The Competent Leader: 19 Critical Skills Any Manager or Supervisor Must Know, 3rd Edition

Supervisors today face far greater challenges than ever before. To successfully work with employees and excel in your role, you need a whole new set of skills. The new edition of The Competent Leader concentrates on the relationship-building skills you need to be a stronger and more competent leader —from communicating and delegating to coaching and motivating, hiring and leading and beyond.

This book answers the questions supervisors are asking today including: How can I better manage my time? Will an open door policy improve communication with employees? What should I delegate and what should I do myself? Is there a secret to correcting negative behaviors? How should I prepare for a performance review? Should I confront conflict or let employees work it out on their own?

Light on theory and heavy on practical suggestions that work, The Competent Leader shares what the authors—both consultants—are hearing and learning everyday in the field. Here’s a sample of the key topics covered:

• Building your confidence and self-esteem
• Setting goals and planning actions
• Delegating to succeed through others
• Building high-performing teams
• Managing conflict
• Solving problems creatively
• Earning followers in your leadership role

This is a book you’ll want to read because it’s written in easy-to-understand language and organized in an easy-reference format. At the end of each chapter are 10 tips that will boost your confidence and add to your skill set. Also included are a variety of self-assessments, checklists, worksheets and comparison graphs to help you not only understand and master these new skills, but apply them in today’s competitive business environment and thrive.

About the Authors

Peter Stark is a consultant, speaker, author, and principal for the past 20 years of the Peter Barron Stark Companies, a management consulting firm located in San Diego, California. His speaking repertoire includes an impressive lineup of programs in the areas of employee engagement, leadership, customer service, leading organizational change, and negotiation skills. His firm is also a leader in employee opinion surveys and leadership development assessments. Peter is one of only a handful of speakers to hold the prestigious dual designation of Accredited Speaker from Toastmasters International and the Certified Speaking Professional from the National Speakers Association.

Peter has been published worldwide in over 300 articles and coauthored six books with Jane Flaherty: The Only Leadership Book You'll Ever Need, Lifetime Leadership Leaving Your Legacy, The Competent Leader, The Manager's Pocket Guide to Leadership Skills, The Only Guide to Employee Opinion Surveys You'll Ever Need, and The Only Negotiating Guide You'll Ever Need.

Peter's expertise has been featured by The New York Times, Inc.com, CNN, Bloomberg, and USA Today.

Peter's career takes him around the world as he helps leaders build organizations where employees love to come to work and customers love to do business.

Jane Flaherty is a noted consultant, speaker, and author who has worked with the Peter Barron Stark Companies for the past 17 years. Her speaking and training expertise covers a wide range of topics, including leadership, customer service, presentation skills, and negotiation. She also works closely with her clients, designing customized employee opinion surveys, leadership development surveys, and organizational team assessments.

Prior to joining Peter Barron Stark Companies, Jane worked around the world for 15 years as an educator and administrator for the Department of Defense, working in diverse locations such as the Philippines and Germany.