--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Management is, above all, a practice…" description: "\"Management is, above all, a practice where art, science, and craft meet\" — Henry Mintzberg" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f4/henry-mintzberg-10810_art_management-is-above-all-a-practice-where_2491007.png" --- # Management is, above all, a practice where art, science… ![“Management is, above all, a practice where art, science, and craft meet” quote by Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f4/henry-mintzberg-10810_art_management-is-above-all-a-practice-where_2491007.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f4/henry-mintzberg-10810_art_management-is-above-all-a-practice-where_2491007.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f4/henry-mintzberg-10810_art_management-is-above-all-a-practice-where_2491007.png) > “Management is, above all, a practice where art, science, and craft meet” [Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Management blends artistic intuition, scientific analysis, and skilled craftsmanship to solve problems. **In simple terms:** Management mixes art, science, and skill. Key Takeaway Integrate creativity, data, and technique. Themes leadership strategy creativity Mood inspirational thoughtful Type philosophical practical When to use this quote - team building - product development - crisis response Key Concepts systems thinking human behavior Questions to Reflect On - How can you nurture each dimension daily? - Which dimension feels weakest for you? A Different Perspective Balancing all three can be hard in fast‑moving environments. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Art Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-science/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Craft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/craft/) [Crafts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crafts/) [Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) [Management](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/management/) [Management Practice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/management-practice-964943/) [Practice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practice/) [Practice Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practice-art/) ## Related quotes > [I like a good cliche because it reminds you that much of management practice boils down to things you need to do but often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-sinofsky/i-like-a-good-cliche-because-it-reminds-you-that-much-of-management/) [Steven Sinofsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-sinofsky/) > [The craft or art of writing is the clumsy attempt to find symbols for the wordlessness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/the-craft-or-art-of-writing-is-the-clumsy-attempt-to-find-symbols-for/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [Without craft, art remains private. Without art, craft is merely hackwork.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/without-craft-art-remains-private-without-art-craft-is-merely-hackwork/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [Art is craft, not inspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-sondheim/art-is-craft-not-inspiration/) [Stephen Sondheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-sondheim/) > [Songwriting is as much a craft as a talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-t-hall/songwriting-is-as-much-a-craft-as-a-talent/) [Tom T. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-t-hall/) > [I try to only work with people whose craft I believe in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnis/i-try-to-only-work-with-people-whose-craft-i-believe-in/) [Donnis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnis/) > [A diva is someone who is a perfectionist, who does her best in her craft.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-labelle/a-diva-is-someone-who-is-a-perfectionist-who-does-her-best-in-her/) [Patti LaBelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-labelle/) > [I think it's always good to learn a craft from scratch the real way, so that you've learned it from the basis, the raw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-campbell/i-think-it-s-always-good-to-learn-a-craft-from-scratch-the-real-way/) [Naomi Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-campbell/) > [Part of what I do is a craft, but part of what I do is a science. 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Being half assed at something, people will eventually see through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kid-rock/whatever-your-craft-is-be-a-master-of-it-being-half-assed-at/) [Kid Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kid-rock/) > [Muscle is good, but craft is better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wace/muscle-is-good-but-craft-is-better/) [Wace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wace/) > [You need to know your craft.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorena-garcia/you-need-to-know-your-craft/) [Lorena Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorena-garcia/) > [It is by losing himself in the objective, in inquiry, creation, and craft, that a man becomes something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/it-is-by-losing-himself-in-the-objective-in-inquiry-creation-and/) [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) > [All the craft skills that I have, I feel like I developed and honed in drama school. It's the most important thing for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-holland/all-the-craft-skills-that-i-have-i-feel-like-i-developed-and-honed-in/) [Andre Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-holland/) ## More by Henry Mintzberg > [Everyone is against micro managing but macro managing means you're working at the big picture but don't know the details.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/everyone-is-against-micro-managing-but-macro-managing-means-you-re/) [Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/) > [To 'turn around' is to end up facing the same way. Maybe that is the problem, all the turning organizations around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/to-turn-around-is-to-end-up-facing-the-same-way-maybe-that-is-the/) [Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/) > [Never set out to be the best. It's too low a standard. Set out to be good. Do Your best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/never-set-out-to-be-the-best-it-s-too-low-a-standard-set-out-to-be/) [Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/) > [“being a manager’ means not merely assuming a position of authority but also becoming more dependent on others,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/being-a-manager-means-not-merely-assuming-a-position-of-authority-but/) [Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/) > [Basically, managing is about influencing action. Managing is about helping organizations and units to get things done, which means action. Sometimes, managers manage actions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/basically-managing-is-about-influencing-action-managing-is-about/) [Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/) > [Leadership, like swimming, cannot be learned by reading about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/leadership-like-swimming-cannot-be-learned-by-reading-about-it/) [Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/) > [Empowerment is what managers do to people. 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It is generously paid, enormously influential, and significantly devoid of common sense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/management-is-a-curious-phenomenon-it-is-generously-paid-enormously/) [Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/) > [So technologies, whether it is a telephone or an iPhone, computers in general or automobiles, television even, all individualize us. We all sit in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/so-technologies-whether-it-is-a-telephone-or-an-iphone-computers-in/) [Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/) > [Data don't generate theory - only researchers do that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/data-don-t-generate-theory-only-researchers-do-that/) [Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/) > [Effective managing therefore happens where art , craft, and science meet. But in a classroom of students without managerial experience, these have no place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/effective-managing-therefore-happens-where-art-craft-and-science-meet/) [Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/) > [Corporations are social institutions. If they don't serve society, they have no business existing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/corporations-are-social-institutions-if-they-don-t-serve-society-they/) [Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/) > [Corporations are economic entities, to be sure, but they are also social institutions that must justify their existence by their overall contribution to society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/corporations-are-economic-entities-to-be-sure-but-they-are-also/) [Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/) [Explore all 63 Henry Mintzberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. 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You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) [Taf Teh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taf-teh/) > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. 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