Annotated Bibliography
This book is a classic because it addresses the major stages that all new manager experience. The major sections of the book cover the start of a new management position, the challenges of maintaining a staff, and how to prepare to continue to grow professionally.

One of the most useful aspects in this book is the recognition that not everyone is cut out to be a manager. This book does a great job presenting the realities and challenges of what management is really about in clear concepts for people that might not know what they just got themselves into. This concept should be considered as managers search for ways to help their employee grow. It might turn out that the manager is doing a good employee a disservice to promote them to a manager position.

 This workbook contains activities that help teach managers what leadership is. These activities provide a learning environment with 30 one-day skill-building exercises. Self-assessments help measure how the manager is progressing.

Skill-building exercises will be helpful during the training program in helping managers begin to measure their current abilities.

 Evidence showing that only about 15% of management training is applied on the job. The Fort Hill Company has a tool that managers can use weekly to gauge their continued application of management skills.

"You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink" is an old, but true saying. This article is a good reminder to lay groundwork in the training program on how important it is to continue to practice the skills learned.

 Helen Gurley Brown is a successful magazine editor with over 30 years of experience in managing a staff. Her basic rules for successfully maintaining a top performing team are grounded in common sense: do not yell; remember who is in control; compliment before criticizing; if wrong, admit it; timely replies; learn to say "no" when appropriate; you get what you pay for; and work harder than anyone.

Ms. Brown's advice is useful to a manager in any company, regardless of experience. They work for people that work above, below, and at the same level as the manager. Several of these points can be used in a training program.

 The thrust of this article is geared toward the special needs of training the new managers of a high technology company. High tech companies have a fast and furious pace where people are promoted to manager positions before they are ready emotionally. They tend to be lacking the maturity, experience, and training to be successful at new job. The needs that high tech companies have of their managers are different than the traditional companies, but training is needed, nonetheless. Proven techniques, such as mentoring program where senior managers or external trainers are matched up with new managers are discussed. Sources for online courses are also presented.

This article is highly relevant because the senior project is for a high technology company in a new industry that is just beginning to promote managers for the first time to fill its growing needs. The insight offered regarding the importance of training people that are highly technical, but new to managing hits home. This is exactly what is happening to the target company. Poor training is just beginning to show its negative consequences.

 Presented in an easy to comprehend format, this book covers basic management principles about prioritizing time, organization, staffing issues (hiring, inspiring, coaching), and project planning (forecasting, planning, budgeting).

This is a useful book since it is geared towards a variety of issues that managers must be able to handle. Even though the subjects are not in-depth, the scope of the material helps to expose key areas that a manager is likely to experience. Pointing out these areas in a training program will help show the range of areas that a manager must be aware of to begin planning effectively.

 Employment law is a reality of the business world. This book covers topics such as drug testing, benefits, and discrimination issues from the legal prospective. There are tips on how to create a working environment that helps to avoid the impact of lawsuits and unfair working conditions. Prevention is the key.

Litigation is something every company and manager fears when it comes to dealing with employees. This is particularly true when someone is being terminated. This book is an in-depth discussion and examples of how to avoid putting oneself in a unlawful position and what to do if one is already there. New managers are usually not aware of the pitfalls they can create for themselves until it is too late. This should be included in any training program.

 Companies these days are developing cultures that promote a good balance of work and living "real" life for their employees. Childcare, on site dry cleaning services, flex time, and free dinners are just some of the new office-supported benefits, that are beginning to be offered to workers. The new benefits have the same effect as the more traditional ones of medical and dental coverage: higher employee retention and satisfaction on the job. To be successful, the benefits should fit the needs of the benefactors.

This article is relevant to the current environment at the target company for the project. The CEO has actively supported a healthy balance of work and home life for the company workers. While a high technology start up company requires a heavy commitment from its staff, it is not worth burning out before the benefits can be reaped for all the hard work. New managers have to be able to address a person that tips the scales of work/life balance - good or bad.

 Ten companies discuss some effective ways to keep their people from abandoning them to make their fortunes at dot com or other inviting companies. Great employees have talent, knowledge, and experience that can be a tremendous loss to the company if that person leaves. Ways to keep employees content to stay with their current employment situation include: displays of appreciation and recognition (either verbally or through gifts), providing good benefits, a challenging environment, career path choices, excellent hiring processes, and heavy investment into existing employees that are stars.

Once someone becomes a manager, retaining and mentoring staff is a daily challenge in a high tech company. This article has some common sense ways that a new manager could start off on the right foot from the beginning with their staff. This is material that the training program should address.

 No training can be completely effective without following up that change has occurred. This change must be measurable. To do otherwise is a waste of resources.

Selling a training program as a worthwhile investment to a high technology company that feels the pressure to perform and excel everyday is a challenge. This information in this article is a useful tool to help HR and the executive staff to understand the benefit of such an investment in time, money, and resources. The concept of measuring the retention and implementation of the training will be valuable in demonstrating that a training program works.
(c) Copyright 2001, Corey L. Nelson
All rights reserved.