Managers Not MBAs: A Hard Look at the Soft Practice of Managing and Management Development

Thirty years ago, Mintzberg's bestseller "The Nature of Managerial Work sought to dispel the myths of the disconnected, overly analytical manager by observing a week in the lives of five chief executives. In a sense, "Managers Not MBAs is the sequel, delving as it does into current practice and the need for developing much better managers. The book examines what is wrong with both management education and management itself, and how both could be changed. Mintzberg explores the concept of management as a practice blending craft (experience) with art (insight) and some science (analysis). Conventional education in this realm, he says, encourages a "calculating" approach by overemphasizing the science, and a "heroic" approach by overstressing the art. Mintzberg argues instead for training balanced, dedicated managers who practice an "engaging" style, believing that their purpose is to leave behind stronger organizations, not just higher share prices.