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Category Archives: Peter Drucker

The amulet

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Insular thinking is a real danger in all walks of life, and certainly in business. Unfortunately, it is also all-too common. Last year, for example, we noted here an item about some senior managers who had been sent, as part of their annual training, on organized outings with volunteer groups. Some were positively thunderstruck at the teamwork skills they developed while self-organizing the unloading of roofing tiles from a pickup truck. Another praised the experience as an opportunity for senior management to “organize something and work with people.” I wonder what the managers of the volunteer organizations learned in turn from these awe-struck visitors. . .

Also filed in Management Development, Military Managers, Training and Education | | Comments (12)

Book Review: The Definitive Drucker

Friday, March 14, 2008

The late Peter Drucker will likely be remembered as the most influential management thinker of the last 100 years - perhaps of all time. He was at once profound and prolific, writing widely on management and other topics. Certainly much has been written about him, as well. But the author of this book, Elizabeth Haas Edersheim, wrote it at the specific request of Drucker, and with the help of his close collaboration over the last sixteen months of his life. . .

Also filed in Book Reviews, Management Development, Management Skills, Management Trends | | Comments (0)

The decision-maker

Monday, February 25, 2008

Being a jack of all trades isn’t necessary to being a CEO. It may not hurt, as we have noted here before, but it isn’t what makes a CEO successful in the generalist role that is necessary at the top. Even broad experience - even merely knowledge - of an industry may not be specifically necessary for serving in it as a senior executive. Recently we have seen examples of this in action . . .

Also filed in CEOs, Management Skills | | Comments (5)

Boards: What are they good for?

Thursday, November 1, 2007

Boards of directors. We don’t seem to have a consensus regarding who they are or what they do. Moreover, we don’t seem to be cognizant of the narrow and conflicting agendas of those who offer answers. . .

Also filed in Boards, CEOs, Corporate Governance, Women in Management | | Comments (2)

Roundup: Women, work, and the new society

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

The past week or so have seen some interesting observations and cautions on trends shaping the evolving workplace. They cover the ground from what is perhaps a surprising expression of an old, forgotten idea, to efforts to understand a powerful new demographic trend, to cautions about one of the ways we transmit knowledge across the generations in the midst of all this change. . .

Also filed in Management Skills, Management Trends, Women in Management | | Comments (4)