As a graduate from HAMK, it is probable that you will start your career in middle management. Being a manager can be challenging and requires expertise of its own. Here are a five books that can help you on your way. You will find more reading recommendations on HAMK Finna homepage until the end of February.
 Belker, L. B., McCormick, J., & Topchik, G. S. (2012). The first-time manager. Amacom.
A practical guide on how to manage others for the first time. Management requires good people skills, and this is what the authors focus on. Authors stress the importance of communication and of building confidence and trust. They cover all important topics from hiring and firing to motivation, time management, and creating a positive work environment. |
 Cartwright, T. (2007). Developing your intuition: a guide to reflective practice. Center for Creative Leadership.
As a manager, you will be expected to make informed and timely decisions. Confidence to trust your decisions comes with experience, but it can also be developed with reflective techniques. Cartwright teaches you to use your whole brain by connecting your logical mind (L-mode) with your creative mind (R-mode). |
 Neck, C. P., Manz, C. C., & Houghton, J. D. (2020). Self-leadership: The definitive guide to personal excellence (Second edition.). SAGE Publications Inc.
The premise of this books is simple: before you can lead others, you need to be able to lead yourself. The authors discuss topics including self-motivation and self-influence, but also individual differences and diversity. They introduce different strategies: behavioural, reward-focused and thought-focused strategies that can be used to reach personal excellence. |
 Roger, D. & Petrie, N. (2021). Work without stress. Findaway World. Audiobook.
This book starts by telling us to forget everything we know about stress. According to Roger and Pterie, all we have learned about stress so far is wrong. He continues by stating that stress is a choice, not a natural part of work life. He advocates for resilience, flexibility and openness that will help prevent any stress. By providing simple step-by-step techniques he helps us change our mindset and be better prepared for the pressures of work. |
 Allan, B. (2019). The no-nonsense guide to leadership, management and team working. Facet Publishing.
Here is another textbook for the fresh manager, covering all the basics of leadership and management. Allen guides us from the setting up of our networks to strategic thinking, leadership and management. The management of teams, projects, work processes and change management all get their individual chapters. Managing people and communication are also covered. The book ends with a chapter on personal professional development. |
Image: Adobe Stock
