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The 27 Challenges Managers Face: Step-by-Step Solutions to
(Nearly) All of Your Management Problems
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Author, Bruce Tulgan
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Q&A with Bruce Tulgan Author of The 27 Challenges Managers Face
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Why are there 27 challenges, instead of 26 or 28 or some other
number?
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This book is based on twenty years of workplace research
conducted by my company, RainmakerThinking, Inc. We’ve asked
hundreds of thousands of managers—in our management seminars,
focus groups, interviews, and surveys—some version of this
open-ended question: “Which employee situations are most
challenging for you as a manager?” Despite the diversity of
people and situations, the same basic challenges come up
repeatedly. In fact, more than 90 percent of responses over the
years refer to these same 27 challenges, including the superstar
the manager is afraid of losing, the slacker the manager cannot
figure out how to motivate, the employee with an attitude
problem, and the two people who cannot get along, to name a few.
You say that the most difficult challenges managers face come
from the fact that “employees are human… and so are their
managers. ” Please Explain.
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The age-old reality is that human beings have weaknesses as well
as strengths. Humans are not always great at self-management,
much less at managing others. Human beings have habits—not always
good ones. Not only that, but everybody has bad days. Some people
have bad weeks, months, and years. Productivity and quality of
work are highly variable, sometimes due to employee performance.
On top of all that, humans have attitudes—not always good ones.
Yet you argue that managing people is harder nowadays than ever
before. Why?
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That is due in large part to the incredible complexities of
today’s workplace in today’s world, in what I like to call the
“real new economy.” First, people come and go. That’s always been
true, but employment relationships today are far more short-term
and fluid than they have been before in the modern economy. So
you are always losing good people, and you are always trying to
get new people on board and up to speed. Second, change is
constantly coming at you from every direction. Change forces
rework, often involving lots of moving parts, and therefore lots
of employees in multiple departments of the organization. Third,
most people must rely on many others within and without their
immediate work group in order to do their own work. Finally,
everybody is expected now to do more with less. Increasingly,
people report that they are making do with tighter resources,
longer and more complex supply lines, with shorter lead times.
Often people find themselves trying to do their jobs with what
they feel are insufficient resources.
How can the fundamentals be the solution to such a range of very
different, sometimes rather complex, management challenges?
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It turns out that when things are going wrong in a management
relationship, almost always the common denominator is
unstructured, low substance, hit-or-miss communication. And
almost always the solution comes from applying the fundamentals
of management. Throughout the book, you’ll see—one challenge at a
time—how the most effective managers apply the fundamentals of
management to gain control of any situation with a step-by-step
solution to the problem at hand. Almost always, the ad hoc manner
in which most managers talk to their direct-reports every day
actually makes inevitable the most difficult employee situations
that tend to vex managers. What is the key to avoiding most of
these problems and the key to solving them quickly and with
relative ease as soon as they appear? High-structure,
high-substance, one-on-one dialogues with every direct-report.
Is this book intended to be read straight through or used as a
reference book that managers turn to over and over again?
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Both! This book is intentionally designed to be used and reused
as a reference book—a hands-on management tool you can go back to
over and over again throughout your career as a
leader/manager/supervisor. Reading the whole thing beginning to
end is sort of like putting one’s self through “management
fundamentals” boot camp, which I hope is a very worthwhile thing
to do. But I also encourage readers to go ahead and skip right to
the specific challenge they are facing today. And keep it on your
shelf as a resource for the next time you run into a daunting
challenge. Chances are, if you go to the table of contents, the
challenge you are facing will be right there with a step-by-step
solution waiting for you.
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Review
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“In a large, complex organization, a culture of strong, highly
engaged, and collaborative management is critical. There are not
too many management challenges that are not addressed in The 27
Challenges Managers Face. Managers at all levels would be well
served to have a copy on the shelf.”
―David Zaslav, president and CEO, Discovery Communications
“As someone whose early management career was shaped by Bruce
Tulgan’s other books and programs, I’m not surprised to see this
book applies to everyone, no matter what your position or stage
in your leadership journey. The 27 Challenges Managers Face takes
his prescriptive approach to a new level of relevance with
specific tips to address the most common management
challenges―right on!”
―Kat Cole, president, Cinnabon
“Bruce Tulgan’s decades of exhaustive research and the collected
works that have resulted have had a profound impact on how I
lead. His action-oriented ideas have genuine practical utility
for leaders in any organization. The ideas in The 27 Challenges
Managers Face comport perfectly with what I call engaged
leadership and serve as the perfect antidote for what Bruce calls
the epidemic of under-management in America today. This terrific
new book is a powerful tool for all leaders.”
―Kevin J. Jacobsen, Brigadier General, United States Air Force
“Our nation could save billions in productivity losses and
lawsuits resulting from poor management and employee
disengagement if only it heeded the very practical step-by-step
advice that Bruce Tulgan’s thoroughly researched book offers.
Every chapter contains real life challenges (all 27 of them!)
with fundamental solutions that enlightened managers must
practice. Brilliant in its simplicity!”
―Cari M. Dominguez, former chair, United States Equal Employment
rtunity Commission; and senior vice president, human
resources and chief talent and diversity officer, Loma Linda
University
“Bruce Tulgan’s latest work addresses the fundamentals of
management, undervalued in most companies today but essential to
the successful operation of complex businesses. Highly integrated
products demand accurate data, complete communication, concise
direction, and timely decision-making from typically segmented
teams and systems. Use The 27 Challenges Managers Face to take
advantage of actual lessons learned.”
―Larry A. Lawson, CEO and president, Spirit AeroSystems, Inc.
“Bruce Tulgan’s latest book provides exceptional practical
advice on how to execute the huge responsibility of leadership.
The last chapter, renewing a commitment to effective management,
will be particularly helpful to leaders who think they already
know how to manage the first 26 challenges.”
―Alan J. Kreczko, general counsel and executive vice president,
The Hartford
“Bruce Tulgan masterfully delivers a simple, transparent, and
powerful message about the fundamentals of management. I have
always been a fan of Tulgan’s work and we frequently reference
his teachings throughout our training and development. The 27
Challenges Managers Face tackles everyday situations and provides
powerful and effective solutions for producing winning results. I
am excited to introduce this masterpiece to our team.”
―Jim Mazany, president, Joe’s Crab Shack
“Whether you have been managing people for 27 days or 27 years,
Bruce Tulgan’s research and book will prove a practical and
invaluable guide for meeting specific challenges and managing for
success.”
―Ray Kotcher, chairman and senior partner, Ketchum
“Management is basic work, but hard work. We applied Bruce
Tulgan’s principles of Management 101 to rapidly turn our
organization into a focused execution machine. In The 27
Challenges Managers Face, Bruce provides a pocket guide and a
comprehensive overview of how to manage, every day, for business
impact. Whether you are an experienced manager or taking on your
first direct reports, whether you are trying to be a better
manager or improve an entire organization’s ability to manage and
execute, Bruce’s guide is the manual you need.”
―Geoffrey Crouse, CEO and president, Cord Blood Registry
“The 27 Challenges Managers Face is a good read for managers
and people who lead peopleTackle the recurring daily challenges
of leading yourself and others by rediscovering fundamental
principles of communication and management.”
―Sylvia B. Vogt, president, Carnegie Bosch Institute, Tepper
School of Business, Carnegie Mellon University
“Bruce Tulgan will refocus you. His scholarly research and
anecdotal style will make an immediate impact on developing
talent. The 27 Challenges Managers Face is a must-read for any
company that believes it is their people who make the
difference.”
―Keith A. Hoogland, president, Family Video
“The 27 Challenges Managers Face is a must-read for every
manager on your team. These fundamentals are the basis for
running an outstanding organization, and Bruce Tulgan gives you
the steps you need to develop a high performing organization.
Every manager should read this book, whether you’ve been leading
an organization for days or decades!”
―Deb Dulsky, chief commercial officer, HomeServe USA
“I’ve been a fan of Bruce Tulgan and his work for over 15 years.
The 27 Challenges Managers Face is a very well written and
inful guide. Whether you’re a new or seasoned manager,
Bruce’s book offers step-by-step guidance and practical advice.
Bruce really nails it, and my only wish is that this book had
been written years ago, when I first became a manager.”
―Lorie Valle-Yañez, VP, chief diversity officer, MassMutual
Financial Group
“Like Studs Terkel before him, Bruce Tulgan was educated as a
lawyer, but discovered his real passion in the study of how
people work and manage. Bruce brings that passion to life with
The 27 Challenges Managers Face and reminds us that Management
101 is easy to understand in theory, but easy to forget on Monday
mornings.”
―Hank Harris, president and CEO, FMI Corporation
“The 27 Challenges Managers Face is a practical, smart,
easy-to-use guide from one of the clearest thinkers in the field.
Bruce Tulgan has done it again, creating a must-read compendium
for handling the most common to the most vexing management
challenges. It’s all here.”
―Alan Greene, EVP, business head, US Investment Services and
Institutional Investor Services, State Street Corporation
“Bruce Tulgan was the original voice of reason about how to
manage the next generation of leadership. In The 27 Challenges
Managers Face, he provides an immensely inful yet practical
guide for managers of any generation. Bruce has always based his
work on years of careful research, thousands of interviews and
focus studies, and deep experience coaching managers from the
front lines of fast food to the officers of the elite US
. He writes as he speaks, pulls no punches, is immensely
entertaining, and always leaves his audience better prepared to
succeed as managers.”
―Joni Thomas Doolin, founder and CEO, People Report
“The 27 Challenges Managers Face gives direct and
straight-forward ways to handle challenges. Bruce Tulgan’s
continued focus on the basic fundamentals, the importance of
one-on-ones, and easy-to-understand examples is not only
refreshing, but will yield results.”
―Robert Werk, SVP, operations, CraftWorks Restaurants &
Breweries
“Bruce Tulgan has hit another home run! The 27 Challenges
Managers Face is simple and easy to read, yet relevant and
practical in application. This book is designed to be referenced
again and again, to address the classic challenges of getting
results through others. No matter how seasoned a manager is,
these principles will help fulfill the responsibilities of
leadership in the most effective way possible. A must-read and a
must-practice for today’s new and experienced managers.”
―Sharon McPherson, director of training, On The Border Mexican
Grill & Cantina
“In his always clear and inful style, Bruce Tulgan puts
forth practical and easy-to-follow solutions for the most common
supervisory challenges facing all managers, regardless of
industry. The 27 Challenges Managers Face is helpful for new
supervisors and veterans of management alike. Bruce researched in
the workplace to hear from real managers where their greatest
challenges lay, and he shares the basic solutions in an
appetizing and easy-to-digest way, making this a good reference
book to keep on the shelf after reading.”
―Doug Gammon, vice president, human resources and training,
Black Angus Steakhouses
“I honestly believe anyone interested in being a better manager
could benefit from The 27 Challenges Managers Face. If they had a
particular need for advice, they could pick the book up, look at
the table of contents, and find help with a solution. I loved
this book.”
―Judy Irwin, vice president, human resources and training,
Golden Corral
“Based on decades of firsthand interview research, Bruce
Tulgan’s coaching enabled our general managers and store managers
to communicate more easily and effectively with, motivate, and
develop their line staff, notably improving overall shop
performance. The 27 Challenges Managers Face will help owners and
managers connect authentically with staff, overcoming the chronic
misperception by staff that they are not seen or understood,
enabling a positive working atmosphere critical to growing your
business.”
―Doug Bell, president, Grasslands Uruguay, and retired
president, Supercuts Owners Association
“What sets Bruce Tulgan’s work apart from other management books
is that he provides real world advice for real world management
challenges. The 27 Challenges Managers Face, like his others, is
meant to be consulted again and again. Don’t stick this one on
your reference shelf; keep it close at hand, and watch your
management performance improve.”
―John Bissell, executive vice president, Greylock Federal Credit
Union
“The 27 Challenges Managers Face brings great in for
executives at any level and phase in their career. This is
practical information you can use now to inform your strategies
moving forward for the way you manage people and how you are
managed, as well. A comprehensive primer on managing people with
heart and integrity, while still getting bottom line results for
your company, The 27 Challenges Managers Face is a book you
should have within reach at your desk.”
―Daniel Butler, vice president, community integration, National
Retail Federation
“First Bruce Tulgan gave us permission to manage, now he tells
us when and how to execute the fundamentals, based upon years of
experience and success. The 27 Challenges Managers Face is for
the seasoned executive as well as the new manager and will make a
lasting difference in your life and the lives of others.”
―L. Gary Boomer, CEO, Boomer Consulting, Inc.
“Bruce Tulgan forces managers to ask ourselves what our job
truly is, and then enumerates simple―though in no way
simplistic―steps for us to take to do that job. Management is
work, and The 27 Challenges Managers Face removes the excuse so
many of us use as a crutch when those who perform under us
underperform―that the fault lies not in ourselves, but in our
stars.”
―Homer Robinson, president and CEO, Kaiserman Company
“Once again, Bruce Tulgan has provided us with a back-to-basics
fundamentals book, packed with research and practical solutions.
The 27 Challenges Managers Face will be a go-to reference and
solution guide for years to come. Bruce’s writing style invites
the reader to embrace management challenges, and be much better
for it.”
―Carl George, CEO, Carl George Advisory, LLC, and former CEO,
Clifton derson LLP
“Bruce Tulgan continues to be my guru of management! The 27
Challenges Managers Face provides examples and research and makes
it easy to find the right material when facing a management
issue. I’ll use it to coach other managers and help them improve
their confidence and performance.”
―Janet Kyle Altman, marketing principal, Kaufman Rossin
“The 27 Challenges Managers Face is yet another example of Bruce
Tulgan’s ability to identify the issues managers face and offer
specific action steps to help them lead their organizations to
success. Leaders, managers, and employees at all levels will
benefit by reading this book, and based on their current
situation, can decide which chapter to tackle first. The book is
a great read and a resource all managers should turn to as
situations arise.”
―Howard C. Fero, professor of leadership, Albertus Magnus
College, and coauthor, Lead Me Out to the Ballgame
“Bruce Tulgan creates practical advice and solutions leaders can
use to engage employees and deliver results. He understands the
challenges modern managers face and, by helping them communicate
more effectively, he prepares leaders to handle tough issues and
help people achieve their highest level of performance.”
―Jennifer Russo, director, corporate communications, Copper
Group, Rio Tinto
“Many of our managers at Westar Energy have found a mentor in
Bruce Tulgan. As we work as a company on raising the level of
conversation between managers and employees, we found that
Bruce’s message of talk about the work was particularly useful.
After two visits and a series of weekly online messages, it’s
quite commonplace at Westar for our leaders to reference Bruce
Tulgan.”
―Diane Owen, lead training rep, Westar Energy
“The 27 Challenges Managers Face exposes the root management
problem, refreshingly admits that there is no easy fix, and then
provides nuanced advice that can be individually tailored by each
manager. Like others in the field, Bruce Tulgan offers numerous
tips, but where Tulgan provides significant added value is in his
distinguishing between the application of solid management
practices that generate real and lasting results and merely going
through the motions.”
―Steve Katz, principal, Fish & Richardson
“Bravo! I use Bruce’s back-to-basics principles in managing my
direct reports and am a big supporter of his work. The 27
Challenges Managers Face will be a great reference for managers
as they come across various situations.”
―George Wilson, president, Barriere Construction
“The 27 Challenges Managers Face is essential reading for
managers. Too many managers are operating on autopilot, waiting
for a crisis to happen before reacting. Bruce Tulgan rightly
emphasizes critical fundamentals, especially around effective
communication, that stop the vicious cycle of managing by crisis.
MBA students often ask us what the key elements of good
management are―they’re contained in this cogent, well-argued
book.”
―Donald E. Gibson, Ph.D. , dean and professor of management,
Charles F. Dolan School of Business, Fairfield University
“Bruce Tulgan demonstrates how managers can break the cycle of
firefighting and learn to perform meaningful management that
benefits the manager, the employees, and the organization. A good
manager will go back to The 27 Challenges Managers Face time and
time again to keep the management structure operating smoothly
and effectively.”
―Colonel Craig Price, superintendent, South Dakota Highway
Patrol
“Bruce Tulgan hit a home run with this one! He speaks the truth
and provides clear, concise management advice. The 27 Challenges
Managers Face will become my desktop guidebook for helping
leaders at all levels manage their way to more effective
organizations and better results.”
―Lisa Beutel, executive director, Center for Leadership,
University of Dayton
“The 27 Challenges Managers Face continues to deliver the
effective and useful in I expect from Bruce Tulgan. It is a
must for your management toolbox!”
―Jon Morrison, vice president, vehicle dynamics and controls,
global, WABCO Vehicle Control Systems
“The 27 Challenges Managers Face offers great ins into
undermanagement. Many of my clients complain about bosses being
too hands off, which results in employees who hate their jobs and
want to leave because they don't have ongoing, quality
communication and feedback from their managers. Each of the 27
scenarios are rich with nuggets on how to navigate the most
common people management issues.”
―Katie Weiser, former global director, training and development,
Deloitte Consulting, and CEO, Katie Weiser Coaching.
“Once again, Bruce Tulgan takes the essential but often
overwhelming responsibility of getting work done through others
and breaks it into understandable, common sense steps. The 27
Challenges Managers Face is another great tool.”
―DJ Zarnick, vice president, human resources, The Henry M.
Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Medicine, Inc.
“The 27 Challenges Managers Face covers a broad range of the
most essential management topics. Based on research with hundreds
of thousands of managers and presented in the inspirational way
only Bruce Tulgan can do, this book is the equivalent of having
your own mentor. Every manager will become a better manager for
it.”
―Jill Kilroy, assistant vice president, learning and
development, Horace Mann Companies
“The 27 Challenges Managers Face is a practical, research-based
approach to managing one of an organization’s most important
resources―people. Bruce Tulgan once again combines research and
best practices to create a book of solutions. New and experienced
managers alike will benefit.”
―Tani Bialek, director, national learning and professional
development, McGladrey LLP
“The 27 Challenges Managers Face covers it all, with valuable
in for managers everywhere. It reminds us that to manage
well is to manage often. Managing is a commitment, but one that
delivers dividends daily, and Bruce Tulgan enthusiastically
encourages us to re-commit ourselves to our colleagues and
ourselves. The tools are simple, the work hard, and the rewards
great.”
―Jeffrey R. Katz, partner, Ropes & Gray LLP
“Like any other skill, managing people requires a mastery of the
fundamentals. In The 27 Challenges Managers Face, Bruce Tulgan
presents situations we all face and reminds us how to apply those
fundamentals. This book is a mandatory addition to every
manager’s toolbox.”
―Arturo M. Hernandez , VP, engineering, Grote Industries
“At Chick-fil-A, we’ve always felt that those who lead must
first serve. Bruce Tulgan’s book is a great reminder of how to
serve well through managing well. So many of today’s challenges
in organizations can find their beginning and end in the same
place: people management. The 27 Challenges Managers Face is a
great review of the fundamentals of great people management, and
how to make them a part of your everyday life.”
―Andy Lorenzen, senior director, organizational development,
Chick-fil-A, Inc.
“Bruce Tulgan’s research and findings provide a blueprint for
managers in the intelligence community to tackle problems and
fully engage their employees. I highly recommend The 27
Challenges Managers Face to all―not just managers, or those
thinking about moving into management positions―because it
provides effective, step-by-step solutions to the most common and
enduring management challenges.”
―Kristin Bertelli, chief, workforce strategy and planning,
Central Intelligence Agency
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