Tough Management
Book

Tough Management

The 7 Ways to Make Tough Decisions Easier, Deliver the Numbers, and Grow the Business in Good Times and Bad

Chuck Martin
McGraw-Hill, 2005
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Editorial Rating

8

Qualities

  • Applicable

Recommendation

Chuck Martin has written a straightforward book predominantly based upon data gathered by his company, NFI Research, in two years of research involving 2,000 managers and executives worldwide. The business world portrait he paints isn’t rosy: companies continually ask managers to do more with less. Most managers and executives work more than 50 hours a week, and the marketplace constantly heats up the pressure to perform better. Under such difficult circumstances, Martin advises managers to get tough by exercising a solid set of seven specific skills. Ironically the list ends with, "Don’t be a tough guy," meaning that stressed-out managers should strive for work-life balance. The book would be even stronger if it cited prior work on the pros and cons of being tough in the workplace. Douglas McGregor’s Theory X and Y, and William Ouchi’s subsequent Theory Z are two classics that come to mind. getAbstract.com finds that this book provides useful - albeit bleak - insights into contemporary corporate management, and recommends its sound advice to managers.

Summary

Stressed Management

Today’s managers and executives are under more pressure to produce than ever. In response, they need to be tough. To exercise "tough management," adopt these seven practices:

  1. "Communicate Clearly"

Most senior executives assume they’re communicating well and have very good personal communication skills. Unfortunately, their messages often don’t get through. To practice tough management, you need to communicate to good purpose; what you say must be clear, concise and true. Clear communication helps align employees with corporate goals.

Why is communication in business so difficult? One NFI Research study showed that 94% of senior executives and managers rank "communicating well" as the most important skill for their future success. When asked to evaluate their communication skills, 92% stated that they communicate well. Yet only 59% of staff members said that their supervisors communicate well, and only 25% said their bosses communicate very well.

The reason for the discrepancy is that bosses tend to overlook the fact that communication is a two-way street. One manager commented, "In general, executives are ...

About the Author

Chuck Martin is CEO of NFI Research, where he manages an international network research base of executives and managers. He is an author and business strategist.

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