Managing people when you''re not their boss is a challenge, particularly in professional service firms where, increasingly, top professionals are being tapped to lead their peers. Now Patrick McKenna and David Maister provide a ''play book'' for professionals trying to be both a team member and coach.

In industies ranging from banking and insurance to law and engineering, as well as in research labs and software companies, management responsibility is increasingly delegated - ususally without guidance - to those who head up smaller teams of professionals. FIRST AMONG EQUALS speaks directly to those who have gone from focusing on their own performance to being a group manager in charge of leading others. From understanding the group leader role to setting terms of reference and effectively dealing with talented prima donnas, McKenna and Maister present a thorough introduction to managing and orchestrating talent.

Managing people when you''re not their boss is a challenge, particularly in professional service firms where, increasingly, top professionals are being tapped to lead their peers. Now Patrick McKenna and David Maister provide a ''play book'' for professionals trying to be both a team member and coach.

In industies ranging from banking and insurance to law and engineering, as well as in research labs and software companies, management responsibility is increasingly delegated - ususally without guidance - to those who head up smaller teams of professionals. FIRST AMONG EQUALS speaks directly to those who have gone from focusing on their own performance to being a group manager in charge of leading others. From understanding the group leader role to setting terms of reference and effectively dealing with talented prima donnas, McKenna and Maister present a thorough introduction to managing and orchestrating talent.

Managing people when you''re not their boss is a challenge, particularly in professional service firms where, increasingly, top professionals are being tapped to lead their peers. Now Patrick McKenna and David Maister provide a ''play book'' for professionals trying to be both a team member and coach.

In industies ranging from banking and insurance to law and engineering, as well as in research labs and software companies, management responsibility is increasingly delegated - ususally without guidance - to those who head up smaller teams of professionals. FIRST AMONG EQUALS speaks directly to those who have gone from focusing on their own performance to being a group manager in charge of leading others. From understanding the group leader role to setting terms of reference and effectively dealing with talented prima donnas, McKenna and Maister present a thorough introduction to managing and orchestrating talent.