About Us

The Index is the lexicon of general management, the first of three standards overseen by the Center for Management Terms & Practices. All are free to the public. The Center was launched in 2017 after ten years of development and a pilot with the US Small Business Administration.

Standards build efficiency, consistency, and trust.

Standard terminology: The Index

Standard of ethics: The Pledge of Managerial Power

Standard of competence: The Milwaukee Model of Manager Development

We train ethical, competent, and caring leaders at all levels: they believe that focusing on the individual is the best way to make their organizations resilient and successful. Our social mission is to build a more caring society by building more caring workplaces.

The Index integrates with the Center’s standards and toolkit to form Standards-Based Management, a flexible management and development system used by small and large organizations globally. See the workbook “Atoms & Orchestra.”

Standards build efficiency, consistency, and trust.

Founder

Derrick Van Mell created The Index and founded the Center for Management Terms & Practices in 2017. He has a BA in Economics, an MBA, and a Masters in English. He speaks globally on management and is the author of three books, including Atoms & Orchestras: The Case for Standards-Based Management. LinkedIn

Review Board

Standards must be managed by experienced people working under thoughtful guidelines. Our Review Board sets policy for and carefully communicates changes to our resources. See our editorial and submittal guidelines. The Board needs great ideas from leaders like you!

Great leaders always strive to do the right thing. This is why term 1.1 in The Index is Ethics and the law. Please study its definition, questions, and Approved Resources and read our Code of Ethics. Thank you.