The Effective Executive (1985) (edit title/settings)

Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit see section history

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Summary edit see section history

Characters/People edit see section history

• Alfred P. Sloan: Add a description of this character.
• Marshall
• Franklin D. Roosevelt
• Kennedy
• Bryan
• Eisenhower
• Lee

Quotes edit see section history

• “Think and say "we" rather than "I".”

• “Starve problems and feed opportunities.”

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• Effective executives, finally, make effective decisions. They know that this is, above all, a matter of system—of the right steps in the right sequence. They know that an effective decision is always a judgment based on “dissenting opinions” rather than on “consensus on the facts.” And they know that to make many decisions fast means to make the wrong decisions. What is needed are few, but fundamental, decisions. What is needed is the right strategy rather than razzle-dazzle tactics.

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• For every organization needs performance in three major areas: It needs direct results; building of values and their reaffirmation; and building and developing people for tomorrow.

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• Knowledge work is not defined by quantity. Neither is knowledge work defined by its costs. Knowledge work is defined by its results.

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• The focus on contribution by itself supplies the four basic requirements of effective human relations: communications; teamwork; self-development; and development of others.

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• If there is any one “secret” of effectiveness, it is concentration. Effective executives do first things first and they do one thing at a time.

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• If the executive lets the flow of events determine what he does, what he works on, and what he takes seriously, he will fritter himself away “operating.” He may be an excellent man. But he is certain to waste his knowledge and ability and to throw away what little effectiveness he might have achieved. What the executive needs are criteria which enable him to work on the truly important, that is, on contributions and results, even though the criteria are not found in the flow of events.

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• Working on the right things is what makes knowledge work effective.

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• 2. The next question is: “Which of the activities on my time log could be done by somebody else just as well, if not better?”

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• 2. Executives are forced to keep on “operating” unless they take positive action to change the reality in which they live and work.

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• Effectiveness, in other words, is a habit; that is, a complex of practices. And practices can always be learned. Practices are simple, deceptively so; even a seven-year-old has no difficulty in understanding a practice. But practices are always exceedingly hard to do well. They have to be acquired, as we all learn the multiplication table; that is, repeated ad nauseam until “6 x 6 = 36” has become unthinking, conditioned reflex, and firmly ingrained habit. Practices one learns by practicing and practicing and practicing again.

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Setting & Locations edit see section history

• Vail
• United States
• Washington
• New York

First Sentence edit see section history

Table of Contents edit see section history

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

1. Peter F. Drucker (Author)

First Edition edit see section history

Classification edit see section history

• Library of Congress: Add the Library of Congress Classification.
• Dewey: 658.4

Subjects edit see section history

• Books › Business & Investing › Management & Leadership › Management