ABSTRACT
Chapter 1 presents an overview of the book and lays out the value of self-directed learning, the importance of self-assessment, and the range of management competencies needed for success as a manager. The underlying construct in the book is similar in concept to “Give a man a fish, and he will eat for a day. Teach a man how to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.” In other words, the approach emphasizes that it is more beneficial to learn the nuances of self-directed learning along with some prescriptive learning activities that are easy to follow and implement than it is to list the competencies needed, describe them and suggest ways you can develop them. Give a manager the tools for self-directed learning, and you give them an unending mechanism to learn, improve, and grow.
