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What effective general managers really do.

J P Kotter

    Harvard Business Review
    |October 8, 1982
    PubMed
    Summary
    This summary is machine-generated.

    Managerial behavior often diverges from traditional management theory. Successful general managers exhibit informal, reactive, and fragmented work styles, challenging conventional planning and organizational systems.

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    Area of Science:

    • Management Science
    • Organizational Behavior

    Background:

    • Conventional management theory outlines functions like planning, organizing, and directing.
    • Actual managerial practices often contrast sharply with these theoretical frameworks.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the discrepancy between theoretical management functions and observed managerial behavior.
    • To understand the implications of this gap for management systems and education.

    Main Methods:

    • Analysis of actual managerial behavior in successful general managers.
    • Comparison of observed behavior with established management principles and systems.

    Main Results:

    • Managerial behavior is characterized by long hours, fragmented tasks, and oral communication.

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  • Observed behavior is less systematic, more informal, reactive, and less reflective than expected.
  • This contrasts with systematic approaches taught in strategic planning and management information systems (MIS).

    • Conclusions:

    • The gap challenges the effectiveness of current formal planning and performance appraisal systems.
    • Management education, heavily reliant on theory, may not adequately prepare MBAs for real-world managerial demands.
    • The discrepancy hinders effective coaching and self-improvement for managers.