June proved to be a busy month for ADMIN, but we made sure to squeeze in a quick read before the month ended. Keeping on the theme of leadership, we picked up a new book by Julie Zhuo called ‘The Making of a Manager.’ What drew us to this book was Julie’s own story of becoming a manager at just 25 years old. With no formal training under her belt, Julie took the role and used the experience as a training tool to help her lead teams. Now, the VP of Product Design at Facebook, Julie has summed up her lessons in this book.
Managers are not born, they are made and the makings of a good manager comes with creating a mindset. The mindset needed is one that accepts mistakes will be made and understands that management is not about you. Rather, it is about creating an environment where teams can work together efficiently and effectively.
Without giving too much away, we really enjoyed Julie’s philosophy on building a successful team. It’s all about the three P’s: Purpose, People, and Process. Each concept is a layer to creating a team that is driven and focused on the mission in front of them. Julie also uses this book to make a clear distinction between being a manager and overall leadership. Manager is just a role; a title that one holds. Leadership is a skill; one that allows people to inspire and influence others. The best part? You can be a leader without being a manager!
Overall, we loved this book and would recommend it to anyone working in business. Whether you are just entering the workforce, starting a new business, or moving into a management position, this book has something for everyone and is a great take on how to lead in the right direction.
We want to know! Have you read The Making of a Manager? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!