Five Minds of a Manager
1. Summary of the article
The Five Minds of a Manager is one of those best books that will remain timeless. First published in the
Harvard Business Review in November 2003, it’s even more relevant today. The volatility of global markets,
advancements in telecommunications, the effects of an ageing population and financial pressures facing
public and private sector managers are just some of the trends demanding effective managerial skills.
Five managerial mindsets, which serve as the foundation for their five-module management development
program.
1) The Reflective Mind-Set: Managing Self
Organizations do not need managers who see the world through their personal behaviours
(“mirror” people) or those who are unable to see beyond immediate situations (“window” people).
What they require are managers who can see both ways: through their personal reflection they see
the world around them. As they put it: “…reflective managers are able to see behind in order to
look ahead.”
2) The Analytical Mind-Set: Managing Organizations
Mintzberg and Gosling pose the question of how do managers get beyond the superficialities of
data and analysis, to the deeper meanings of structures and systems? Complex decision-making
involves more than dealing with quantitative data; it requires understanding qualitative (soft) data
and the nuances underlying them, such as values. The authors talk about “reflective analysis,”
