Long a neglected subject, management is increasingly recognized as a tool that allows an organization to function optimally. Because medical schools do not stress management training, the pathologist can encounter problems when immersed for the first time into the field of management. In the first of a two-part article, the author explains how a pathologist's administrative role differs from his role as a physician, reviews briefly the different management styles, and discusses important management tools the laboratory director needs to organize and operate a laboratory.