Book review: The Making of a Manager: What to Do When Everyone Looks to You by Julie Zhuo
Written by Julie Zhuo, a seasoned Facebook executive, “The Making of a Manager: What to Do When Everyone Looks to You” is a candid exploration of the trials, tribulations, and triumphs of stepping into a managerial role. Zhuo’s experiences as a product design vice president at Facebook frame this pragmatic guide to leadership, offering a refreshingly relatable perspective that often feels akin to having a conversation with a mentor over coffee.
Zhuo’s book pivots around the notion that effective management is not merely a product of experience or a predefined set of skills, but rather an ongoing process of learning and adaptation. A clear theme emerges: management is about people, and the best managers are those who can effectively understand, guide, and connect with their teams.
Zhuo’s prose is inviting and easy-to-follow, delivering the complexities of management with a sense of sincerity and practicality. She deftly dissects the intricacies of team building, setting goals, delivering feedback, and making tough decisions, all from the crucible of her personal experiences. She unpacks these complex ideas with a dexterity that speaks volumes of her command over the subject.
Zhuo’s content doesn’t operate in a vacuum. Compared to the likes of “Radical Candor” by Kim Scott and “The Manager’s Path” by Camille Fournier, Zhuo’s book maintains a distinctively personal tone. While all these texts offer valuable insights into the nature of management, Zhuo’s conversational approach provides a fresh, relatable perspective.
Zhuo’s target audience — whether they are aspiring managers, rookies or veterans — will find her teachings accessible and useful. She effortlessly bridges the gap between theory and practice, providing readers with practical tools and insights without overwhelming them with management jargon.
Concluding, “The Making of a Manager: What to Do When Everyone Looks to You” is a unique amalgamation of lessons learned in the trenches of Silicon Valley’s tech powerhouse. Zhuo’s experience offers a fresh perspective that is accessible, honest, and brimming with useful insights. Her book, therefore, comes as a strong recommendation for those stepping into leadership roles or seeking to sharpen their management skills.
If I were to offer an area of improvement, it would be the incorporation of more diverse case studies beyond Facebook. While the Silicon Valley context provides valuable insights, including examples from different industries and corporate cultures would broaden the book’s appeal and application.
Zhuo has crafted an insightful guide into the world of management that is both engaging and pragmatic. While many management books offer hypothetical solutions, Zhuo provides readers with a field-tested approach grounded in reality, making it a must-read for those navigating the managerial labyrinth.
Julie Zhuo offers several practical tips and insights for anyone in a managerial role or aspiring to one. Here are some of the key takeaways:
- The Essence of Management: Zhuo stresses that a manager’s job isn’t about making the best decisions or having the most expertise; it’s about creating an environment where your team can do their best work. This includes aligning everyone around what success looks like, creating an atmosphere of trust, and coaching individuals to help them grow.
- Feedback Is Essential: Zhuo emphasizes the importance of providing constructive, timely, and specific feedback. It helps individuals understand what they’re doing well and where they can improve. She suggests using the “situation-behavior-impact” (SBI) model to deliver feedback effectively.
- Aligning Goals: Zhuo advises managers to align their team around clear, shared goals. This includes breaking down larger objectives into smaller, manageable tasks and ensuring everyone understands their part in achieving the overall goal.
- Building Trust: Managers must cultivate a sense of trust within their teams. This is achieved by being honest, reliable, fair, and showing vulnerability. Trust allows teams to operate effectively and collaborate better.
- Problem-Solving: Zhuo recommends a step-by-step approach to problem-solving: identifying the problem, diagnosing its causes, devising a plan, executing the plan, and finally, reflecting on the outcome to learn and improve.
- Hiring Well: Zhuo underlines the significance of hiring the right people. A good manager will understand the skills required for their team and select candidates who not only meet those needs but also complement the existing team dynamic.
- Role of Communication: Effective communication is crucial for successful management. Zhuo suggests regular check-ins with team members and fostering an environment where people feel comfortable voicing their opinions and concerns.
- Growing Your Team: Zhuo advises managers to focus not only on achieving objectives but also on the growth and development of their team members. This includes providing opportunities for learning, setting challenging but achievable goals, and recognizing and rewarding progress.
- Making Decisions: Zhuo encourages managers to involve their team in decision-making processes where appropriate, but also emphasizes that, ultimately, managers need to take responsibility for the final call.
- Dealing with Failure: Zhuo urges managers to view failure as an opportunity for learning and growth. By adopting a culture that treats failure as a stepping stone, teams can foster resilience and a drive for continuous improvement.
