The Work Smarter Guide for New Managers: Achieve Management Mastery(Work Smarter Series)

About the Book

'In a world full of leadership advice, this book gives new managers what they actually need: practical tools, clarity of vision and the courage to lead their own way.' - David Ponzo, Louis Vuitton Chief Commercial Officer

'This book is the perfect starting point for new managers... A thoughtful, motivating guide that helps you move from 'I don't know what I don't know' to a place of curiosity, clarity and growth. Highly recommended.' - Max Braverman, Managing Director at Google Middle East and Northern Africa

'While reading this book, I couldn't help but wish I had come across it 20 years ago... This book not only helps avoid the common pitfalls of early leadership, but also inspires a more conscious, thoughtful path into management. It's a truly timely and much-needed guide.' - Evgeniya Brodskaya, Director of Ecosystem at Google

So, you've got the title - now what?

Becoming a manager doesn't come with a user manual -most people are left improvising their way through

the role without any real training or support. Whether you're leading a team for the first time or still feel like an imposter in a job you've held for a while, this book is your practical, compassionate companion.

Author, leadership coach and former Google director Maria Duthoit breaks the journey into five clear missions that cut through the noise. You'll learn how to shift from expert to people leader, tackle difficult conversations with confidence, coach and grow your team, hire and fire wisely and navigate the bigger picture - from managing upwards to office politics. Most of all, you'll be encouraged to find your own style, instead of copying others or trying to 'get it right'.

This isn't another list of best practices. It's a thoughtful, funny and deeply human guide to making sense of leadership on your own terms - and actually enjoying the journey.

'This book is a brilliant guide for your first steps into management - honest, practical, and written with warmth and a light touch... Grounded in real human dynamics and refreshingly free of generic leadership advice, it offers the clarity, tools, and support I wish every new manager had.' - Anastasia Mikhalina, Global Talent Acquisition Director at L'Oreal

'A practical playbook for new leaders. From 'setting OKRs' to 'addressing limiting beliefs', powerful frameworks that I personally discovered first hand at Google and Meta over the years are re-introduced. And rightly so! Highly recommended.' - Clement Schvartz, Country Managing Director Europe, Board Member at Pinterest

The 'Work Smarter' series provides shortcuts, tips and life-hacks for the development of essential business skills. The books bring together accomplished industry ex

About the Author :
Maria Morozova-Duthoit has spent over two decades leading teams in sales and customer service at Google and world-wide advertising networks such as BBDO, Leo Burnett and McCann Erickson. Maria has extensive managerial experience: first becoming a manager at 23 years old, she has led teams of multiple levels of hierarchy, international teams, cross-functional teams, freelancers teams and others. Maria is a certified coach, and holds an Executive MBA degree from HEC Paris.

Review :
'In a world full of leadership advice, this book gives new managers what they actually need: practical tools, clarity of vision and the courage to lead their own way.' - David Ponzo, Louis Vuitton Chief Commercial Officer 'This book is the perfect starting point for new managers. It gives you a clear view of the landscape - and helps you focus on what matters most. With warmth and encouragement, it helps you become aware of your new role, understand yourself better, and shine a light on the questions and challenges you hadn't yet seen. A thoughtful, motivating guide that helps you move from 'I don't know what I don't know' to a place of curiosity, clarity and growth. Highly recommended.' - Max Braverman, Managing Director at Google Middle East and Northern Africa 'This book is a brilliant guide for your first steps into management - honest, practical, and written with warmth and a light touch. Most of us learn to lead others the hard way. This book helps turn that first experience into a strong foundation to build on - not a painful lesson to recover from. What makes this book especially relatable is how the author weaves in her own early experiences with gentle humour - offering real-life examples that stay with you. Grounded in real human dynamics and refreshingly free of generic leadership advice, it offers the clarity, tools, and support I wish every new manager had.' - Anastasia Mikhalina, Global Talent Acquisition Director at L'Oreal 'A practical playbook for new leaders. From 'setting OKRs' to 'addressing limiting beliefs', powerful frameworks that I personally discovered first hand at Google and Meta over the years are re-introduced. And rightly so! Highly recommended.' - Clement Schvartz, Country Managing Director Europe, Board Member at Pinterest '"The brain is like a muscle" as Maria Duthoit accurately says, and her book is the perfect training programme for it. Read it and become the manager you'll enjoy being and win!' - Benoit Cacheux, Global Chief Digital Officer at Zenith, Publicis Group 'While reading this book, I couldn't help but wish I had come across it 20 years ago - when I first became a manager. The book captures the key challenge of transitioning from expert to leader with clarity and depth. What makes it especially valuable is its holistic approach: it addresses not only the mindset shift - which I believe is the most critical part - but also offers a wealth of practical, down-to-earth tools for managing both yourself and your team through this transition. This book not only helps avoid the common pitfalls of early leadership, but also inspires a more conscious, thoughtful path into management. It's a truly timely and much-needed guide.' - Evgeniya Brodskaya, Director of Ecosystem at Google 'If you start your managerial journey, this book is a must for you! You will find in it priceless advice, practical exercises, concrete examples, but also common mistakes, and traps that may hold you back. It's well written, very easy to read, and superbly helpful. Thank you, Maria Duthoit, for sharing your experience and your thoughts with generosity and grace.' - Marc Beretta, Academic Director of Executives Programs and Affiliate Professor at HEC Paris. Certified Master Coach (MCC) by the International Coaching Federation (ICF).