Little Book of Big Management Wisdom, The

James McGrath worked as an accountant and senior manager in industry, local government and as a self-employed management consultant before becoming Course Director for the MA in Education and Professional Development at the City of Birmingham University. He is also co-author of The Little Book of Big Management Theories and author of The Little Book of Big Management Questions and The Little Book of Big Decision Models.

About the author
Acknowledgements
Introduction
How to get the most out of this book
 
Section 1: Managing a Successful Business

Introduction
1  Peter Drucker on why customers are more important than profits
2  Jack Walsh on the need for a competitive advantage
3  Marvin Bower on why more cohesion and less hierarchy is required in organisations
4  Harold Geneen on why cash is king
5  Andrew Carnegie on taking care of the pennies
6  Sam Walton on why you should ignore conventional wisdom
7  Jeff Bozos on two ways to expand your business
8  Phillip Kotler on creating markets
9  Laurence J. Peter on why people rise to the level of their own incompetence
10  Warren Bennis on why failing organisations need leadership not more management
Conclusion
 
Section 2: Managing Yourself and Your Career
Introduction
11  Theodore Levitt on making your career your business
12  Henry Ford on pursuing your heart’s desire
13  Dale Carnegie on how people know you
14  Henry Ford on self-confidence and self-doubt
15  Moly Sargent on investing in your greatest asset – you
16  Andrew Carnegie on why you can’t do it all yourself

17  Thomas Edison on why persistence not inspiration leads to success 
18  Bill Watkins on why you should never ask management for their opinion
19  Andrew Carnegie on investing 100% of your energy in your career

20  Thomas Edison on saving time
Conclusion
 
Section 3: Managing People and Teams
Introduction
21  Charles Handy on what management should be about
22  Peter Drucker and the manager’s job in thirteen words
23  Peter Drucker on learning to work with what you’ve got
24  Robert Townsend on how to keep the organisation lean, fit and keen 
25  Warren Buffet on why integrity trumps intelligence and energy when appointing staff
26  Marcus Buckingham on managers and the golden rule
27  Theodore Roosevelt on why you should not micro manage staff
28  Dee Hock on why you should keep it simple (KISS)
29  Alfred P. Sloan on why the value of management by exception
30  Jack Welch on the three essential measures in any business
31  Ron Dennis on supporting the weakest link
32  Zig Ziglar on why you should invest in staff training
Conclusion
 
Section 4: Leadership
Introduction
33  Warren Bennis on the making of a leader
34  Howard D. Schultz on why leaders must provide followers with meaning and purpose
35  Peter Drucker on why results make leaders
36  Warren Bennis on why leaders must walk the talk
37  Edward Deming on building credibility with followers   
38  Henry Minzberg on why leadership is management practiced well
39  S K. Chakraborty on the source of organisational values
40  Claude I. Taylor on vision building
41  Doris Kearns Goodwin on why leaders need people to disagree with them. 
42  John Quincy Adams on how you know you are a leader
Conclusion 
 
Section 5: Motivation
Introduction
43  Robert Frost on disenchantment in the workplace
44  Ken and Scott Blanchard on explaining to people why their work is important
45  Fredrick Herzberg on the sources of motivation
46  Tom Peters on self-motivation
47  General George Patton on motivation through delegation
48  John Wooden on why you need to show you care
Conclusion
 
Section 6: Decision Making
Introduction
49  Robert Townsend on keeping decision making