Classic Quotes From Peter Drucker

Rank does not confer privilege or give power. It imposes responsibility.

There’s no such thing as knowledge management; there are only knowledgeable people. Information only becomes knowledge in the hands of someone who knows what to do with it.

When a subject becomes totally obsolete we make it a required course.

The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn't said.

Never mind your happiness; do your duty.

The only thing we know about the future is that it will be different.

Teaching is the only major occupation of man for which we have not yet developed tools that make an average person capable of competence and performance. In teaching we rely on the 'naturals,' the ones who somehow know how to teach.

Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.

We now accept the fact that learning is a lifelong process of keeping abreast of change. And the most pressing task is to teach people how to learn.

Sometimes you just need to relax, breathe, let go, and just live in the moment.

Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes... but no plans.

Knowledge has to be improved, challenged, and increased constantly, or it vanishes.

The most efficient way to produce anything is to bring together under one management as many as possible of the activities needed to turn out the product.

My greatest strength as a consultant is to be ignorant and ask a few questions.

Most of what we call management consists of making it difficult for people to get their work done.

Plans are only good intentions unless they immediately degenerate into hard work.

Few companies that installed computers to reduce the employment of clerks have realized their expectations... They now need more, and more expensive clerks even though they call them 'operators' or 'programmers.'

Trying to predict the future is like trying to drive down a country road at night with no lights while looking out the back window.

Making good decisions is a crucial skill at every level.

The new information technology... Internet and e-mail... have practically eliminated the physical costs of communications.