Be a Better Manager in Five Minutes a Day

Create Trust in Your Team

Non-Fiction - Business/Finance
153 Pages
Reviewed on 05/06/2023
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Author Biography

The key question I set out to answer is "How can we inspire our team to achieve outstanding success?"
The answers are relatively easy, but to make them happen is not! It is challenging, because to build a great environment for our team, we first have to build up the trust our people have in us as managers. We have to be prepared to be a bit more vulnerable, to be more curious about ourselves and others. We must work on our character. For lasting, effective impact ‘quick fixes’, jargon and management techniques are not enough. Outstanding performance needs genuine trust, and we build this on the foundation of our own character. So, it is up to us.

With 20 years’ experience in Leadership and People Management, Dr Dominic McLoughlin began his career in the high conflict area of Industrial Relations. Moving into People Management to help prevent issues from arising, Dominic has helped clients in many different industries, including IT, finance, retail and education.
Dominic undertook his PhD at UNSW, researching the importance of integrity and character in management behaviour for building trust within organisations.
Dominic also has 20 years’ experience teaching and facilitating a diverse range of university courses on people management.

In addition to his PhD, Dominic has a Bachelor of Commerce, a Master of Business from the University of Technology Sydney, and a number of publications. Synthesising all the study and experience has resulted in this book.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Courtnee Turner Hoyle for Readers' Favorite

Be a Better Manager in Five Minutes a Day: Create Trust in Your Team is an inspirational book by Dominic McLoughlin. Through hypothetical situations and real-life experiences, McLoughlin shows that leaders who are open to change, demonstrate desirable behavior, and focus on people will create a more cohesive team. He understands the need for application, so through exercises he asks questions leading the reader down a path that will help them discover the best way to employ his method. Clear graphics help more visual individuals with certain topics, as the author discusses information they may know but need to utilize daily.

Dominic McLoughlin encourages his readers to practice and reflect for five minutes a day in a conversational tone. Managers who wish to lead by example while becoming more approachable and inspirational will find it hard to put the book down. Readers can review the text page by page or dip into a section for help in their specific areas of difficulty. McLoughlin understands that there are many ways to manage people, but he outlines the best strategies for making an interconnected team. The author provides a generous gift with his book. He offers a free starter kit with tutorial videos, downloadable workbooks, and videos to help individuals who want to begin their journey right away. Readers can feel comfortable applying his suggestions as they are based on his experiences and observations. Be a Better Manager in Five Minutes a Day is a good choice for readers who want to learn practical management skills that they can apply to their management style.

Edith Wairimu

In his insightful management guide, Be a Better Manager in Five Minutes a Day: Create Trust in Your Team, Dominic McLoughlin draws from his vast experience to explain how managers can support their teams and achieve remarkable results. The work asserts that creating a conducive, successful working environment begins by building trust between team members and their managers. In addition, managers have to work on their character for employees to be able to trust them. The book examines the principles that define a good manager and how these manifest in real-life scenarios. The principles are later explained in light of decision-making and delegation. Ultimately, a good manager is depicted as one who leads by example, seeks to improve, and overcomes challenges.

While many books examine the topic, Dominic McLoughlin’s guide stands out as it is based on research and actual surveys that show the key elements of good management. The work does not propose quick fixes but instead offers actionable advice that managers can utilize to improve with time. I loved that at the end of each chapter, the work offers five-minute-long exercises for reflection that can be completed daily. The exercises are not overwhelming and can be undertaken even during busy days. The content is straightforward and can be used by both experienced managers and those just starting. Complementary material in the form of a free starter kit is also included. Be a Better Manager in Five Minutes a Day is a helpful management guide with practical advice and appropriate exercises for managers seeking to improve and succeed in their roles. Readers will love its action-oriented and accessible discussions.

Philip Van Heusen

Perhaps you have just landed your first management job. You may be hoping to earn your spot on a management team. If you plan to become a manager, this book is for you. Dominic McLoughlin has written a fantastic guide to becoming the best manager in Be a Better Manager in Five Minutes a Day: Create Trust in Your Team. If you take five minutes daily to work on your managerial skills, you will be amazed at the results. McLoughlin goes over the major characteristics found in every great manager. Trust, honesty, and consistency are what it takes to build a loyal and effective team. It turns out that the small things do matter. As a manager, you must care about the employees under you. The worst managers care only about themselves. The best managers want to see their employees and projects succeed. Practice the skills taught in this book, and you will become a great manager and an inspiring leader.

You are good at what you do, and your company will reward your work. They have tapped you to become a manager. That is great, but are you ready to be a great manager? Many people need to learn how to manage to move into management. Dominic McLoughlin wrote Be a Better Manager in Five Minutes a Day to close the gap between ordinary and great managers. Suppose you carve five minutes a day out of your busy schedule to become better at managing. In that case, you will be amazed at your team’s increase in effectiveness and loyalty. This book is directed at management and not a specific industry. No matter what industry your career is in, it can help you become a better leader. Follow the steps included, and you are on your way. McLoughlin doesn’t just tell you what is needed; he takes the time to include examples of good and poor management. Be a good manager, and your promotions will continue to flow in.

Pikasho Deka

Are you someone who is just dipping your toes into the ultra-competitive world of management? Do you want to become a role model who inspires others to achieve extraordinary success? If yes, Dominic McLoughlin's one-stop guide, Be a Better Manager in Five Minutes a Day, is just what you're looking for. In this guide, McLoughlin introduces us to the key fundamentals of management and outstanding success. Then, with in-depth examples and thorough breakdowns, he discusses how aspiring managers can nurture trust in their teams and build healthy relationship dynamics to make them perform optimally. Each chapter focuses on a different aspect of management, including learning from mistakes, motivating the team, nurturing honesty and consistency, encouraging communication, the importance of delegation, decision-making with the team, and much more.

Be a Better Manager in Five Minutes a Day is one of the most accessible and practical books about leadership and management I've ever read. Dominic McLoughlin offers us methods and strategies to develop the mindset to lead and motivate others, showcasing the contrasting ways the best and worst managers differ in mindsets and act in relation to their communication, honesty, and consistency. According to McLoughlin, the small things matter the most. The author also emphasizes that outstanding performance requires trust and good character. As a result, everything discussed in the pages feels applicable. And this is precisely why I think you will find this book informative and illuminating. If you're in a management or leadership position, I highly recommend it.

Emma Megan

Be a Better Manager in Five Minutes a Day is a valuable guide. At the beginning of his career, Dominic McLoughlin was a problematic employee. He used to refuse to engage socially with the team and often disrupted the work environment. But his behavior was managed differently by his supervisor and manager. Thus, as a former difficult employee, McLoughlin shows managers how to respond to the various team members and their behaviors, even difficult ones. He helps managers instill happiness and productivity in their teams by teaching the crucial elements of being a good manager. It intends to show managers which behaviors can inspire their teams to trust them and how they can inspire their people to achieve outstanding success.

An employee can encounter good and bad managers, yet it depends on the manager to build a safe and happy workplace. Unfortunately, not all managers know how to manage. Thus, Dominic McLoughlin's guide is a must-read for every manager who wants to learn what separates a good manager from a bad one, what builds trust and business performance, and the ways that the best managers communicate. Be a Better Manager in Five Minutes a Day is an uplifting, inspiring read. It offers simple yet effective practical management ideas that are easy to digest and implement such as how to involve the team in decision-making, the importance of delegating work, and the mindset, motivation, and behavior of the best and worst managers. McLoughlin challenges managers everywhere to fulfill their purpose to be the best manager possible.