Management Mess-ups: 57 Pitfalls You Can Avoid and Stories of Those Who Didn't

"Although big scandals grab headlines, it is often the little mistakes which managers make that impact a business's bottom line. Eppler does a masterful job identifying common pitfalls, while providing solid advice on how to avoid problems. Managers should keep a copy within arm's reach!"

—Paul Orfalea, Founder & Chairperson Emeritus, Kinko's Inc.

"Easy to read and loaded with real world examples, Management Mess-Ups is great for small business owners and managers alike."

—USA Today

"Mark Eppler is to be commended for his work. He uses wonderful, often amusing, anecdotes to illuminate difficult management problems. He provides helpful management tips in a very readable format. I appreciate his commonsense approach."

—U.S. Congressman Lee H. Hamilton, Retired, Vice Chairman of the 9-11 Commission

Can you imagine losing a two-million-dollar customer over sixty cents?

It happened! According to a story reported by USA Today, a bank teller refused to validate a customer's parking ticket because he failed to execute a "transaction" (deposits are transactions, withdrawals are evidently not). Even the branch manager firmly upheld this policy. The next day, the frustrated customer closed his account—a little over $2,000,000 worth. The root of the problem wasn't this company's blind adherence to policy, but management's inability to empower employees to use their own good judgment and intuition.

Management Mess-Ups examines a variety of mistakes managers commit daily that stifle productivity, squelch opportunity and generally irritate employees-mistakes not big enough to grab headlines, but significant enough to undermine the efficiency and success of their departments and organizations. By reading of the management mess-ups of others, you can avoid these common stumbling blocks to success and become a manager with a true winning edge.

A bestseller for nearly seven years, Management Mess-Ups has been revised to reflect current issues challenging today's managers. Gleaned from the author's ongoing work with organizations of all sizes and types, some of the new mess-ups include:

Failure to hold mediocre performers accountable

Failure to understand that all managers are growth leaders Failure to teach employees to contend for their ideas

Management Mess-Ups is a book that should be read and reread, then placed in a handy spot for future reference.

Mark Eppler (Milford, Ohio) is a professional speaker and seminar leader specializing in leadership and management issues. His clients include P&G, GE, 3M, the IRS, and the E.W. Scripps Company, as well as state and national associations. An award-winning adjunct lecturer at Indiana University, Mark also has over 20 years of experience at the executive level as a practicing manager and leader.

Mark Eppler (Milford, Ohio) is a professional speaker and seminar leader specializing in leadership and management issues. His clients include P&G, GE, 3M, the IRS, and the E.W. Scripps Company, as well as state and national associations.