine, 11 international licensed editions, books from Harvard Business Review Press, and digital content and tools published on HBR.org, Harvard Business Review provides professionals around the world with rigorous insights and best practices to lead themselves and their organizations more effectively and to make a positive impact.