Imagine all the people throughout the world that have been touched and influenced by the leadership and wisdom of Peter Drucker, the "godfather of modern management." I am one. There are two specific insights I learned from him that worked to shape and re-focus my being a leader at this time in history. It is rare that a week passes without calling upon them in some way.
Peter Drucker INSIGHT 1:
"One Sunday, I was reading Peter Drucker's The Post Capitalist Society to renew my perspective on the changing world. I was moved by one of his messages about knowledge. It helped me recognize and use the knowledge in my "toolbox" for problem-solving:
'Most of us, (perhaps all of us) know many times more than we put to use. We do not mobilize the multiple knowledge we possess. We do not use knowledges as part of one toolbox.'
Peter Drucker goes on to point out that most of us tend to classify what we know into specialized areas of knowledge, instead of applying the strengths of all our knowledge to different problems---looking at the problems we face and asking, 'What do I know, what have I learned, that I might apply to this task?'" *
Peter Drucker INSIGHT 2:
Another time, I was listening to Peter Drucker at one of the conferences put on by the Peter F. Drucker Foundation for Non-Profit Management (now Leader to Leader Institute). I remember one piece of advice he gave. Make your contribution. Everything else is a diversion. This insight has helped me in decision-making and in evaluating where I spend my time and energy.
I had the honor of meeting Peter Drucker on his 90th birthday. I cherish this meeting and his enduring influences on my leadership and my life. Thanks, Peter, for showing up on my path.
Debbe Kennedy
Founder, Global Dialogue Center
* Excerpt from my first book, Breakthrough!
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