Women in Management
Florence Nightingale, Lillian Moller Gilbreth, and Mary Parker Follett.
In the past, society segregated work by sex when skill and social status were involved. This changed with the invention of knowledge work in the late 18th century. Now, women and men do the same jobs, are directed by the same standards, and evaluated by the same results.
One of the first knowledge professions was nursing. It was founded by the British social reformer and the first female fellow of the Royal Statistical Society Florence Nightingale. Modern nursing was conceived during and following the Crimean War from 1853 to 1856 when Nightingale led a team of nurses to care for wounded British soldiers in Scutari (Albania) and Istanbul.
Amongst her many achievements, Nightingale popularised the rose diagram and the pie chart. In doing so, she saved countless lives and changed the way leaders make decisions.
From left to right: Florence Nightingale, Lillian M. Gilbreth, and Mary P. Follett
Lillian Moller Gilbreth
It is often said that America won the first World War because of the ideas of Lillian Moller Gilbreth and her husband Frank, who is perhaps best known as the father and central figure of Cheaper by the Dozen. Their analysis of manual work (therblig, which is Gilbreth spelled backward) contributed immensely to American productivity and wartime production.
Both ran a consulting business (back then, it was called management engineering). She was one of the first to formally study organizational psychology and write about “The Psychology of Management.”
Often, only her husband Frank gets the credit for their joint work and publications. Ms. Gilbreth introduced important human elements into the subject of scientific work studies and management. These range from the emphasis of the employee as an individual, to the effects of fatigue at work as well as justice, increased opportunity, comfort, and happiness for all.
Mary Parker Follett
She is often referred to as the “Mother of Modern Management.” Mary Parker Follett was an American social worker. She was never really a manager herself, but her writing is profound and highly relevant for them today. Peter F. Drucker referred to her as a prophet of management.
She discusses the democratic organization, the professional business manager, the essentials of leadership, and coordination. Follett is also widely recognized as the originator of the idea of seeking "win-win" solutions. Her first book Speaker of the House of Representatives was praised by President Theodore Roosevelt as one of the best studies of government ever conducted.
In summary, women pioneered knowledge work. They also laid the foundations for the subject. Revisiting the ideas of Nightingale, Ms. Gilbreth, or Follett can be a source of tremendous opportunity and benefit for modern managers.