Tony Rossiter's latest book...
Management Basics in Easy Steps
(2019 – revised edition)

MANAGEMENT BASICS IN EASY STEPS (2019 – revised edition)

"There is no shortage of management books...but there are not many books by those who, like Tony Rossiter, have spent their careers at the coalface - not researching or teaching, but dealing with the day-to-day issues and problems faced by any manager. Drawing on more than 40 years' hands-on experience of management in the UK and overseas, Tony provides tips covering the basic qualities and core competences which any manager, working at any level in any organisation, needs. They are presented clearly and simply, with a light touch, in plain, easy-to-read language." [From the Foreword by Martin Stanley, former Chief Executive of the Competition Commission, Postal Services Commission and Better Regulation Executive]
You can order the book as a print copy book or an downloadable eBook .pdf.


Tony Rossiter
writer | consultant | trainer

Whether I'm writing, working as a management consultant or running a training course, I like clarity, plain English and gentle humour.
So there's nothing complicated about this website: no bells or whistles, no hype - just essential facts about the stuff I've written and the work I've done.
It's one of my favourite acronyms - KISS (Keep It Short and Simple). That's often a pretty good principle, and it's one I've tried to put into practice on this website.

Tony Rossiter is a freelance writer who has written six non-fiction books and contributes the ‘Beat the Bestsellers’ column to Writing Magazine. A former diplomat and civil servant who has worked in Moscow and Karachi, he is an international consultant as well as a writing tutor.


From 1997-2004 Tony was a Principal International Consultant at the UK’s National School of Government. He was involved in public administration reform and change management projects in many parts of Central and Eastern Europe. He also designed and delivered training for UK public servants on communication skills, policy development and European Union issues and institutions.
From 1975-97 Tony worked at the Department of Trade and Industry, mainly on trade relations with Central and Eastern Europe; for six years (1991-97) he was the UK’s representative on one of the EU Council’s Working Groups in Brussels. From1966-75 Tony was a member of the Diplomatic Service, with postings to Moscow, Karachi and Buenos Aires.

Married with two children and two grandchildren, Tony’s main interests are writing, reading, cricket and country walking.

About Tony Rossiter

TONY ROSSITER is a former diplomat and civil servant. Since 2004 he has worked as a freelance consultant, writer and trainer. He is a member of the Society of Authors.

Recent projects include new books on management, negotiations and business writing; communication and writing skills training for the Council of Europe, Strasbourg; management training programmes for officials from Taiwan, Nigeria, Moldova and many other countries; administrative drafting programmes in Cameroon; regular (ongoing) columns in two bestselling monthly magazines (Writing Magazine, Dalesman); and tutoring on Writing Magazine’s creative writing correspondence courses.

Since December 2018 Tony has written regularly for the Yorkshire Post.


Books by Tony Rossiter

Who hasn’t dreamt of writing a bestseller?

Illuminating the best-known works of 50 celebrated authors, writing coach Tony Rossiter shows you exactly how they achieved their phenomenal success. With an expert eye he explains how each author began writing, and examines their style, techniques and routine for insights into their art. Imitating the methods – rather than the content – of a favourite writer is an excellent apprenticeship for anyone who wants to master the craft of writing. And it’s how many of the most successful authors began.
If you want to write a bestseller, this guide will set you on the path to success.
• Covers 50 authors in many different genres – everything from classics to chick lit.
• Differs from other how-to writing books – it doesn’t tell you how to do it; it shows you how others have done it.
• Not just for aspiring writers – ideal for anyone who wants insight into a favourite author.
Order the book now...»»


EFFECTIVE BUSINESS WRITING IN EASY STEPS (2013)

This is the ideal book for anyone who needs guidance with writing in the workplace. Its clear, concise, easy-to-read style means that you’ll soon master the fundamental skills to communicate effectively in business. It covers the basic tools such as plain English, vocabulary, spelling, punctuation and grammar, and shows you how to put them all into practice when writing reports, letters, emails, memos, briefing notes, minutes, speeches and other business documents.


EFFECTIVE NEGOTIATIONS IN EASY STEPS (2013)

This easy-to-understand guide tells you everything you need to know. It highlights things to do and things to avoid doing, and includes many tricks of the trade learned by the author during his long experience of international negotiation. There are many different negotiating scenarios, from Brexit to sorting out a family problem, to negotiating a multi-million dollar contract for your company. The principles and practical advice given in this book apply to all of them.


Only a Bloody Game!

This hilarious, tongue-in-cheek look at the grassroots of village cricket is packed with yarns, jokes and excellent cartoons – perfect for anyone who loves to play, watch, listen or read about the game. “If Only a Bloody Game is anything to go by, those who play cricket – at any rate, those who play village cricket – have a lot of fun” – so says the well-loved star of TV comedy, Geoffrey Palmer, in his foreword to this collection of stories about real characters and incidents from the author’s long (but, by his own admission, undistinguished) career as a village cricketer.


Other Books by Tony Rossiter

The Greatest Management Tips in the World (2008)
The Greatest Retirement Tips in the World (2007)


Articles by Tony Rossiter

Tony is an experienced writer and has had articles published in many national and regional magazines, including The Oldie, The Yorkshire Post, The Countryman, Country Walking, The Cricketer, Collect it!, Caterer and Hotelkeeper, Writing Magazine, Buckinghamshire Countryside and Dalesman.

Since 2009 he has had a regular column in the UK’s bestselling magazine for writers. Writing Magazine’s Beat the Bestsellers column looks each month at what new writers can learn from a different bestselling author. More than 80 writers of all periods and genres have so far been covered. Here is a small selection: Jane Austen, Alan Bennett, Bill Bryson, Agatha Christie, Roald Dahl, Julia Donaldson, Ian Fleming, Stephen King, George Orwell, Ian Rankin, JK Rowling, Sue Townsend.

In 2015 Tony began a second column in Writing Magazine, in which he “explores great words from great writers.”

September 2014 saw the first of Tony’s regular columns in the UK’s bestselling regional magazine, the Dalesman. From an off-comed-un takes a wry look at life in the Yorkshire Dales.

In 2015 he began a series of occasional articles for the Dalesman about Yorkshire writers, showing how writers as varied as Charlotte Brontë, Alan Bennett and James Herriot were influenced by their Yorkshire environment.

Since December 2018 Tony has been a regular columnist for the Yorkshire Post.


Tony Rossiter Consulting



TONY ROSSITER is a highly experienced consultant with 40 years’ experience of management both in the UK and overseas. His specialisms include:
Communication skills
Change management
Management skills
Policy development
Human resource development
Institutional strengthening
Public sector reform
Training needs analysis

Principal clients include RIPA International, Council of Europe, the British Council and the Department for International Development and the Commonwealth Secretariat. Examples of recent consultancy assignments:
- Advice to Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers on in-service training for Secretariat officials, including a new staff assessment system.
- Advice to Kosovo's Institute of Public Administration on senior civil service competencies.
-An in-depth analysis of the needs of Kosovo's Ministry of Health for management training.
-Advice to the Cameroon Government on a manual for drafting administrative documents in English.
- Advice to Spanish and Cypriot public servants on civil service reform and competencies of senior civil servants.
- Advice to institutions in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania on improving public sector performance.
- Advice to Czech officials on European Union institutions and issues.
I AM PREPARED TO CONSIDER CONSULTANCY ASSIGNMENTS BOTH IN THE UK AND OVERSEAS.


Tony Rossiter Training


TONY ROSSITER is a highly experienced trainer, with specialisms which include:
Writing skills
Communication skills
Management skills
Policy development
Human resource development
Presentation skills
Negotiating skills
Change management
Training design and delivery

Principal clients include the British Council, the Department for International Development, the Council of Europe, the Commonwealth Secretariat and RIPA International.
Examples of recent training assignments:
Short (1 or 2-day) training courses for Council of Europe staff on (a) chairing meetings, (b) writing reports and (c) writing minutes of meetings. Since 2004 more than 30 programmes have been delivered, covering officials from most of the Council of Europe's 47 Member States. A couple of comments from participants on the most recent course: "It's excellent that the trainer had first-hand experience in the subject and not from reading about it in books." "This is the first Council of Europe training I have done by someone who understands our rather specific needs."
Two 2-week management training programmes for senior Taiwanese officials.
A 3-day management training programme in Chisinau for officials of Moldova's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Six week-long programmes in Yaounde, Cameroon on "administrative drafting in English" for senior officials accustomed to drafting in French.
Several 2-week Management and Policy Development program officials from a range of (mainly African) countries.
Short (2 or 3-day) inputs (mainly communication skills and policy development) to a "Working with Ministers" programme for executives contracted by the Department for International Development.
Short (2 or 3-day) inputs to a "training for policy/political work" programme for British diplomats.
Two week-long change management programmes in Abuja for senior officials of Nigeria's Federal Government.
Tutoring assignments for Writers' News Home Study Division (correspondence courses for people wishing to improve their writing skills).
I AM AVAILABLE FOR TRAINING ASSIGNMENTS BOTH IN THE UK AND OVERSEAS.





Contact Tony Rossiter

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