In Managing, Mintzberg dispels the myths of what managing is about and describes what management truly is and how it is done by looking at various management models, characteristics and approaches. In doing so, he observes 29 managers in business, government, health care and social sector daily in their lives and analyzes how differences in managerial levels and styles, organizations, industries and cultures influence managing and in what ways they can be handled best. He realized after his observations that the managerial work, many a time conflicting, were best described as a practice, learned best through experience.

The internationally renowned academic figure on business and management shares with readers of the book his research results, which are counterintuitive and reveals what managers do to better and effectively resolve conflicting and challenging situations that managers face frequently.