Whether writing about leadership lessons from historic figures and other icons, or musing on organizational culture and management, Jerry Manas has a knack for combining history, science, and a variety of other topics to bring fresh and entertaining perspectives to what could otherwise be dry subjects.
With his unique perspectives on organizational project and resource management, Jerry is frequently cited by leading voices in the world of business, including legendary management guru Tom Peters (In Search of Excellence), who often references Jerry’s bestselling work, Napoleon on Project Management, for its insights on simplicity and character, and Pat Williams, Senior VP of the Orlando Magic basketball team, who called Jerry’s book, Managing the Gray Areas, “a new path for leaders.”
Jerry’s latest book is The Resource Management and Capacity Planning Handbook (McGraw-Hill), which Judith E. Glaser, noted author of Conversational Intelligence, touted as “the first book dedicated to what is essentially the drivetrain of organizations—the effective use of its people toward its most important activities.” He also co-authored the bestseller, 42 Rules for Creating WE with Glaser, which Angela Ahrendts, CEO of Burberry, called “today’s greatest guide for team success.”
Jerry’s work has been highlighted in a variety of publications, including Leadership Excellence, The National Post, The Globe and Mail, The Chicago Sun Times, The Huffington Post, and The Houston Chronicle. He has written numerous books and articles and appeared on TV and radio programs internationally, including in Iceland where he appeared on National TV applying the lessons from his books to the country’s economic recovery.
In addition to his writing, Jerry heads up the customer success and learning platform for New York City-based resource planning and portfolio management firm, PDWare, where he helps global clients maximize their organizational people resources. He is a popular speaker at events, touching on topics such as resource planning, organizational leadership, lessons from history, and more.
He was also a founding member of the Project Management Institute’s New Media Council, created to boost PMI’s presence and awareness with regard to new media, and served on the leadership team for the first editions of PMI’s international standards for portfolio and program management.
Recently, Jerry served as a US Registered Expert with ANSI/ISO on the topics of Workforce Allocation, Employee Engagement, and Knowledge Management, representing the United States in the international work groups creating the ISO Standards for those areas. As part of his role, he served as a voting member of the ISO Global Standards ANSI Technical Advisory Committee on HR Management, TC 260.
Jerry is a founding member of The Creating We Institute, an international thought leadership community dedicated to fostering WE-centric thinking in organizations through research in neuroscience and positive psychology, where he serves as a Senior Advisor on Strategy Execution. He is also a member of the Advisory Council for the University of Richmond Customer Experience Program.