Management Training Insights Emerging From Spiritual Concerns

The Evolution Of Modern Management Thought

In general conversation, we use the term management in two ways stemming from past management definitions. First, management refers to what we do in terms of ensuring controlled, predictable, measurable behavior to achieve a level of productivity. Good managers get things done through the resources provided by the organization, including the people who, traditionally, have been considered only a bundle of skills useful to the organization’s success. Second, management refers to the placement of individuals within the hierarchy of an organization – those with management titles and ranks. This allows them a better view of the systems and resources at play and allows them access to others who have that enhanced perspective – in essence supervision. We often refer to them as “the management” and it is offered in comparison to those who are not “the management,” meaning in a generic sense “labor.” Therefore, much of the training for managers focuses on the nuts and bolts of getting things done through resources use (including human resources) with emphasis on direction, control, and measurement from a hierarchical position.