The Montessori Manager – A New Perspective on Intrapreneurship
Article published in Revista Cariere
Based on Montessori principles, educators are responsible for observing and guiding children, showing them the way while allowing them to make their own choices, develop self-discipline, recognize their mistakes, engage in problem-solving, and participate in project creation. External rewards are avoided, while internal ones—such as self-satisfaction—are encouraged.
Having direct experience with Montessori teaching methods, I asked myself whether these same principles—so effective in fostering independence, responsibility, and the freedom to choose in young children—could also be applied successfully in the business world. In other words, could we create an Organizational Montessori model, where educators "become" Montessori Managers? These managers would observe employee behaviors, analyze nonverbal communication, initiate and cultivate spaces for Curiosity, Extroversion, Creativity, Optimism, and Enthusiasm, and transform external factors into internal motivators to foster an organizational environment that is autonomous, responsible, motivating, and high-performing.
What Characteristics or Skills Should a Montessori Manager Have?
A famous article from Harvard Business Review—"How Do Innovators Think"—based on a survey of over 3,000 executives, identified five key skills that set them apart: associating (connecting ideas), questioning, observing(especially regarding human behavior), networking, and experimenting. However, is there one ultimate trait that all these executives share? The authors argue that there is: Inquisitiveness, or Curiosity.
Interestingly, curiosity is also a fundamental trait in Montessori education—it allows children to develop the personality traits that turn them into great innovators and creators. This is a clear example of how a core characteristic of the Montessori method is also essential for executives. This suggests that Montessori principles can indeed be successfully applied as a management method and technique.
Beyond the fundamental ability to be Curious, the Montessori Manager acts as a Guide, Mentor, and Facilitator, rarely intervening directly in employees' tasks. They are an Observer, Non-Interventionist, and Evaluator. Their direct impact on activities at the micro level is minimal, leaving room for a "helicopter view" approach that allows autonomy.
A Montessori Manager neither punishes nor offers external rewards. They believe the only reward an employee truly needs is the intrinsic satisfaction of completing a task correctly and successfully, relying on their own strengths. A Montessori Manager does not correct an employee’s mistakes directly; instead, they guide the employee to repeat the task until the root cause of the error is identified. They focus on shaping and defining the work environment in a way that stimulates initiative and problem-solving skills.
A New Type of Organizational Culture?
Roger Harrison identified four types of corporate cultures:
Power Culture (a concentric network where control is exercised by a small group of people, creating a harsh atmosphere and low morale).
Role Culture (structured like a temple, highly formalized, standardized, and predictable).
Task Culture (a rectangular network that prioritizes task completion above all else).
Person Culture (a swarm-like structure where the individual is at the center).
Without forcing the concept, we could introduce a fifth type: the Montessori Culture. Imagine it in an abstract spheroid form, where the manager is in constant motion, observing activities without direct intervention. When a task is at risk of "leaving the sphere," the Montessori Manager signals the issue and redirects it for reassessment.
Final Thoughts: A Lesson from Maria Montessori
I’ll conclude with a quote from Maria Montessori, one that remains entirely relevant and applicable even to the "grown-up children" in organizations:
"Instead of trying to reach into a child's inner world and guide them as a human soul, we have always sought to dominate them by force, by imposing external laws. In doing so, children have lived alongside us without us ever truly understanding them. But if we remove all the artificial constraints we have placed upon them, and all the violence with which we have foolishly tried to discipline them, they will reveal themselves to us in all the beauty of their childhood nature—with absolute gentleness and charm."
(Maria Montessori – The Montessori Method, 1969)
Just as in education, a workplace built on curiosity, autonomy, and intrinsic motivation could transform employees into self-driven professionals, fostering innovation, collaboration, and long-term success.
