IN THIS SUMMARY Across all industries and at all levels of organization there is a shocking epidemic of what Bruce Tulgan labels “undermanagement.” Undermanagement occurs when supervisory relationships between employees and bosses lack the engagement required to maintain the very basics of management: clear expectations, resources, feedback, and fair reward. The result is that both employees and managers are over-worked, stressed out, and not performing at their full potential. In It's Okay to Manage Your Boss, Tulgan challenges employees to take responsibility for their role in every management relationship. He urges employees to manage their own bosses in order to get what they need to succeed in the workplace and accelerate their careers. SUBSCRIBE TODAY http://www.bizsum.com/summaries/its-okay-manage-your-boss

2. IT’S OKAY TO MANAGE YOUR BOSS The Step-by-Step Program For Making The Best Of Your Most Important Relationship At Work AUTHORS: Bruce Tulgan PUBLISHER: Jossey-Bass DATE OF PUBLICATION: 2010 202 pages

3. FEATURES OF THE BOOK It’s Okay to Manage Your Boss is a step-by-step book for high-performing employees who are ready to get the best out of the most important person in their work lives—their boss. Bruce Tulgan catalogs dozens of concrete tactics for real world boss-managing techniques that he has developed through fifteen years of research.

4. THE BIG IDEA Bruce Tulgan urges employees to manage their own bosses in order to get what they need to suc­ceed in the workplace and accelerate their careers.

5. INTRODUCTION Across all industries and at all levels of organization there is a shocking epidemic of what Bruce Tulgan labels “ undermanagement .” Undermanagement occurs when supervisory relationships between employees and bosses lack the engagement required to maintain the very basics of management: clear expectations, resources, feedback, and fair reward. The result of undermanagement is that both employees and managers are over-worked, stressed out, and not performing at their full potential.

6. REFUSE TO BE UNDERMANAGED Undermanagement is destroying workplace relationships and stifling productivity across all industries. Based on his ongoing research since 1993, Tulgan concludes that most problems in the workplace are a result of undermanagement. Employees are not getting what they need from managers at the most basic level, and everyone suffers as a result. According to Tulgan, it is up to employees to take charge and get what they need from their bosses.

7. REFUSE TO BE UNDERMANAGED When a boss undermanages, their employee pays the price. No matter what the reason for the boss’s undermanagement may be, the employee is still expected to meet high expectations on the job. In the current workforce, expectations, competition, and uncertainty are constant concerns. So it is up to the employee to be proactive in their career and manage their own boss. This requires a fundamental re-thinking of their role and their relationships in the workplace.

8. MYTHS ABOUT MANAGING ONE’S BOSS Myth 1 : If an employee is a high-performer, then their boss should not tell them how to do their job. Myth 2 : In order to be creative at work, employees need to be left alone to do things their own way. Myth 3 : Everyone should get special treatment. Myth 4 : The path to success is catering to the manager’s style and preferences. Myth 5 : “Making friends” with a boss is smart workplace politics.

9. MYTHS ABOUT MANAGING ONE’S BOSS Myth 6 : Hiding from mistakes and problems is a good way to avoid trouble. Myth 7 : No news is good news, but being “coached” is bad news. Myth 8 : If the manager does not like to read paperwork, then the employee does not need to keep track of their performance in writing. Myth 9 : If an employee is not a “people person,” then they will have a hard time getting ahead in the workplace. Myth 10 : Some bosses are just too busy to meet with their employees.

19. CONCLUSION Tulgan urges employees to really consider their roles and current work performance before reinventing their approach to managing themselves and their bosses. The decision to invoke real change at the workplace is too important to rush. The employee must be prepared for many things to change: their role at work, their relationships at work, and their overall work habits. Employees should attempt to portray a work-minded attitude, and who always go the extra mile. If they follow the steps in It’s Okay to Manage Your Boss , they will successfully learn the skills needed to refuse to be undermanaged, and propel their careers forward.

20. Business Book Summaries is a product of EBSCO Publishing. The website is updated weekly with 4 to 5 new summaries chosen from among the top business books printed in the United States. For more information or to sign up for the weekly newsletter, please visit http://www.bizsum.com. ABOUT BIZSUM.COM