Managing

Based on numerous studies and years of research, Henry Mintzberg provides clear and pragmatic explanations on contemporary management practices. According to him, leadership literature has largely eclipsed what actually makes managers successful on a day-to-day basis, which is, in turn, far from the myth of the charismatic visionary conveyed by certain media. He revisits this topic while taking care not to draft yet another list of universal qualities of good managers. Based on concrete observations of eight managers in real-life situations, he describes how their everyday experience varies, requiring different skills in each instance. Although this book extends far beyond the basic framework of lateral management, the essential role of non-hierarchical leadership is nonetheless emphasized on several occasions, particularly in chapter 2. Chapter 4 also describes various management styles, including one qualified as “lateral,” founded primarily on linking constituents together and obtaining their voluntary support by negotiating mutually beneficial arrangements. This book certainly does no harm to the author’s already excellent reputation.