Peter Drucker Quotes

“Nobody can predict the future; the idea is to have a firm grasp of the present.”

“The greatest danger in times of turbulence is not the turbulence; it is to act with yesterday's logic.”

“Leadership is all hype. We've had three great leaders in this century-Hitler, Stalin, and Mao.”

“The best way to predict the future is to create it.”

“One of the great movements in my lifetime among educated people is the need to commit themselves to action. Most people are not satisfied with giving money; we also feel we need to work.”

“It is easier to raise the performance of one leader than it is to raise the performance of a whole mass.”

“Without institution there is no management. But without management there is no institution.”

“Education can no longer be the sole property of the state.”

“Innovation opportunities do not come with the tempest but with the rustling of the breeze.”

“One can either work or meet. One cannot do both at the same time.”

“Marketing is the distinguishing, unique function of the business.”

“Defending yesterday is far more risky than making tomorrow.”

“The essence of management is to make knowledge productive.”

“If general perception changes from seeing the glass as 'half-full' to seeing it as 'half empty' there are major innovative opportunities.”

“The only industries that function well are the industries that take responsibility for training. The Japanese, you know, assume that when you first come to work you know absolutely nothing. School isn't preparation for work and never was.”

“Some of the best business and nonprofit CEOs I've worked with over a sixty-five-year consulting career were not stereotypical leaders. They were all over the map in terms of their personalities, attitudes, values, strengths, and weaknesses.”

“Don't take on things you don't believe in and that you yourself are not good at. Learn to say no. Effective leaders match the objective needs of their company with the subjective competencies. As a result, they get an enormous amount of things done fast.”

“Leaders shouldn?t attach moral significance to their ideas: Do that, and you can?t compromise.”

“There is every indication that the period ahead will be an innovative one, one of rapid change in technology , society , economy , and institutions .”

“There is a point at which a transformation has to take place.”

“In todays economy, the most important resource is no longer labor, capital or land; it is knowledge”

“Cultivate a deep understanding of yourself - not only what your strengths and weaknesses are but also how you learn, how you work with others, what your values are, and where you can make the greatest contribution. Because only when you operate from strengths can you achieve true excellence.”

“Quality of character doesn't make a leader, but the lack of it flaws the entire process.”

“An effective executive builds on strengths - their own strengths, the strengths of superiors, colleagues, subordinates, and on the strength of the situation.”

“The building of a personality beyond its normal limitations.”