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An effective executive does not need to be a leader in the typical sense of the word. Peter Drucker, the author of more than two dozen Harvard Business Review articles, wrote that some of the best business and nonprofit CEOs he worked with over his 65-year consulting career were not stereotypical leaders. They ranged from extroverted to nearly reclusive, from easygoing to controlling, from generous to parsimonious. What made them all effective is that they followed the same eight practices: They asked, "What needs to be done?" and "What is right for the enterprise?" They developed action plans. They took responsibility for decisions and for communicating. They were focused on opportunities rather than problems. They ran productive meetings. And they thought and said "we" rather than "I." The first two practices provided them with the knowledge they needed. The next four helped them convert this knowledge into effective action, for knowledge is useless to executives until it has been translated into deeds. The last two ensured that the whole organization felt responsible and accountable. Effective executives know that they have authority only because they have the trust of the organization. This means they must think of the needs and opportunities of the organization before they think of their own. Drucker also suggests a ninth practice that's so important, he elevates it to the level of a rule: Listen first, speak last. Effectiveness is a discipline. And, like every discipline, it can be learned and must be earned.--
About the author
Peter F. Drucker (1909-2005) is one of the best-known and most widely influential thinkers on the subject of management theory and practice, and his writings contributed to the philosophical and practical foundations of the modern corporation.
Often described as "the father of modern management theory," Drucker explored how people are organized across the business, government, and nonprofit sectors of society; he predicted many of the major business developments of the late twentieth century, including privatization and decentralization, the rise of Japan to economic world power, the critical importance of marketing, and the emergence of the information society with its implicit necessity of lifelong learning. In 1959, Drucker coined the term "knowledge worker" and in his later life considered knowledge-worker productivity to be the next frontier of management.
Peter Drucker died on November 11, 2005, in Claremont, California. He had four children and six grandchildren.
You can find more about Peter F. Drucker at cgu.edu/center/the-drucker-institute.
