National Learning Institute

In their introduction, authors Hunsaker and Alessandra, set out to help readers (managers) "build the trust bond".  That resonates with me.  Unfortunately, I doubt that the book will achieve its purpose.

The opening paragraph should have given me the clue when it asked "Have you ever wished that you could magically know what other people are really thinking about you when you are interacting with them?" and then went on to suggest eight possible things, all of which were negative.  And that set the tone for the book. 

Most topics such as transactional analysis and decision making are covered adequately.  However, there are some that are out of touch with modern management principles such as the dichotomy - technical vs interactive management.

I struggled with this book.  In fact it has sat around for some months as I keep coming back to try and complete my reading.  Admittedly, it was first published in 1986 and so, I might be a bit harsh with my criticism.  However, it is still regularly listed as a "resource for new managers" and as such deserves a critique.

If you are a student looking for some background reading on management, then perhaps this book may have some use.  If you are a manager looking for "how to" manage, then there are much better books that will serve your purpose.