What They Teach You at Harvard Business School
Graduates of Harvard Business School run many of the world's biggest and most influential banks, companies and countries. But what kind of person does it take to succeed at HBS? And what do they learn there?Philip Delves Broughton's enlightening and hilarious memoir of his two years at Harvard takes us from first class to graduation, encompassing the case studies, the guest lectures, the Apprentice-style tasks, the booze-luge, the burn-outs and high flyers, as well as all the advice, wisdom and folly he found in this 'factory for unhappy people'.If you've always wanted to know how to get to the top, but wondered what it takes and exactly what it costs, this book will tell you.
Stats for nerds
2recommend
3mentions
3people
2009–2019years
67% recommend33% neutral
Mentions per year
What Hacker News says
- Fundamentally being a manager is been more about building relationships than code. It's a very different role than a software developer, which generally has a tangible output.
You will likely need to beef up communication skills. Get better at writing short but punchy emails, writing actionable meeting notes, know how to build PowerPoint decks that tell a good story, and can talk confidently in front of a crowd. Communication skills will help you further your agenda by getting others, especially non-technical folks, to align with you.
You need to focus more on your reputation in the company. This means being visible to other teams, taking as many opportunities as you can to meet new people in your organization, and ensuring that you get credited for the wins you bring about. (It also helps to just be more presentable, take this as an opportunity to class up your wardrobe. "Treat every day like it's a potential first date and you'll be fine," was the advice I got with my first manager position -- it was more criticism for wearing shorts and a soccer jersey like I had when I was a dev.)
You need to figure out who your key stakeholders are (it's not always as clear as just following your org chart), and understand the priorities of your company. Actively trying to understand other departments' KPIs will go a long way.
You need to figure out how to work with the people on your team. Determine who the high performers are, what they want, and how to keep them happy. Also have a game plan for correcting behavior you don't like.
If your company offers training in negotiation, even if you can grab some time with a successful sales person, try and take them up on that. Your ability to hire talent, give performance reviews, and haggling over scope with other teams will all benefit.
As a manager you'll likely have a bit more stress as you're acting as a shit shield for your team, and are ultimately on the hook for delivering a lot more. Finding ways to de-stress are key. Make sure you have a good gym routine, set up time to regularly speak with your shrink or career coach, and make sure you're taking the time to do whatever it is you need to do to stay healthy and energized.
This is far from a complete list, but here are 3 books that I think are good books I'd recommend for anyone moving into a leadership role.
* The First 90 Days: Proven Strategies for Getting Up to Speed Faster and Smarter, Updated and Expanded: Michael D. Watkins: 8601200550153: Amazon.com: Books || https://www.amazon.com/First-90-Days-Strategies-Expanded/dp/...
* What They Teach You at Harvard Business School: My Two Years Inside the Cauldron of Capitalism: By (author) Philip Delves Broughton: 9780141046488: Amazon.com: Books || https://www.amazon.com/What-Teach-Harvard-Business-School/dp...
* How to Win Friends & Influence People: Dale Carnegie: 8937485909400: Amazon.com: Books || https://www.amazon.com/How-Win-Friends-Influence-People/dp/0...
- "What they teach you at Harvard Business School"
A must if you are thinking of taking the plunge from development to doing an MBA
- Two good books I read recently:
1) Parallel Worlds: A Journey Through Creation, Higher Dimensions, and the Future of the Cosmos by Michio Kaku
2) The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand (I haven't read Atlas Shrugged yet. So cannot compare them.)
Yesterday I finished Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell and it is a very good book too.
Currently reading: What They Teach you at Harvard Business School: My Two Years Inside the Cauldron of Capitalism by Philip Delves Broughton
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