Today's global business environment is filled with more competition than ever before. Now, managers must master more skills than ever. Being an expert in one's business discipline is not enough. Instead, one must step outside the standard patterns and "think beyond the norm" and conquer other skills that are not easily acquired and often not taught in any university. Additional expertise can only come through the lessons of experience, observation, mistakes and failures. Allow me to share the expertise I've gained while in the metalworking industry for the past 30 years. This journey has taken me through 12 positions--from stock boy to vice president of sales & marketing, allowing me to patent two products and co-author two business books. During this time I was able to interact worldwide with companies in Europe, Japan, India, Canada and Korea. I also got a real glimpse into the overall workings of manufacturing worldwide and especially in American companies. After graduating from college, I had no idea a summer job with a global manufacturing firm in the metalworking industry would stoke my passion for leadership and organizational dynamics. Even then, I believed that people are a company's greatest asset. Once you learn how to tap into their unique abilities, you can elevate them to accomplish things they never thought possible. Whether you are a CEO or a front-line supervisor, one essential skill you must develop is Leading People Beyond Expectations. The CEO or supervisor is not unlike a professional sports coach who, like the corporate manager, has the job of sorting out the skill level of his players and placing them where their strengths will be most effective. As a manager you must evaluate not only your people's strengths and weaknesses but also your own. This knowledge will be invaluable in putting your strategic plan into effect. Understanding the people dynamics is essential for implementing each of the next steps in building your team-the team that best supports your business and you as its manager.