Having a management position can be one of the most difficult jobs of all. Luckily, books such as Dr. Peeling's Principles of Management: Practical Advice for the Front-Line Manager are available to help ease the gap. Though the book appears to be aimed at managers in bigger companies there are still many tips relevant to both management employees and entrepreneurs.

Divided into several sections, Dr. Peeling attempts to cover all of the challenges that managers have to face, from dealing with staff members, to leadership and creating a team culture. There are also sections devoted to managing people as individuals and dealing with specific types of people such as lawyers, or IT staff. The author draws from his own background as an IT manager and many of the examples show this.

Dr. Peeling does indeed offer many useful and practical tips for managers. While the main tips are highlighted in italics is this not a book intended for skimming, but instead should be read from cover to cover. Along the way you will find advice on a wide variety of topics. On talking to staff members you will see things like “You will learn more relevant information if you ask questions that cannot be answered by a simple yes or no”. Or perhaps you need help dealing with cleanliness issues. Dr. Peeling addresses this as well: “Having to ask a staff member to wash more frequently is definitely one of the more unpleasant tasks that you as a manager may have to face, but you do have to face it.”

Dr. Peeling's Principles of Management: Practical Advice for the Front-Line Manager is probably a good buy if you or your staff members are embarking on those crucial first days as a manager.