Vast changes in management styles have occurred since I wrote “Survival Skills for New Managers”. The electronic revolution has changed the way we work and live. Boundaries have come down and many managers have slipped the bonds of national allegiances. Many large organisations are going the way of the dinosaurs. Businesses have become leaner and meaner and “flatter” – many of the middle managers have disappeared. More women are occupying executive desks in a wide range of organisations.

Many organisations have trimmed back to core activities to maximise their profits and now send work out to contractors in many countries. As contract labour becomes the norm, long-term career prospects are increasingly difficult to predict and workers often feel insecure.

More people are working from home and communicating electronically with managers, colleagues and clients. Businesses are becoming smaller and more personal. Increased competition means quality service to customers has become more important.

This book was written for professional and technical people who become managers. It was written for the teacher who becomes the principal of the school, the scientist who becomes the administrator and for the economists, engineers, veterinarians, agriculturists, accountants, lawyers, doctors and other professionals who become managers.