The First-Time Manager: A Survival Guide

Marc Portelance is a graduate business student and researcher at
Laurentian University.

On the basis that “managing is a people-centred activity,” the
author, a principal in a training firm, establishes a comprehensive
management model designed for people who “move up the ladder” but do
not have formal management training. With a view to becoming a
successful manager, thus avoiding the predictable pitfalls, we are
introduced to a five-step approach to managing people: selecting the
right people; providing job orientation and ongoing direction; designing
the work environment; applying training and skills development; and
motivating employees.

Tyssen provides insights into managing the shift, understanding how
people work, and dealing with conflict in the workplace. In addition, he
outlines various management techniques and the notion of workplace
conditions and productivity.

Samples and worksheets encourage the reader to analyze various
strategies and perfect the methods being introduced. We learn to
integrate the five steps by applying simple models based on an
easy-to-remember summary that shows how the steps are applied. The model
permits us to identify the cause of a problem, and even to decide
whether a problem exists. This is a practical and pertinent guide for
the novice manager.