University of Minnesota - UMN Executive Leadership Insights
The Effective Executive
Book

The Effective Executive

Peter F. Drucker
Harper, 2006
First Edition: 1966
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Editorial Rating

10

Qualities

  • Innovative
  • Applicable

Recommendation

As an author and an intellectual, the late Peter F. Drucker was a true business sage. Recognized as the father of modern management, Drucker forecast numerous pivotal trends, including decentralization, privatization and the development of the information society. He introduced the concept of the “knowledge worker,” a term he employs widely in this fascinating book. Each Drucker book is a genuine business classic, including this one. He delves into detail about what managers should accomplish and how they should conceptualize their role. getAbstract believes it will help you think productively about what you do. No one writes more intelligently or presciently on management and its functions than Drucker. All executives, even those who are already effective, will benefit from reading this informative, enlightening book.

Summary

You Can Teach Yourself to Become Effective

You cannot manage others if you cannot manage yourself. For the executive – the ultimate “knowledge worker” – this means managing your own effectiveness. This is not a complicated task. It involves adopting a few specific practices and five pivotal habits. Being effective is a linchpin requirement for any executive. An ineffective executive is an imposter – a leader in name only. To become more productive, use these eight practices:

  1. Focus on what needs doing – Often, this may differ from what you want to do. Tend to only one or two tasks at any given time. Delegate the others.
  2. Make sure your actions benefit your organization – Are you doing the best thing for your enterprise? The organization is what counts, not the “owners, the stock price, the employees or the executives.”
  3. Create an action plan – Knowledge, wisdom and expertise are useless without action. However, action without a plan is counterproductive. Your action plan represents your intentions, not your commitments. Be ready to change if circumstances warrant it. Periodically check your plan...

About the Author

Peter F. Drucker was a management consultant and writer. His 39 books and numerous articles discuss how humans organize themselves in business, government and the nonprofit arena. Drucker died in 2005.

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