About the Book

To do a job well, you need the right tools for the job, as any skilled tradesperson will tell you.

Project managers, however, do not have a standard set of tools. In fact, sometimes they have to make their own.

In Working Up to Project Management, Dwayne Phillips describes the tools and techniques he first encountered as a laborer at an asphalt plant, working summers during college. These lessons guided him as he went on to a successful career as a systems developer, IT manager, consultant, and author.

From a unique synthesis of two work environments -- an asphalt plant and a white-collar office building -- Phillips helps managers develop tools from their environments and construct a management approach that works.

Topics include:

• matching tools to environments
• learning through experience
• working with and through people
• chanceÑand riskÑat work
• and much more
  

Insights From the Book

"In this book, I attempt to pass along lessons I learned from working at an asphalt plant. If you remember little else from of this book, please remember the following chief lessons:

1. I can learn something anywhere.
2. I can learn something from anyone.

"I hope these remain true for me, for the remainder of my life, and I hope you can apply them as well."

—from the Introduction