Are today's managers more interested in managing their careers or managing their organizations? Are many of today's corporations in serious trouble because of chronic mismanagement? What makes successful-and unsuccessful-managers tick? Dr. John Collis, a lifelong observer of the business world, set out to find the answers to these provocative questions. And through extensive interviews and a nationwide comprehensive survey, he discovered the truth about corporate management in the United States. Collis tells us what he learned in The Seven Fatal Management Sins, a candid yet optimistic assessment of the performance of today's managers. By looking at the responses of presidents and CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, directors of various corporate boards, business news editors and managers themselves, he was able to identify the seven most common management mistakes and suggest bold new ways for others to avoid making these same mistakes in their own organizations. The Seven Fatal Management Sins is an ideal book for practicing managers, students and teachers of business administration, senior corporate executives and anyone interested in finding out exactly what kind of individuals manage U.S. companies. If you're one of the millions of readers out there who loved books such as The One-Minute Manager and In Search of Excellence, this will be a worthy addition to your bookshelf.

Table of Contents:
PART I-SETTING THE STAGE TO TACKLE THE ISSUE: MANAGERS AND MANAGING IN AMERICA Managing Climate in the United States Managerial Performance: An Overview The Past, The Present Turbulence In the Ranks Managerial Malpractice-Myth or Reality? Is There Evidence of Corporate Mismanagement? A Wake-Up Call or a Call for Action? PART II-HOW AMERICAN ORGANIZATIONS ARE BEING RUN: GRADING THE MANAGERS Assessing the Performance of Managers Performance of U.S. Managers: Is Today's Norm Mediocrity or Excellence? The Evaluators, The Survey, The Interviews The Verdict-The Analysis Standards for Managerial Competency-Can They Be Defined? The Perception of Others-The Survey PART III-MANAGERIAL PERFORMANCE: OBSTACLES TO EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP-CORPORATE CONFESSIONS The Fatal Managerial Sins: Deadly Misdeeds Corporate Chaos-Where Many Thrive and Many Die Sin #1: The Character Flaw: Erosion of Trust and Integrity Corporate Ethics: Fact or Fiction? The Personal Conscience and the Corporate Conscience-Can They Be Separated? Sin #2: Blind Ambition: Focus More on Managing Own Career Then Managing the Organization The Conflict: Subordination of Interests-Whose Interests? Managerial Arrogance-Greed and Glory Sin #3: "Short-Term Scare" Mentality: Managing for Survival-The Simplistic Fix Don't Rock the Boat" Syndrome Which Is It: Downsizing or Rightsizing? Sin #4: Indecisiveness: Unclear on When and Who Decides Who Says No Guts, No Glory? The Organizational Maze Sin #5: Blurred Focus: The Fuzzy Vision The "Corporate Eyes" Seeing Through the Clouds Sin #6: Employees Perceived as an Expense, Not an Investment What Is in a Name? Closer Look-The Expense vs. Investment Argument Sin #7: Managing Unchecked: Lack of Real Accountability Irresponsibility Due to Lack of Accountability To Whom Are Managers Accountable? PART IV-THE ROAD TO GREATNESS: A SUMMATION, NOT A CLOSING ARGUMENT A Wake-Up Call and a Call for Action: A Realistic, Not Idealistic, Approach to Managing The Road to "Greatness" The "Professional Manager:" Search for the "Ideal" Manager A Glimpse at One of America's "Ideal" Managers Index