"This book is organized around a strategic management model, created by Donald Huffmire, based on his robust research and vast experience as a consultant and practitioner of strategic management in both the private and public sectors. Firmly grounded in academic theory, the genius of his model is that it enables practitioners to craft a well-conceived strategy and execute that strategy with confidence. It is very practical and intuitive. Few individuals possess the unique combination of extensive practical application, complemented with academic experience, to construct such a comprehensive and universally applicable model." -- Keith F. Moody, Distributor Network Advisor, ExxonMobil Corporation "You will find the Handbook of Effective Management to be very straightforward, easy to follow, and ingeniously simple. I highly recommend it for anyone who has, or hopes to have, the responsibility for managing people, and is driven toward achieving results." -- Kevan Levinson, Vice President Finance and Store Operations, Saks Fifth Avenue, New York "I am a small business owner in the wholesale baking industry. To help me structure and manage my start-up company I read a substantial variety of books, most of which single out a few aspects of management which are often not practical or which are incomplete. The brilliance of the Handbook of Effective Management lies in the fact that it has gathered all of the important aspects of strategic management together, and makes them easily applicable to every business, and for every business owner and manager. Since reading the manuscript I have already implemented various suggestions by the author, especially the parts that have to do with delegating tasks, prioritizing, and decision making communications. I just wish that I had had this book at the start of my business; it would have saved me a lot of time and money. This is a must read for every conscientious manager." -- Peter Gaum, President and CEO of Santa Barbara Baking Company and Debbie's Delights "Donald Huffmire has succinctly and adroitly compressed a significant amount of management theory into a model that that allows the reader to look at a segment of their business; analyze the internal and external situation; and make pertinent, relevant, and helpful suggestions -- to increase productivity, profitability and worker satisfaction." -- John D. Rixon, Physician, U.S. Veterans' Administration Hospital "This handbook, with its comprehensive view of what it takes to be effective in any form of management, will provide invaluable understanding to coaches, whether their clients are small business owners, managers and supervisors in large corporations or not-for-profit organizations, or those wanting to move into management." -- Ben Dean, Founder and CEO, Mentor Coach

Effective management is as much an art as a science. Without it, organizations flounder and fail; with it, people excel and organizations succeed. That's simple in concept, yet difficult to achieve, despite the plethora of writings on the topic and the best practices that have accumulated through decades of example. As the authors demonstrate, the key to success is the integration of strategic concepts and front-line applications-which have, to date, been treated separately in both theory and practice. Employing the Strategic Management Model, developed by Huffmire, and applied as both an analytical tool and a practical framework for improving performance, the authors provide a comprehensive approach to management and supervision that will contribute to individual, team, and organization-wide success.

Illustrating their principles through numerous real-life experiences, from organizations as diverse as Ford Motor Company, Johnsonville Foods, and Emerson Electric, the authors eschew fads and superficial palliatives in favor of basic skills and qualities. Focusing on such skills as delegation, prioritization, motivation, and decision making, Huffmire and Holmes show managers how to deliver results through their employees. The net effect is the development of people and organizations that are able to adapt to a constantly changing environment, set and achieve goals, conduct effective performance appraisals, retain the best people and develop successors, reduce costs, and increase profits. Featuring diagnostic tools, checklists, and an appendix with in-depth case studies, the Handbook of Effective Management is an essential resource for managers and supervisors in all types of organizations, as well as for professors and students of management and human resource and training professionals.