In the new, global, highly dynamic economy of today and tomorrow, the human asset becomes the differentiation between success and failure. It is imperative that organisations create a climate in which people are able to do things for their reasons, not for those of the managers and the companies for which they work.

Managers must address themselves to their team members’ needs, wants and motivations, as well as their own. Instead of the traditional position power, managers are now challenged to effectively influence the activities of their team members in order to get commitment to goals and objectives. Commitment implies that employees want to do things instead of having to do them. Instead of giving their time, they will give their energy. This implies not only doing what they are told but also accomplishing more than they have to simply because they are satisfied.

Developing Excellent People Managers: A Road Less Travelled was written to stimulate thinking, discussion, and action around the popular corporate cliché: PEOPLE ARE OUR GREATEST ASSET.

If that statement is more than a cliché, why doesn’t the value of PEOPLE appear on corporate balance sheets? Why are the individuals selected to manage these assets not carefully chosen for their demonstrated or potential people management abilities? Why are managers not specifically held accountable for they way the manage their team members? Why are managers that do create climates of trust, respect, collaboration not specifically rewarded and those that don’t either further developed or removed from their responsibilities?

Major topics addressed in the book are:

• The improvement of the selection process for people managers
• The training of those who manage people
• The transfer of learning from the classroom to the job
• The assessment/measurement people managers
• The assessment/measurement of the impact of training on business results

He suggests that the time has come when corporations commit to their employees by supporting an Employee Bill of Rights:

• The right to be managed by a competent leader
• The right to know what is expected of me in my position
• The right to periodic, measurable, achievable objectives
• The right to help, coaching and training in order to improve
• The right to know organizational "environmental factors" *
• The right to informal and formal discussions regarding my performance
• The right to be recognized and rewarded for performance achievement
• The right to fair and consistent treatment
• The right to belong to a team united by common purpose, trust and mutual respect
• The right to a healthy balance between my professional and personal life

* Policies, procedures, rules, traditions, values, taboos, rituals, etc.

The author presents facts, research, tools, methods and “best practices” at such companies as DHL Worldwide Express, Cisco Systems, Citicorp, Europay International, Federal Express and Microsoft to find satisfying answers to those questions, based of his 25 year long experience in both academia and managerial practice.

The book’s intended audience includes chief executive officers and members of executive .management teams who espouse this assertion. Only competent managers are able to manage these human assets effectively and this book talks about what that entails. It is written to inspire managers at all level to challenge what goes on in their organisations, to continue to develop themselves and their people, to “walk the talk” and lead by consistent example.

It is written for the Human Resources Development and Organisation Development professionals, who believe that organisational excellence is achieved not through a series of acts but through sustained interconnected processes that are build around the belief in the value of people. Human Resources professionals involved in the recruitment and selection will find themselves challenging current managerial selection processes and procedures.

Reading this book will be provide every employee with detailed understanding of what constitutes excellence in people management. It provides insight into the rights they should expect as “most valuable“ assets in their respective workplaces.

When an organisation contributes to the quality of their employees’ work life – providing them with opportunities to satisfy their needs and desires on the job – the quality of their products and services increase. When work life quality is poor, no efforts to improve output will be productive. Employees will withhold their sustained efforts.

People Don't Leave Organisations. They Leave Their Managers.