Peter Drucker (1909-2005) was among the most insightful managerial consultants and scholars of the 20th century. While most management books focus on managing others, Drucker’s “The Effective Executive” focuses on managing oneself.
To Drucker, effectiveness means accomplishing the right things. In spite of what the financial press portrays, executives are not born effective, and they don’t graduate that way from business schools. Effectiveness is not a function of IQ, knowledge, or time clocked on the job. Smart, hard-working people can be ineffective. Executives must learn and practice effective behaviors until they become habitual.