About Us

The Center was launched in 2017 after ten years of development and a pilot with the US Small Business Administration. Our standards are used by large and small organizations in every sector. We provide coaching and training in how to apply these standards as well as for developing all the knowledge and skills managers need at each stage of their career.

Standard of ethics: The Pledge of Managerial Power

Standard terminology: The Index

Standard of competence: The Milwaukee Model of Manager Development

We train ethical, competent, and caring leaders at all levels: they believe 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 developing great managers and leaders–who build more caring and successful 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.” Other books by Derrick Van Mell are below.

An in-depth exploration of how to brainstorm, prioritize, and distill hundreds of thoughtful questions into a one-page Goal Tree. It’s a jargon-free revolution against the ineffective tyranny of “strategic planning”.

Written for leaders responsible for these 50-year decisions, this book provides a simple framework for linking management goals to facilities–and for creating a winning business case for efficient, sustainable projects.

Founder

Derrick Van Mell 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 (see below) on management and has written 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.