{"id":21920,"date":"2022-12-10T06:31:23","date_gmt":"2022-12-10T06:31:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/getlighthouse.com\/blog\/?p=21920"},"modified":"2024-07-09T17:27:17","modified_gmt":"2024-07-09T17:27:17","slug":"best-gifts-for-managers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/getlighthouse.com\/blog\/best-gifts-for-managers\/","title":{"rendered":"The 4 Best Gifts for Managers: Smart Ways to Show Your Appreciation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Holiday season is in full swing, which means it will soon be time to gather, celebrate, and give gifts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re struggling for gift ideas for a manager in your life, whether they\u2019re a higher-up, coworker, direct report, a friend or a loved one \u2013 our list of the best gifts for managers today is here to help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether you know them very well, or are just starting to build rapport with them, these ideas will set you on the path to give them something they'll appreciate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Best Gift Ideas for a Manager:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
    \n
  1. Buy them a book about leadership<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Gift them a subscription to a meditation\/mindfulness app<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Surprise them with a nice journal<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Find them a small personalized gift<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n
    \n
    \"Books<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

    1. Buy them one of these books about leadership<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Books are great gifts for a manager in your life that has a growth mindset. The right book can help them solve a tough problem, build a new skill, or get new ideas they can try with their team. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Yet, that only happens if you get them the *right* book. Giving them a book that isn\u2019t helpful, or is filled with hundreds of pages of fluff will only discourage them (and make them toss your next gift in the corner, never to be read).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    That\u2019s why it\u2019s important to pick the right book, which of course, we\u2019re here to help you pick. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Here are a few recommendations that carry the Lighthouse seal of approval.<\/p>\n\n\n

    \n
    \"Professional<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

    \"High Output Management<\/a>\" by Andy Grove<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Have a former peer recently promoted to manager, or a friend who is about to get a long-awaited promotion? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    For those new to management, it\u2019s important to quickly learn how to take responsibility not just for their own work, but also for the performance of everyone else on their team. That\u2019s why learning how to be a multiplier<\/a> is essential \u2013 and this is one of the key concepts Andy Grove discusses in this book. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In less than 200 pages, Grove covers a variety of essential management topics like: time management, delegation, handling the \u201cblack box of management\u201d, and how to have great 1 on 1s<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If you\u2019re a long-time reader of the Lighthouse blog, you\u2019ll notice we quote Andy Grove<\/a> regularly, and most of those quotes come from this book. That\u2019s why if they haven\u2019t read this book before, there\u2019s no better book for you to get them. It's one of the most useful gifts for new managers.<\/p>\n\n\n

    \n
    \"Get<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

    \u201cHow to Win Friends and Influence Pe<\/a>ople\u201d by Dale Carnegie<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    First published in 1936, Carnegie\u2019s guide to mastering soft skills has become one of the biggest best-sellers of all time. Even today, it remains an essential read on what makes people tick and the art of persuasion<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \u201cHow to Win Friends and Influence People\u201d<\/a> uses simple advice to teach essential soft skills for leaders and individual contributors alike. It gives advice on situations that a manager will find themselves in daily \u2014 motivating the people on your team, winning them over to get buy in, and giving feedback and praise.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Thanks to Carnegie\u2019s straightforward approach and actionable advice, stories and examples from almost a century ago are still relatable. I find it so valuable, I've re-read it once a year for the last decade, and always found things I can apply from it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    While it's great to read timeless classics, if you're worried about stories from the 30s and 40s not resonating, the book also recently got an update<\/a> that focuses on the digital age, applying Carnegie's evergreen advice to the fast-paced world of today.<\/p>\n\n\n

    \n
    \"How<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

    \u201cHow to Castrate a Bull\u201d<\/a> by Dave Hitz<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    It\u2019s a lot easier to be a good manager when times are good. When times are tough, leaders are put to the test. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    When budgets are tight, stress is high, and uncertainty is all around, you need to be at your best. Yet, the basics aren\u2019t always enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    That\u2019s why How to Castrate a Bull<\/a> is a critical read for today. Even leaders who have mastered the basics are now faced with their greatest challenge yet with COVID, global recessions, and economic uncertainty around us all. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The book's author, Dave Hitz, is the co-founder of NetApp, which is a publicly traded company today, but started all the way back in 1992. The book focuses on a pivotal time in the company\u2019s history, when they were trying to survive the 2008 downturn, where their stock was 1\/3rd of the IPO price.<\/p>\n\n\n

    \n
    \"netapp<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

    What Hitz advises is not easy, but it is effective. Having read this during the March 2020 initial lockdowns, I\u2019ve seen companies that took similar action thrive, while those that make the mistakes he warned about have paid the price. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Get this book for the manager in your life who must fearlessly lead through challenging times at their company. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Looking for more ideas for good books to give as gifts for managers? Check out more of our favorites here:<\/p>\n\n\n\n