The new way of work and management
Leading a team has never been more difficult — or easy. With Free Range Management, you can create an environment where people are truly happy and free to do their best work. Whether you are a first time manager or want to improve the culture of an existing team, look no further.
In this concise manual, Steve Tauber and Andreas Creten have detailed the processes, structure, and approach needed to lead and manage knowledge workers. Inside, you’ll find concrete advice needed to revolutionize your organization from the inside.
Each chapter is laid out smartly with detailed advice, key takeaways, and the recommended first, pragmatic steps in your journey. Welcome to the new way of work and management.
Free Range Management
Free Range Management can be summed up in two words: create space. The trick is doing that in a way where employees and managers are happy.
What follows is a practical guide to managing knowledge workers, structuring teams, and shaping the work so that an organization can find success.
Although the vast majority of our experience is in software, computing, and IT, knowledge work exists across many disciplines and roles. If you are paid to think, you are a knowledge worker.
This includes not only doctors, politicians, and engineers but also jobs traditionally viewed as low skilled, roles where one must experiment and apply deeper knowledge to get a good result.
Freedom
Throughout the years, we developed a management style that is rooted in freedom, mainly because we wanted each team member to be able to manage themselves.
Giving space
We strive for an environment where each individual can be the best version of themselves while slowly steering them in the right direction. By giving them the space, we allow their creativity and sense of responsibility to flourish.
Frameworks & tools
This book documents what we’ve learned along the way. It’s composed of several chapters, each focused on frameworks and tools needed to create space.
Table of contents
Get a look at all of the content covered in the book. Everything you need to know is inside.
Free Range Management is comprised of 112 tightly edited, highly visual pages designed to teach you everything you need to know about leading a team of knowledge workers — with no unnecessary filler.
Introduction
Assess outcomes
Become a free range manager...
... and make the teams you work with thrive!
Welcome to the new way of work and management
Each chapter is laid out smartly with detailed guides, key takeaways, and the recommended first, pragmatic steps in your journey.
What’s included
112 pages
9 chapters
Handy to-do lists
Concrete examples
Pay once, own it forever
(+ shipping)
Some kind words from other readers
In this concise manual, Steve Tauber and Andreas Creten have detailed the processes, structure, and approach needed to lead and manage knowledge workers. Here’s what other readers think about the book.
Before I read the first page I thought it was courageous, maybe even stupid, to attempt to provide answers to all the challenges new managers encounter. I struggled with this expectation during the first part of the book but then started understanding exactly what Steve and Andreas set out to achieve: to help managers on their way, giving just enough pointers to get them going without going in-depth, risking to provide advice that just won’t work in the specific scenario you’re in.
Marijn VandevoordeVP Engineering - UrbantzFar too many businesses spend a lot of money to get highly skilled knowledge workers and then don’t give them the space to do their best work. This hurts workers’ job happiness, but also—ironically—the businesses’ bottom lines. Steve and Andreas get this and have laid out a very clear recipe that I wish more business owners and managers would use.
Radan SkorićCEO & Software development consultantThis book contains many of the best practices I’ve been applying to build high performance teams over the years. It’s great and a fast read too.
Anna SandgrenVenture Builder @ Zinc VCBefore I read the first page I thought it was courageous, maybe even stupid, to attempt to provide answers to all the challenges new managers encounter. I struggled with this expectation during the first part of the book but then started understanding exactly what Steve and Andreas set out to achieve: to help managers on their way, giving just enough pointers to get them going without going in-depth, risking to provide advice that just won’t work in the specific scenario you’re in.
Marijn VandevoordeVP Engineering - UrbantzAs a knowledge worker myself, the combination of theoretical know-how and practical actions provided by Steve and Andreas have given me plenty of insight in how I can apply this within the organization I am a part of.
Tobie DevriesTech Lead & Backend developer
Far too many businesses spend a lot of money to get highly skilled knowledge workers and then don’t give them the space to do their best work. This hurts workers’ job happiness, but also—ironically—the businesses’ bottom lines. Steve and Andreas get this and have laid out a very clear recipe that I wish more business owners and managers would use.
Radan SkorićCEO & Software development consultantI love the quick, practical read that is Free Range Management. It’s hard to argue with the premise of autonomy and accountability and how to encourage that. I also love the illustrations by Tinne Cornelissen, which more books like this should have.
Andrew PetersonManager of Technology QA & Tech Communications @ Costco Travel
This book contains many of the best practices I’ve been applying to build high performance teams over the years. It’s great and a fast read too.
Anna SandgrenVenture Builder @ Zinc VCManaging knowledge workers in a remote context is a true challenge in these high-paced and changing times, this book gave me helpful insights and practical get-to-go tools to grow as a company.
Charlotte de RoeyHead of HR - Tinkerlist
Authors
Andreas Creten Founder of madewithlove
Andreas Creten is CEO and founder of madewithlove, a remote-first company from Belgium building digital products since 2008 with love, a lot of it. He focuses on helping product companies set up for success by pivoting the organization: to be user-centered, to help employees flourish, and to leverage technology in the best way to optimize for usability, quality, and speed. In his free time, you can find Andreas woodworking or spending time with his wife and three children.
Steve Tauber CTO in residence
As a firefighting CTO and lead due diligence auditor, Steve Tauber knows what makes startups succeed or fail. He joins companies to help them through troubling times as they reshape and prepare for the future. In his free time, Steve enjoys reading and writing sci-fi, playing and designing tabletop board games, and spending time with his amazing wife and family. Originally from the US, he now lives in Croatia.