A Guide to Success for Technical Managers: Supervising in Research, Development, and Engineering

Supervisory Skills for the Technical Manager: A Guide to Success focuses exclusively on the dynamics of being a technical manager such as a scientist, programmer, or engineer. An R&D environment demands modified management techniques and this book explores how to do so. 

Drawing of years of experience to provide technical managers with various tools and ways to apply them in supervisory situation, this essential title includes exercises, templates and checklists to accelerate their uses and applications on the job.  In addition, case studies are included throughout to thoroughly explain and explore the concepts discussed.

Key topics include handing the transition to supervising others in research and development, the characteristics needed to motivate personnel in a R&D environment as compared to other areas of business are detailed.  The pitfalls and challenges of managing technical personnel, how delegating can build an effective team that can produce superior results, and how to monitor the work of previously independent personnel are also discussed.

Elizabeth Treher, PhD, has held technical leader roles in industry, government, and academia and has more than seventy publications and patents, including two books: The Pharmaceutical Business and Strategic Partnering. For the last twenty years, as CEO of The Learning Key, she has consulted with technology-based companies to develop curricula to build managerial and project leadership skills.

David Piltz has over fifteen years' experience in training managers and supervisors, both technical and non-technical. David has developed and designed over seventy-five modules on communication, management and supervision, facilitation, and delegation. He has also worked with numerous managers and executives on increasing their supervisory effectiveness.

Steven Jacobs is a consultant to biotech and pharmaceutical companies. He trains and coaches international clinical development teams to avoid and mitigate cultural problems and delays due to communication and conflict, and has also helped companies improve clinical supplies team dynamics, process efficiencies, and overall delivery performance. His senior roles have included those of COO and CEO.