Women from History: Pioneer of Management Theory, Mary Parker Follett

Who: Mary Parker Follett (1868-1933) was an American social worker, management consultant political thinker. researcher, author, and pioneer in the area of organizational theory and behavior.

Obstacles: Follett wasn't allowed to attend Harvard because she was a woman. Following the early death of her father, she left school to care for her disabled mother and younger brother. She was in a lifelong same-sex relationship with Isobel Briggs.

Why, Then: Follett pursued higher education studying Law, Government, and Economics. She, then, studied Social Work and worked for over 35 years in some of the poorest neighborhoods around Boston. This work helped her understand the critical role of community centers which became the impetus for her revolutionary business theory. From this work, Follett applied a social science and human relations lens to business and management. This was contrary to the top-down hierarchical approach of the time.

Some of Follett's most visionary ideas, which are being implemented in businesses today include:

1. embracing each employee's uniqueness and providing them with the skills, abilities, and education they need to be empowered at work. Follett believed in flattening systems and valuing abilities above status or position.

2. embracing conflict as a vital means of uncovering innovative solutions. Follett purported that understanding and integrating different positions led to uncovering optimal solutions. She viewed relationships as dynamic processes, that changed and evolved. She encouraged striving for a win-win situation.

3. Follett saw that effective Leadership provides opportunities for participation. In her view, a leader's role is to empower the individual and support them in meeting their own responsibilities.

Why Now:

Follett wrote several books in her lifetime that outline her ideas. Today her concepts have been integrated by many businesses and management gurus.

From all accounts, Follett was an engaging and down-to-earth woman. I admire her confidence and courage to pursue her dream of becoming involved with management and politics despite obstacles.

She was an independent thinker who went against the dominant ways of thinking of the time. She pursued higher education and worked to make positive changes in communities and businesses. Some of the articles about Follett highlight that she took time to get to know and understand people, what drove them, and who they were. She was not interested in power or prestige.

Follett's work was and continues to be revolutionary. Follett believed in valuing each individual's unique abilities, she was a pioneer in bringing a human lens to business management.

I have discovered over and over again how much power there is in valuing each individual in a community for their unique abilities.

In our group work on intercultural training at Rotman's, we found that a major component of a company's financial and business success is its ability to engage and retain an increasingly diverse workforce. In this environment, creating an environment that is inclusive of each individual's abilities and incorporates Follett's social science approach to business is more vital than ever before.

I would love to hear about the role community plays in your career search.

The below video also has an exercise that explores Follett's idea of empowering versus limiting work environments. From doing the exercise, I realized that in work environments that were empowering as opposed to top-down, I, myself, have been much more productive and creative.

What has your experience been? What insight have you gotten from positive versus negative work experiences?

If you're interested in learning more about Follett, this is a video that discusses her work and the way work environments affect individual productivity:

Sara Plaw is a Toronto-based Content Creator. This blog explores contributions, that are often ignored, of historical and contemporary women.