In recent decades, some of the world’s best and brightest have devoted countless hours to understanding management-what works, and what doesn’t. There are more than 1500 credible schools offering master’s degrees in business administration around the world, at least a hundred magazines and newspapers devoted to the subject, and more than three thousand new books on the topic each year. What’s been missing is a simple and convenient way to disseminate the best ideas and practices to managers everywhere, at all levels and in all kinds of industries and organizations-a group of people who, by definition, lead very busy lives.

The Wall Street Journal Essential Guide to Management is an effort to remedy that problem by drawing the best from the existing body of knowledge and research, and to summarize it in one place, in a simple, clear, and useful way. If you are a new manager, or even an experienced manager, you’ll want to read this book from beginning to end. Others may choose to use it as a resource or reference. It is organized by topics, each introduced by simple questions frequently asked by managers, and offers suggestions for further reading on each topic. While not encyclopedic in its approach, the book focuses on classic and contemporary works that have resonated with the broadest audiences and that have been recommended by members of the Wall Street Journal CEO Council-a group of chief executives of large and successful global companies, who have learned a good deal about leadership and management on their way to the top.