It is our good fortune that Follett's roommate ignored her orders to burn all of Follett's papers upon her death. Had the roommate abided by Follett's wishes, we would not have any of her remarkable work, the best of which can be found in the volume Mary Parker Follett - Prophet of Management , published in 1995 by Harvard Business School Press. W. Edwards Deming was another fascinating person who enjoyed 15 minutes of fame as a management guru before his reputation succumbed to the misguided efforts of an army of Deming Disciples. Deming, who played a key role in the rebuilding of the Japanese economy following World War II, developed the concept of Total Quality Management. Deming wrote those words some 40 years ago, yet they are as fresh and vital today as when they were first written.
American business seems to have a very short attention span for management writers and thinkers.
Management writers increasingly seemed forced to develop a flashy delivery if they hope to achieve the coveted appellation of guru. Yet Gabor's book shows that most of the ideas consultants tout today have their roots in work done long ago. The fundamentals of organization management and leadership have remained constant, even if the delivery of those concepts has been re-charged for a new economy. She suggests that most organizations have considerable potential that they never develop. Finding the key to unlock their potential remains one of the great untapped organizational challenges.