Failure to delegate or failure to delegate effectively is costly - to you, your colleagues and, ultimately, your employer. There are both morale and productivity issues. It's enough to make you cry unless, that is, you adopt the 'onion' approach which lies at the heart of the delegation process as described by Jon Warner in The Delegation Pocketbook. Think of your workload in layers, like those of an onion: tasks at the core need to be retained and more personal control exercised; those in the outer layers can be delegated, the more so the further from the core. To delegate effectively you need to understand your own attitude to delegation (a questionnaire in the pocketbook will help you here), what you can delegate and why you should do so (beware the wrong reasons!), who to delegate to, how to prepare properly and what briefing style to adopt - controlling, tentative, participative or collaborative. Warner recommends aiming for the latter style, collaborative, which is achievable using the principles outlined in his book. There is advice too on setting goals/milestones, using controls to minimise risk, how to monitor the process, warning signs to look out for and how to react, and maintaining responsibility and accountability. Recognising the contribution made by others and learning from the experience are also covered. How well do you delegate and what style do you adopt: controlling, tentative, participative or collaborative? This pocketbook looks at the what, when and how of delegation - an insightful and practical overview.

Author Ian Fleming directs the 'Developing People Pocketbook' at full time trainers and managers with staff training as part of their jobs. He deals with training needs identification, the pros and cons of different training methods, learning styles and learning blocks, finding and briefing external trainers, assessing the outcome and applying the learning. Reviewing an earlier edition of this title, Training Education Employment Journal wrote: 'A worthy overview of training needs identification, design, delivery and evaluation. Read this and you could save many hours ploughing through far less accessible tomes on the subject'.

Teaching is a challenging and rewarding profession. If there's a downside, it's the workload: not properly managed it can lead to stress and related problems. If you feel you could be using time better - working less and enjoying life more - then this book offers some useful tips, tools and strategies for work-life balancing. Sections on stress, attitudes and habits, time management and looking after yourself lead to a helpful workload evaluation tool at the end of the book. Drawing on the experiences of real teachers in real schools, you sense that Will Thomas understands the pressures and challenges peculiar to the job and his common sense approach is welcome.

"We cannot manage time. All we can do is learn how to use the time that we have, as well as we can", says Dr Mike Clayton, author of the all-new Time Management Pocketbook. Illustrated throughout, the book begins by explaining how to plan your time, how to balance the advantages of feeling in control against the necessity of remaining flexible, and how to adapt to changes. It then deals with ways of working that will make you more productive and looks at strategies for tackling one of the biggest problems you face: the challenge of 'too much'. A summary of the eight most popular time management systems in use comprises the penultimate section of the book. The author does admit, though: "I'm no fan of systems. Instead, I prefer broad principles, and a well-stocked box of tools to apply to different situations. To me, a system is a principle applied rigidly. And at some point, it won't apply. That's why I filled this Pocketbook with ideas to try; not just a single system." The book concludes by looking at how organisations can treat time as a strategic asset, systematically making better use of it for the greatest possible return

Performance Management is about getting results, getting the best from people and helping them to achieve their potential. Employee engagement has an important role to play in this, it is about the emotional commitment to the organisation and its goals. In this second edition of the Performance Management Pocketbook, readers will find plenty of tips and techniques to enhance their performance in the following areas: leading others to achieve results; understanding the impact of their own style; engaging and motivating others; creating high performance teams; setting clear objectives; managing performance difficulties and coaching and delegating effectively. The book contains illustrative case studies and each chapter has a helpful review and actions section. The author Pam Jones is a member of the Ashridge Business School open programme management team. Her responsibilities cover a suite of programmes encompassing performance management, influencing and general management skills. "In an ever-demanding and competitive world, OK and average simply aren't enough - performance matters. If you want to get the best out of your people, then this book is packed with advice and ideas on how to do that." Lydia Hatley, Leadership Change Manager, Argos "Very useful - a practical and comprehensive guide for all leaders who truly value their team." Claire Dobbs, Managing Director, Havas Life London.

Describes ways to manage difficult people and their problems. Problem areas include: the poor performer, difficult individual, reluctant team player, persistent late-comer, slow learner, isolated individual and unsupportive boss.

This third edition of the Head of Department's Pocketbook will support middle leaders in both primary and secondary schools in carrying out their jobs confidently and efficiently. Authors Brin Best and Will Thomas know from experience that managing diverse teams in a climate of inflated performance expectations is no easy task. They devote a section of the Pocketbook to leadership and management, encompassing vision, goals and creativity, as well as challenging adult behaviours, up-skilling, influencing and motivating colleagues. A later chapter called 'Raising Student Achievement' looks at excellence in the classroom and includes material on enriching and supporting learning, data use and lesson planning. Effective documentation and raising the profile of your department or curriculum area are also explored. Whether you're new to middle leadership or a seasoned hand, you'll find the self-evaluation checklist at the end of the book a useful professional development tool.