Working with Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goldman
Business leaders and outstanding performers are not defined by their IQs or even their job skills, but by their “emotional intelligence”: a set of competencies that distinguishes how people manage feelings, interact, and communicate.

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Erika Anderson “Growing Great Employees:  Turning Ordinary People into Extraordinary Performers.”  On page 131, she speaks about making “agreements” with your employees.  

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The Manager’s Guide to Performance Reviews by Robert Bacal.  This book helps managers make reviews both positive and proactive. It provides a step-by-step process for administering an effective performance review.

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For provocative reading…try Abolishing Performance Appraisals: Why They Backfire and What to Do Instead by Tom Coens (Author), Mary Jenkins (Author), Peter Block (Foreword).  The authors argue that appraisals do not accomplish what they are supposed to and that, in fact, they are counterproductive. They offer compelling evidence to demonstrate that appraisals backfire as they examine the five functions (coaching, feedback, setting pay, determining promotions, and documentation) for which appraisals are designed. 

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I like the “emotional bank account” coined by Stephen Covey in his book “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.”   What makes building an emotional bank account with your employees so great is because it’s a concept we understand.  

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Using a mindmapping technique will help you increase your problem solving abilities.  Mindmapping: Your Personal Guide to Exploring Creativity and Problem-Solving by Joyce Wycoff.   

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A powerful book “The Tipping Point:  How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference” by Malcolm Gladwell, opens your mind to how much impact small changes can be in your organization.

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“Managing the Dynamics of Change: The Fastest Path to Creating an Engaged and Productive Workplace” by Jerald M. Jellison…provides clear and simple tools to guide you through change.

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“High-Impact Interview Questions: 701 Behavior-based Questions to Find the Right Person for Every Job” for example questions in different positions.

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”First Break All the Rules…What the World’s Greatest Managers Do Different,” by Marcus Buckingham & Curt Coffman.The book, by the Gallup Organization, surveyed over 80,000 managers in over 400 companies. Great managers have learned what is important to build a team. This book has lots of knowledge to offer the newbie or more seasoned manager, and I’ve highlighted The Four Keys they believe are important to succeed in your role as a manager.

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There are many books written on this subject and I’ve selected The Culture of Collaboration   by Evan Rosen.  The author has gathered the latest ideas on collaboration providing clarity around the subject and offering practical direction.

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I would like to share this book: Understanding and Changing Your Management Style by Robert C. Benfari. If you want to be a better manager, then I would recommend you read this book. Benfari offers tests to guide you in understanding your values and your preferences in problem solving.   He addresses how you deal with conflicts and problem employees.  After reading this book, you can start changing your behavior.