Both experienced managers and recently hired employees in the '90s face a new and often harsh reality. The old nose-to-the-grindstone system of doing the job and waiting your turn won't work anymore.Downsizing, mergers, or cost-cutting moves can lead to layoffs almost overnight.On the other hand, there are also new opportunities. Fewer employees in a company means those with talent will be recognized sooner. Promotion may not require putting in the "right" amount of time.Hit the Ground Running reveals how to take maximum advantage of today's new corporate environment as quickly and effectively as possible.This guide helps you master the most important skills a successful manager must possess - and shows how to make every assignment, no matter how insignificant it may seem, a building block for career advancement. For example, Hit the Ground Running details all you need to know about business finance, credit, sales and marketing, inventory management, distribution, R&D, computers, and other key topics; simple but effective methods to dig out and interpret crucial facts and make sound business decisions from imperfect information; 12 secrets of doing more in less time, and tested ways to handle more responsibility with fewer people; a 9-point action plan to help you get noticed by senior management, and the secret of guaranteeing yourself a good performance review; a clever way to change your job description if it isn't 'taking you where you want to go'; how to get a handle on your boss's hidden agenda, write "protect your butt" memos, and what never to put in writing; sure-fire strategies to motivate staff members, relieve pressure situations, and cope with mistakes; 12 shrewd techniques to cut across lines of authority to get what you want; and how to pick projects that will enhance your career and make sure they're completed on time and within budget.Hit the Ground Running offers practical solutions to new dilemmas every manager is likely to encounter. It provides a shortcut to gaining the experience and skills all managers need to survive and prosper in the 1990s. Read Less