Wait, I'm the Boss?!? by Peter Economy Summary
Overview of Wait, I'm the Boss?!?
Suddenly promoted? "Wait, I'm the Boss?!?" is Wall Street Journal bestseller Peter Economy's essential survival guide for new managers. Drawing wisdom from collaborations with Jim Collins and Guy Kawasaki, this practical playbook transforms management anxiety into leadership confidence from day one.
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Key takeaways
When You Suddenly Become the Boss
Congratulations-you've just been promoted to manager. Now what? Most professionals find themselves in this exact position with zero preparation, suddenly responsible for an entire team's performance without any formal training. Research reveals that the average manager waits a full decade before receiving their first leadership training-an astonishing gap that explains countless workplace frustrations. This transition from star individual contributor to effective leader represents one of the most challenging career shifts you'll face, yet organizations treat it like flipping a switch. The good news? Management isn't a mysterious art reserved for a chosen few. It's a learnable skill set built on four foundational practices that transform how you work with people. The era of command-and-control leadership is over. Today's most effective managers don't dominate-they empower, energize, communicate, and support. Understanding these pillars means recognizing that your success no longer comes from your individual output but from your ability to multiply the talents of others. Your team is watching you right now, wondering what kind of leader you'll become. Will you be the micromanager who drains energy from every room? The absent figure who provides neither direction nor support? Or will you be the leader who multiplies talents, celebrates successes, learns from failures, and creates an environment where people do their best work?
Building Your Management Foundation Through Four Essential Practices
Goals That Actually Drive Performance and Deliver Results
Learning Organizations in a VUCA World
Teams That Actually Work Together and Delegation That Multiplies Impact
Vision, Mission, and the Power of Transparent Communication
The Surprising Truth About What Really Motivates People
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From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
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"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
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"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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