Peter Drucker Quotes

• “Most of what we call management consists of making it difficult for people to get their jobs done.”
• “Time is the scarcest resource: and unless it is managed, nothing else can be managed.”
• “There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all.”
• “All one has to do is to learn to say “no” if an activity contributes nothing.”
• “The aim of marketing is to know and understand the customer so well that the product or service fits her and sells itself.”

• “A man should never be appointed to a managerial position if his vision focuses on people’s weaknesses rather than on their strengths. The man who always knows what people cannot do, but never sees what they can do, will undermine the spirit of the organisation. Of course, a manager should have a clear grasp of the limitations of his people, but he should see these as limitations on what they can do, and as a challenge to them to do better.”

He went on in his later work to keep emphasising:

• “The task of an executive is not to change human beings. Rather as the Bible tells us in the parable of the talents, the task is to multiply the performance capacity of the whole by putting to use whatever strength, whatever health, whatever aspiration there is in individuals.”
• “It takes far less energy to move from first-rate performance to excellence than it does to move from incompetence to mediocrity.”

In summary, Drucker’s advice on a strength-based approach is:

• “Use feedback analysis to identify your strengths. Then go to work on improving your strengths. Identify and eliminate bad habits that hinder the full development of your strengths. Figure out what you should do and do it. Finally, decide what you should not do.”
• “Know your strengths. Apply them to areas in your organisation where you can make a contribution. Make sure your values and the values of the organisation are compatible.”

• “Any organisation develops people; it either forms them or deforms them.”
• “Any organisation develops people: it has no choice. It either helps them grow or stunts them.”
• “What do we know about developing people? Quite a bit, We certainly know what not to do. First, one does not try to build upon people’s weaknesses.”
• “Develop your people. Focus on their strengths. Then make high demands based on a person’s strengths. Finally, periodically view their performance.”

• “What can I contribute that will significantly affect the performance and the results of the institution I serve?”

On the first duty of a manager:

• “What is the first duty – and the continuing responsibility – of the business manager? To strive for the best possible economic results from the resources currently employed or available.”

Questions to ask about where performance really matters:

• “In what area would excellence really have an extraordinary impact on the economic results of our business, to the point where it might transform the economic performance of the entire business?
• “In what areas would poor performance threaten to damage economic performance, greatly or at least significantly.”
• “In what areas would it make little difference whether we perform excellently or poorly?”

To find time-wasters ask:

• “What would happen if this were not done at all?”

A question to ask about the future:

• “What major change in the economy, market, or knowledge would enable our company to conduct business the way we really would like to do it, the way we would really obtain economic results?”

What about questions to ask when testing a good idea?

These Peter Drucker quotes demonstrate how he was able to make questions about crucial business issues resonate on a personal level:

• “Can we take action on this idea?”
• Or can we only talk about it?”
• “Can we really do something right away to bring about the kind of future we desire?”
• “Will it ‘produce economic results?'”
• “Do we really believe in the idea? Do we really want to be that kind of people, do thatkind of work, run that kind of business?

• “I’m always asked how I know what kind of organisation to accept as a client. When you walk through the door, you know in two minutes whether they enjoy it. And if they don’t enjoy it, then I’d rather not work for them. But if they like it and they feel tomorrow is going to be better – that creates a totally different climate.”
• “Performing organisations enjoy what they’re doing.”
• “The first – and usually the best – opportunity for successful change is to exploit one’s own successes and build on them. Problems cannot be ignored. And serious problems have to be taken care of. But to be change leaders, enterprises have to focus on opportunities. They have to starve problems and feed opportunities.”

Enjoying work?

Drucker argues that

• “Those who perform love what they’re doing. I’m not saying they like everything they do…..Pianists have a wonderful expression I heard many years ago: “I practice until I have my life in my fingers.”
• The same is true of people I have seen in business who enjoy the work. Their routine is:it’s got to be done, and I enjoy it because I enjoy the work.“