The ‘common-sense’ (Rational) approach

Abstract

In the late 50s and early 60s, Charles Kepner and Benjamin Tregoe studied examples of both good and bad management, looking for ways of thinking that could differentiate between them. They concluded that the best managers, or those considered by other managers to be ‘the most effective and successful’, used ‘variations of four distinct routines or patterns of thinking, in handling problems and decisions’ (1981, p. vii). In the first instance (1965) the Kepner-Tregoe approach to problem solving and decision making (KT); their philosophy of rational management was a set of guidelines on good thinking practices for managers, a ‘leader’s guide’ for the team manager rather than advice for those working in a team. Whether you are managing others or not, many of these ideas offer useful guidance for self-management as well.