Ideas and influences Mary Parker Follett

1 ideas , influences

1.1 organizational theory
1.2 follett s writings
1.3 transformational leadership

ideas , influences

follett’s educational , work background shape , influence future theories , writings. 1 of earliest career positions see working social worker in roxbury neighborhood of boston 1900-08. during period interactions roxbury community lead realize importance of community spaces areas meet , socialize.

her experience in developing vocational guidance , evening programs in public schools, develop life s work , theories in group dynamics. new state , second writing published in 1918, evolve report second published work. publication go on lay foundational theories important theories , become major center of attention of career.

by participating in local recreational, educational, , advocacy groups parker developed ideals of participatory democracy , ideals of society integrative. observing people led parker believe boundaries of person s identities porous, effected society around them, , society in turn effected identities of people within it. self , society, according parker, in cycle in create 1 another.

organizational theory

in capacity management theorist, follett pioneered understanding of lateral processes within hierarchical organizations (which recognition led directly formation of matrix-style organizations, first of dupont, in 1920s), importance of informal processes within organizations, , idea of authority of expertise —which served modify typology of authority developed german contemporary, max weber, broke authority down 3 separate categories: rational-legal, traditional , charismatic.

she recognized holistic nature of community , advanced idea of reciprocal relationships in understanding dynamic aspects of individual in relationship others. follett advocated principle of termed integration, or noncoercive power-sharing based on use of concept of power rather power over.

follett contributed win-win philosophy, coining term in work groups. approach conflict embrace mechanism of diversity , opportunity develop integrated solutions rather compromising. pioneer in establishment of community centers.

follett s writings

follett s unique background led take positions on major issues mediated between conventional viewpoints. in new state, took position on societal change that:

it mistake think social progress depend upon happening working people: given more material goods , well; think given more education , world saved. equally mistake think need conversion unselfishness of capitalist class.

similarly position on labor movement was:

neither working nor paying s wages ought give power on them.

transformational leadership

ann pawelec deschenes (1998) found obscure reference pointing mary parker follett having coined term transformational leadership . quotes edith a. rusch s social construction of leadership: theory praxis (1991):

... writings , lectures mary parker follett 1927 contained references transformational leadership, interrelationship of leadership , followership, , power of collective goals of leaders , followers (p. 8).

burns makes no reference follett in leadership. however, rusch able trace appear parallel themes in works of burns , follett. rusch presents direct references in appendix a. pawelec (deschenes) found further parallels of transformational discourse between follett s (1947, 1987) work , burns (1978).

from collected papers of mary parker follett (p 247): moreover, have lay less stress formerly on matter of leader influencing group because think of leader being influenced group.