TWENTY-FIVE STRATEGIES FOR ORGANIZATIONAL SUCCESS

A debut handbook for managers addresses all aspects of shaping and guiding a business.

In this volume, Gaston draws on decades of experience in security and defense-related industries to provide a list of rules for managers working on both day-to-day issues and broader questions of strategy and procedure. Using an outline-style format with frequent bullet points and subheadings, the author steers readers through managing their own career paths (“Take time to determine what you want to do, when you want to do it, and where you want to be”), serving as significant assets to their superiors (“Your boss is the most important person in your organizational chain”), limiting the impact of overhead expenses (“Be prepared to close down failing non-core business initiatives that exceed budget, break deadlines, or do not meet basic return-on-investment expectations”), and ensuring the security of proprietary information (“The theft of trade secrets is alive and well”), among other matters. Each facet of management strategy, personal development, and leadership techniques is presented in its own chapter, concluding with a checklist of action items on the topic and Gaston’s summary of his key points. The author’s defense and security background brings a unique perspective to traditional management advice, with recommendations to hire veterans included among the tips for staffing a successful company and frequent mentions of working with government contracts throughout. While none of the information in these pages will be groundbreaking to readers already familiar with business literature, Gaston does an expert job of offering his strategies in a highly readable format ideal for quick reference. In addition, the author delivers a substantial amount of solid advice that readers new to the topic are likely to find useful. The concise guide also includes detailed information on subjects like contingency planning and physical security that are less often addressed in volumes on management theory, adding to its value in a collection of resources.

A well-written, straightforward business manual that covers familiar material in an effective and engaging way.