The Effective Executive - Softcover

Drucker, Peter Ferdinand

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0060516070 ISBN 13: 9780060516079

Publisher: Harperbusiness, 2002

Synopsis

The measure of the executive, Peter Drucker reminds us, is the ability to `get the right things done'. Usually this involves doing what other people have overlooked, as well as avoiding what is unproductive.

He identifies five talents as essential to effectiveness, and these can be learned; in fact, they must be learned just as scales must be mastered by every piano student regardless of his natural gifts. Intelligence, imagination and knowledge may all be wasted in an executive job without the acquired habits of mind that convert these into results.

One of the talents is the management of time. Another is choosing what to contribute to the particular organization. A third is knowing where and how to apply your strength to best effect. Fourth is setting up the right priorities. And all of them must be knitted together by effective decision-making.

How these can be developed forms the main body of the book. The author ranges widely through the annals of business and government to demonstrated the distinctive skill of the executive. He turns familiar experience upside down to see it in new perspective. The book is full of surprises, with its fresh insights into old and seemingly trite situations.

Written by one of the world's leading management gurusWritten by one of the world's leading management gurus

About this title

Review

'Long recognised in business circles as a voice to listen to'
Harvard Business Review

'...it would be difficult to overestimate his contribution to management thinking'
Financial Times

From the Back Cover

What makes an effective executive?

For decades, Peter F. Drucker has been widely regarded as "the dean of this country's business and management philosophers" (Wall Street Journal). In this concise and brilliant work, he looks to the most influential position in management--the executive.

The measure of the executive, Drucker reminds us, is the ability to "get the right things done." This usually involves doing what other people have overlooked and avoiding what is unproductive. In an executive position, intelligence, imagination, and knowledge may all be wasted without the acquired habits of mind that mold them into results.

Drucker identifies five practices essential to business effectiveness that can--and must--be mastered:

• Managing time
• Choosing what to contribute to the organization
• Knowing where and how to mobilize strength for best effect
• Setting the right priorities
• Knitting all of them together with effective decision-making

Ranging across the annals of business and government, Drucker demonstrates the distinctive skill of the executive and offers fresh insights into old and seemingly obvious business situations.

About this edition

• Publisher: Harperbusiness
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 0060516070
• ISBN 13: 9780060516079
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 192