Rescue Your Rookie Managers (HBR Article Collection)

HBR OnPoint collections include an overview and 3 full-text HBR articles, each with a synopsis and annotated bibliography. That brilliant, aggressive, young manager seemed perfect for your department's demanding new leadership position. But months into his new role, his team's out of control, he's constantly putting out fires, and his best employees are fleeing. Why is this scenario so common? Many of us promote rising stars into management before they're ready--because they excelled as individual performers and we fear losing them to competitors. But then we abandon them, expecting them to master the art of management on their own. Individual and managerial work are worlds apart. One hinges on technical expertise; the other, emotional competencies that come with time and maturity--including negotiation with peers, building support for change, patience, and empathy. This HBR OnPoint collection offers alternatives to the promote-and-abandon plan--e.g., derailing young managers from fast tracks until they've gained more experience and developing their persuasion and influencing skills with special cross-functional team assignments. The three Harvard Business Review articles in this collection: "The Young and the Clueless" by Kerry A. Bunker, Kathy E. Kram, and Sharon Ting (HBR reprint R0212F), "Saving Your Rookie Managers from Themselves" by Carol A. Walker (HBR reprint R0204H), and "When a New Manager Stumbles, Who's at Fault?" by Gordon Adler (HBR reprint 96201).