Management Gurus: What Makes Them and How to Become One

The idea: only six management ideas have achieved universal acclaim in the last hundred years. What are they and why are they so popular? Do they have similar characteristics? While analyzing what makes the theories so special, Andrzej Huczynski asks to what extent the idea itself or the presentation of it makes it catch on. Does success depend on enterprise schemes designed to sell the idea as widely as possible? What conditions does the "ideal" management idea need to satisfy? The guru: people are constantly proposing new theories but only a handful of them reach the managerial hall of fame. What are the characteristics of those who achieve guru status? Andrzej Huczynski considers the importance of rhetoric, self-promotion, personality and charisma for the potential guru. He looks at successful presentation methods, showing how to nurture confidence and reassure the audience in order to win them over to revolutionary theories. In this remarkable study, Andrzej Huczynski reveals the ideal combination of idea and personality which makes up a management guru.