The thing that impresses me most about Henry is his ability to upset people. You will be at least mildly annoyed with Mintzberg if any of the following apply to you:
- You are a manager
- You have a business degree
- You use email
- You pay attention when Jack Welsh, or any other celebrity manager speaks
- You believe that management is a profession
- You think management can be taught
You should read this book simply because Mintzberg is very much a contrarian, and whether you agree with him or not, it is good to consider his arguments. ‘Managing’ is easy to read (especially given it is written by an academic), and it raises fundamental questions that any leader of people should be asking.
For normal students of management practice, you may find this book a series of punches in the face; my favorite one being on the limitations of email. I have regularly made the point that email is an extremely limited media, and should be minimized by leaders wherever possible.
The response I get most often if the same look your dog gives you when you pretend to throw the ball, but then hide it behind your back. “How could anyone possibly manage without email?”
I welcome your feedback on email, or about this book.
If you are disinclined to read the whole book, the book summary may be worth a look.