A practical, entertaining handbook for people who never expected to be bosses.

Plenty of managers never asked, expected, or trained to be put in charge of other people. But when it happens, these accidental bosses often find that learning to manage is like learning to swim by being dropped into the deep end of the pool.

Hank Gilman knows what that's like. As a top editor for Fortune, Newsweek, and the Boston Globe, he has helped nurture some outstanding talent. His success can be attributed largely to his management style, which allows him to treat his employees like, well, humans, while holding them accountable. But he was far from a natural when it was time to take charge.

Gilman shares the lessons he's learned-through trial and error-during his two decades as a manager in one of the craziest businesses on the planet. Writing in a warm but no-nonsense voice, he offers straight-up advice on the ins and outs of hiring, firing, motivating, and dealing with cranky superstars.

Gilman argues that your employees should always come first-and that managing down, as opposed to managing up, will ultimately lead to a successful career as a boss.