Abraham Zaleznik

Abraham Zaleznik of Palm Beach, FL and Boston formerly of Lexington on Monday, November 28, 2011. Beloved husband of the late Elizabeth (Aron). Devoted father of Dori Zaleznik of Newton and Ira & Janet Zaleznik of Lexington. Loving grandfather of Aaron, Josh, Daniel, Eli and Rachel Zaleznik. Services at Temple Isaiah, 55 Lincoln St., Lexington on Thursday December 1 at 11:00 a.m. Burial in Westview Cemetery, Lexington. Memorial observance will be at the home of Dori Zaleznik following the burial through 8PM, and continuing on Sunday from 4-8PM. Please omit flowers. Donations may be made to a charity of choice.

Abraham Zaleznik was the Konosuke Matsushita Professor of Leadership, Emeritus at the Harvard Business School. He received his AB degree from Alma College, Magna Cum Laude in 1945 and later was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. In 1992, Alma College conferred the honorary degree Doctor of Letters. Harvard Business School awarded him the MBA degree with distinction in 1947 and the Doctor of Commercial Science degree in 1951. Zaleznik began his career at the Harvard Business School as a research assistant in 1947. He became a full professor in 1962 and then inaugurated the Cahners-Rabb professorship in social psychology of management. In 1982, Zaleznik along with his friend and colleague Professor C. Roland Christensen traveled to Japan to Konosuke Matsushita, the founder of the famed Matsushita Electric Company. As a result of this meeting in Osaka, Japan, Mr. Matsushita pledged the funds to the Harvard Business School to establish a chair in leadership, the first gift to an American university of its kind. Harvard University elected Zaleznik to this chair, from which he taught The Psychodynamics of Leadership and continued his research on leadership. In recognition of his 43 years on the Faculty, the Harvard Business School Alumni Association awarded him the Distinguished Service Award in 1996.

In 1960, Professor Zaleznik became a candidate in psychoanalysis at the Boston Psychoanalytic Institute, one of the affiliate institutes of the American Psychoanalytic Association. He was granted a waiver of medical and psychiatric prerequisites and was graduated as a clinical psychoanalyst in 1968. In 1971, Professor Zaleznik received certification for the practice of psychoanalysis from the American Psychoanalytic Association. His objective in undertaking psychoanalytic training was to prepare himself for specialized research and teaching in the psychodynamics of leadership and group psychology. During his career at the Harvard Business School, he authored or co-authored 16 books and numerous articles. His Harvard Business Review article entitled , "Managers and Leaders: Are They Different?" received the McKinsey award for the best Harvard Business Review article in 1977 and was republished as a classic in 1992. Earlier and later articles received the same recognition. He published articles in academic journals such as Behavioral Science and Psychiatry along with articles in business journals such as the Harvard Business Review.

Extending his clinical practice of psychoanalysis, Professor Zaleznik has engaged in consulting work on organizational planning, succession, and in the resolution of conflict in organizations. Since 1970, he served on many corporate boards. Currently, he serves on six boards of privately and publicly held corporations . He also serves as compensation committee chairman of some of these boards. In addition to his consulting practice, he continues to write. Professor Zaleznik and his wife of 64 years had a daughter, a son, and five grandchildren. He lived in Palm Beach and in Boston. He was an avid golfer and belonged to Belmont Country Club and Banyan Country Club.