Coming soon · Book Profile
The Nature of Managerial Work
Through direct observation of how managers actually spend their time, this book dismantles the classic textbook view of management and replaces it with an empirically grounded model of ten interlocking managerial roles.
A profile of this book is on the way.
What it’s about
The Nature of Managerial Work challenges centuries of received wisdom about what managers do by looking at what they actually do. Rather than the tidy abstractions of planning, organizing, coordinating, and controlling, Mintzberg's structured observation of practicing executives reveals a job of relentless pace, brevity, fragmentation, and a strong preference for verbal, current, and ad hoc information. From this evidence he synthesizes a coherent framework of ten roles—interpersonal (figurehead, leader, liaison), informational (monitor, disseminator, spokesman), and decisional (entrepreneur, disturbance handler, resource allocator, negotiator)—all flowing from the manager's formal authority and status. For anyone who wants to understand, improve, or teach management as it truly is rather than as folklore imagines it, this book supplies the definitive descriptive foundation.
The through-line
- Who it’s for
- A practicing or aspiring manager who wants to understand and master what the managerial job really demands.
- The problem
- The manager faces an overwhelming, fragmented workload with no clear description of what the job actually entails. They feel guilty for never planning as textbooks prescribe, and uncertain whether they are doing the job correctly.
- The plan
- Abandon the classical folklore about what managers do.
- Observe the real characteristics of managerial work: pace, brevity, fragmentation, verbal bias.
- Learn the ten roles managers perform across interpersonal, informational, and decisional categories.
- See how the roles form an integrated whole flowing from authority and information.
- Use this self-knowledge to diagnose and improve your own managerial effectiveness.
- The payoff
- The manager understands the true content of the job and its inherent pressures. · The manager consciously balances all ten roles and shares information to delegate effectively. · Management education and self-development are grounded in realistic description.
See our guide
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Additional reading
- The Organism · Kurt Goldstein
Maslow sources the term 'self-actualization' from Goldstein and builds upon his holistic view of the organism.
- Explorations in Personality · H. A. Murray, et al.
Cited as providing an 'excellent discussion' on the basic principle of centering motivation theory on goals rather than instigation or behavior.
- Social Interest · Alfred Adler
Maslow credits Adler and his followers for stressing the importance of the 'esteem needs,' which he felt were neglected by Freudian psychoanalysts.
- Wisdom of the Body · W. B. Cannon
Provides the foundational concept of 'homeostasis,' which Maslow uses as the starting point for his discussion of physiological needs.
- Multipliers · Liz Wiseman
Explores how leaders can either amplify ('multiply') or diminish ('diminish') the intelligence and capabilities of their teams, a key concept for creating a positive, low-anxiety environment.
- The Fearless Organization · Amy Edmondson
Provides the foundational research and practical steps for creating psychological safety, which the book identifies as crucial for reducing interpersonal anxiety and encouraging people to speak up.
- Mindset · Carol Dweck
Explains the difference between a 'growth mindset' and a 'fixed mindset,' which is presented as a key tool for helping employees manage perfectionism and see failures as learning opportunities.
- Crucial Conversations · Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, et al.
Recommended as a resource for employees to learn how to navigate difficult, high-stakes conversations, directly addressing the book's theme of moving from conflict avoidance to healthy debate.
- Better Allies · Karen Catlin
The author is quoted on specific, actionable steps for allyship, making her book a practical guide for implementing the principles in Chapter 7.
- Blindspot: Hidden Biases of Good People · Mahzarin R. Banaji and Anthony G. Greenwald
Explains the science of implicit bias, which is central to the book's argument that leaders need to be proactive allies because 'not being racist/sexist' isn't enough.