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Purpose and benefits

The list of management thinkers is dominated by men. It perhaps comes as no surprise, therefore, that the women who do feature are really substantial thinkers—and none more so than the US political scientist, Mary Parker Follett, who was decades ahead of her time.

Follett believed in the importance of human relations to business. She constantly emphasised the human aspect of managerial responsibilities, the importance of conflict resolution and of learning from points of dispute, as well as the fact that leadership is a skill that can be taught. This last point is of the essence, for in her (very modern) view of the successful organisation leadership skills are required of many people rather than just one person, and partnership and co-ordination are more important than the hierarchy, ultimate authority, or competition.