Ways and Means for Managing Up, F. William Smullen
Ways and Means for Managing Up, F. William Smullen
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Ways and Means for Managing Up
50 Strategies for Helping You and Your Boss Succeed

Author: F. William Smullen

Narrator: F. William Smullen

Unabridged: 6 hr 11 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 04/16/2014


Synopsis

WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO SUCCEED AT WORK?

MAKE SURE YOUR BOSS SUCCEEDS FIRST.

Today's typical workplace may be less formal and more inclusive than those of the past, but one thing hasn't changed: The boss is the boss.

A veteran of the U.S. Army, William Smullen spent 50 years leading--and being led by--some of the toughest people in the business. Over his career, he served at every level from platoon to division--and at the highest levels in the Pentagon, as well. In business terms, that's the equivalent of running a very small business to sitting in a corporate C-Suite.

Smullen's final public-service assignment was chief of staff to Secretary of State Colin L. Powell. As chief of staff, one of his main responsibilities was to ensure Secretary Powell kept his positive image and was successful in everything he did.

Now, he shares the lessons he learned working in some of the world’s most demanding organizations. In Ways and Means for Managing Up, he tells you everything you need to know to effectively "manage your manager" in ways that help both you and your boss succeed and rise within your company. In 50 short yet informative chapters, Smullen shares his hard-won insight, such as:

View your relationship with your boss as a partnership

Think of your boss as a brand

Never allow your boss to be surprised

Help your boss manage risk or crisis

Be a strategic asset your boss counts on

Whether you're good friends with your manager or have trouble coexisting in the same office, your success depends on his or her success. This has always been true, and it will always be true.

You serve yourself well when you serve your boss well. Take your career to new heights by learning and applying the Ways and Means for Managing Up. It can serve as a survival guide, a road map, or a blueprint for people at every level in an organization.

PRAISE FOR WAYS AND MEANS FOR MANAGING UP:

A terrific book by one of the masters of truth-telling in the American military--wise, forceful, and a must-read for anyone who has a boss. My hat is off to Bill Smullen, and yours will be too when you read what he has learned over the decades." -- BOB WOODWARD, Associate Editor, The Washington Post

"Bill Smullen's unique experience as a member of the U.S. Army and as chief of staff for former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Secretary of State Colin Powell gives him some great lessons to pass on. I highly recommend Ways and Means for Managing Up. -- JIM BOEHEIM, Syracuse University’s Hall of Fame Head Basketball Coach

"Colonel Smullen has worked for some of the smartest and most demanding bosses in modern American history, most notably General Colin Powell, for many years. In this book Smullen offers an invaluable guide for how to succeed inside any organization. It is a guide that is both tremendously wise and, in some places, laugh-out-loud funny." -- PETER BERGEN, CNN's National Security Analyst and the author of Manhunt: The Ten-Year Search for Bin Laden from 9/11 to Abbottabad

Reviews

Goodreads review by Afdhal on January 16, 2019

It was an ok book. Some of it are really good advise. Some of it only applies if you’re working in public relations. Some of it doesn’t even have anything to do with managing upwards. Good for people who are first time managers.......more

Goodreads review by Fides on April 30, 2019

This is a useful book for someone who is beginning a career working in a primary assisting capacity for a leader. However, because it covers the basics, for someone already performing the role for a while this is more useful as a reminder of core principles you already know collected in one place.......more

Goodreads review by Stephen on May 20, 2017

READ MAY 2017 Overall this is a useful book. The frame-of-reference is for someone supporting a senior military leader, but many of the principles apply to non-military organizations.......more

Goodreads review by Mike on September 11, 2015

This book is a quick read. It was pretty basic advice that any mid-level manager would already know. It's geared more to those just entering the workforce. I was hoping for more.......more