Management Theory of Mary Parker Follett

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Mary Parker Follett, writer, social worker, political

theorist and organizational consultant, has been
called "the woman who ...

Mary Parker Follett, writer, social worker, political

theorist and organizational consultant, has been
called "the woman who invented management."
Her early influence on modern management
theory has, in fact, been so pervasive that
management theorist Warren Bennis has been
quoted as saying of her, "Just about everything
written today about leadership and organizations
comes from Mary Parker Follett's writings and lectures."

Follett never managed a for-profit enterprise herself, yet her keen insight into the dynamics of
organizations and groups gave her theories widespread appeal. She advocated a "pull" rather than
"push" approach to employee motivation, differentiated between "power over" and "power with,"
and postulated insightful ideas on negotiation, conflict resolution and power sharing which helped
shape modern management theory. The Mary Parker Follett Theory of Management is marked by
such principles as the following:

1. Conflict resolution through Integration (i.e., identifying and meeting each party's underlying and
often compatible need, as opposed to attempting to meet the frequently-incompatible expressed
desire of each) often results in a win-win situation.

2. In Mary Parker Follett leadership theory, genuine power is not "coercive" ("power over") but
"coactive" ("power with").

3. True leaders, according to Follett's theory, "create group power, rather than expressing personal
power."

Understand the concepts of Mary Parker Follett management theory

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Consider the many benefits of putting Follett's management theory to work for your business.
If you decide to use it, why not go all out and practice it in all the areas it can effectively
address: your own leadership of the company, your managers' leadership development and
your employees' empowerment.