Reviews of Managing People

“An absolute must read for new people into management and a great refresher for others! Logical, insightful and easy to read with plenty of great tips.”

James Howell, former Group HR Director at Next plc

"If only I had this book when I first started as a manager! It really should be compulsory reading for any new manager, and also as a tool for older managers to refresh and refine."

Dave Hine, Director, Glory League

“Managing People covers an incredible amount of ground in a concise and accessible format. By the time I finished this book I had compiled a lengthy list of things I am going to do differently and better. Whether you are a new or an experienced manager, lead one person or a large team, Managing People will help you get the most out of your team - and your team to get the most out of you.”

David Cabreza, Chief Commercial Officer, Xanderpay

"Management is a skill that few of us ever train for, but which many of us are required to learn on the job. Managing People is a clear, concise, and instructive manual for anyone tasked with drawing the best from their team. There is much to learn here for both new and seasoned managers alike."

James Garner, Chief Executive, Kazia Therapeutics

"Very useful reading. This book is not just another book on people management. It's very well organised and structured with very practical insights and food for thought. I recommend."

Fred Joseph, Managing Director, We Do Good

"Essential reading for any manager. Its practical approach gives this management book a real difference."

Dana Hunter, KPMG Boxwood

"This is a straight to the point, easy read for any manager wondering why people leadership isn’t the instinctive experience they assumed it would be. Managing People focuses on five simple rules based on research and Birkenhead’s personal experience. Refreshingly straight forward, it could form part of an induction process for new leaders and would be a valuable pre-read for those about to embark on leadership training programmes."

Vaughan Biggs, Head of Human Resources, major New Zealand bank

"This book is packed with useful advice about managing people better – what to avoid and what to do as a manager, in a practical, straightforward way."

Caterina Kostoula, Founder, The Leaderpath

"This is a real gem of a book for both the new/aspiring manager and more seasoned people managers. Simon’s 5 pillars of a good people manager are easy to remember and contain a lot of practical examples that can be used immediately with a team. Having managed teams in a large corporate for the last 7 years across different countries and cultures, I found the tools and advice he lays out are relevant in any setting. The prose is to the point and makes for easy reading. A must read for managers!"

Ben Clarke, Bloomberg

"This book is packed with useful tips to help leaders engage and motivate their teams. It is comprehensively backed with research and examples from the author's own successful experience. There is something for everyone - for new managers just finding their feet and more experienced leaders looking to up their game. And what makes the book really effective is a clear structure that makes it very readable."

Bill Cruise, Chairman, Medilink UK

"This book is really well written. It has a clarity of thought and simplicity of expression to give every reader the opportunity to be successful. This book definitely ranks as one of the Top 3 Management books I have read."

Rob Stone

“If you're looking for an incredible resource on managing people and building better teams, then the book “Managing People” is for you! This book has everything you need as a leader and is framed around five things: Motivation, Expectation, Development, Culture, and Communication. Highly recommend it, an easy read, with incredible takeaways!”

Matt Stenton, Programme Director, Go With Tourism

"Managing People is not your usual 400 page business book full of anecdotes and repetition. It is a brief, practical, highly accessible guide that should help all new managers avoid the most common mistakes and help more established managers improve their performance. With clear introductions and takeaways for each chapter, it is easy to read, navigate and dip back into. If you find yourself with a new manager, you might want to give them this book as a self-interested gift!"

Dan Cobley, Managing Director, Blenheim Chalcot

"This concise yet poignant book is made all the more credible because the author has been on the journey from doer to manager and leader. He combines his own words and experience with some tried and tested techniques to produce an excellent navigational guide for the new leader and a great refresher for those with more mileage. Easy to read, right to the point and practical in application. Highly recommended.

Justin Tomlinson, Host of The Apprentice New Zealand

"What an amazing book. I've gone through quite a few management books, but honestly, this one tops almost all of them. Filled with practical advice, I can't recommend this book enough to any new manager, or an experienced one to do a bit of refresh."

Arman Hilmioglu, Principal Software Engineer, Microsoft