Unmanaged

Unmanaged is a comprehensive and uncompromising guide to better management.

With a Foreword from Dr André Schneider, Chairman World Climate Foundation, Executive on-call consultant to NACO’s Aviation Advisory team, former CEO at Genève Aéroport, former Vice-president of EPFL, former Managing Director and COO of the World Economic Forum

Lukas Michel, Herb Nold and Guido Bosbach, LID Publishing, London, 2025, Publication date: 6. November 2025 (UK), ISBN: 978-1917391467

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Many organizations muddle through, relying on outdated management and flawed leadership, leading to inefficiency and failure. Unmanaged identifies two root causes: ineffective leaders and traditional management. While bad leadership can be replaced, transforming management requires a deeper, systematic shift.
The book presents nine attributes of better management—including human, holistic, systemic, and interactive—to create management as a competitive advantage. Based on the Global Executive Survey feedback from 4,000 executives across 500 organizations, it reveals how better-managed companies achieve higher performance, innovation, and growth.
To bridge the gap between current practices and mastery, Unmanaged introduces “Organization Twins”, the “Management Innovation Toolkit”, and the “Global Executive Survey”—AI-powered tools that help organizations assess, innovate, and adapt. By following a structured discovery journey, leaders can replace mediocrity with mastery and turn management into a true competitive advantage.
“There’s a reason why some companies thrive while others struggle. Unmanaged reveals the hidden dynamics of better management and how to master them.”
—Ayodeji Olaifa, Banker & Author, Vice President, KfW IPEX Bank, Johannesburg, South Africa

“Unmanaged is a bold and timely reset for anyone tired of leadership fads. Michel, Nold, and Bosbach offer a refreshingly practical approach to management—clear, systemic, and grounded in reality. This book is for anyone who knows they can do better—and is ready to start.”
—Sean Malott, President/CEO, Central Florida Development Council, US

“Unmanaged reinforces my belief that one person’s leadership alone can't drive success. This penetrating book reveals how superior management is the real force-multiplier in business today - especially the chapters on Strategy Development and creating an effective CEO Office.  A must read if you want to succeed!”
—H.D. “Jake” Polumbo, Major General USAF (retired), Founding Partner and Senior Consultant, Two Blue Aces Consulting, Florida, US

“When three true experts collaborate on a single topic, great outcomes are inevitable. I appreciate the bold stance that “unmanaged” is a state no one would willingly accept—yet, in reality that comes down to perspective. Smart transformations can lead to numerous manageable efficiencies and enhanced staff motivation. Great job, Lukas, Herb, and Guido!”
—Michael Eckert, Director Project Management, Merck Electronics KGaA, Darmstadt, German

“Unmanaged is a powerful wake-up call for business leaders stuck in outdated management models. Lukas Michel, Herb Nold, and Guido Bosbach cut through the noise to reveal what truly drives high-performing organizations—mastery in management, not just leadership charisma. This book is essential for those who want to move beyond improvisation and build organizations that are agile, resilient, and built for sustained success.”
—Mark Béliczky, CEO, The Glenwood Group, US

“I believe there is a universal consensus putting Peter Drucker as the greatest management thinker of the 20th century. He produced decades ago a statement that is today as valid as then: “Leaders do the right things, managers do things right”. Harold J. Leavitt, an American psychologist of management, made a complementary statement when he said that “entrepreneurs (leaders) are pathfinders - managers are problem solvers”. What this brilliant book really ends up demonstrating (as precisely as “quod erat demonstrandum”) is that to be successful in running a company in the complex environment we live in today, you really need a combination of entrepreneurial leadership traits, with mastery in management qualities. Lukas Michel and his co-writers have managed to bring a book that will do wonders to organizations… those that are willing to learn!”
—José António Duarte de Sousa, former President & CEO Liberty Seguros, Portugal

“Twenty-five years of research and data, and four books have culminated in a blueprint for managing in a volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) world. This book gives plenty of examples, plenty of “how to” advice and all the detail you will need to navigate your own journey. A must read for all board level executives.”
—Nick Hixson, Chair, Advisory Board, World Institute for Action Learning