Drucker Log

Author: (USA) Drucker/Maccariello/Jiang Xufeng/Wang Shanshan et al./Reviewed by Zhan Zhengmao
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: Preface by Jim Collins, author of the bestseller "Good to Great," "Drucker's Log" brings you 366 days of insights and inspiration, teaching you to do the right things! The world's managers should be grateful to this person, who dedicated his life to clarifying the role of people and organizations in our society. — Jack Welch, former CEO of General Electric In all management books, Drucker's works have had the most profound impact on me. — Bill Gates, CEO of Microsoft Mentioning the name Peter Drucker, and countless ears will perk up in the jungle of business. — Harvard Business Review A contemporary management thinker of enduring value. — Business Week A master of American business and management thought. — Wall Street Journal See Drucker's other works in the following series: Commemorating Master Drucker: Management Classics Series In the history of management thought, Drucker's most profound ideas have been concentrated in one place: "Drucker's Log." This book distills the essence of Drucker's lifelong works, offering readers the key to understanding his thought. It is not only a review of the essence of Drucker's life's writings but also an action guide. As Drucker himself wrote, "The 'Action Guide' at the bottom of each page is the most important part of this book. I believe readers will find inspiration here to improve their actions, decisions, and the effectiveness of their decisions. This book is indeed an action guide." It accurately tells you how to translate Drucker's ideas into action. It's as if the wisest management consultant in the world, who is best at providing action plans, is sitting in the same room with you, offering timeless valuable advice. For anyone who aspires to understand and apply Drucker's golden words, "Drucker's Log" is a must-read masterpiece. [Preface] In December 1994, I drove up to the house of Peter Drucker in a rented car. I had checked the address one more time because the house didn't look very spacious. It was quite pretty, located in a neighborhood not far from Claremont College, surrounded by several suburban homes similar to it, and two Toyota cars were parked in the driveway. If this were the home of a professor at the local college, it would be quite fitting. But the person I was looking for wasn't just any professor at the local college—I was looking for Peter Drucker. He was the founder of management theory, one of the most influential thinkers in the field of management in the second half of the 20th century, and the founder of the Peter Drucker Academy of Management. However, the house number matched the address I had, so I walked quickly to the front door and rang the bell. I waited outside, but there was no sound from inside. I rang the bell again, "Okay, okay, I'm here!" This time, I heard someone speaking from inside, "I can't move fast now!" The voice sounded a bit impatient, and I thought the person who would open the door must be grumpy. But instead, I saw a smiling face, and it seemed the host was very happy to see me, even though we had never met. "Mr. Collins, it's a pleasure to meet you," Drucker said as he shook my hand and warmly welcomed me into the house, saying, "Please come in." We sat in the living room, and Drucker sat in his favorite wicker chair, constantly asking me questions. His questions were thought-provoking, inspiring, and worth exploring. He generously shared his wisdom without expecting anything in return. He just wanted his words to help my career development, which was at a critical stage at the time. I was only 36 years old then, and not very famous. Yet Drucker was incredibly generous to me, which perfectly explains why he enjoys such high prestige. After that, I reread his masterpiece "The Effective Executive" and revisited his advice to value contribution over mere success. Drucker believed that the key wasn't "How can I achieve success?" but "What can I contribute?" Drucker's greatest contribution wasn't a single idea but a vast body of work, all of which shared the remarkable quality that the vast majority of his thoughts were golden nuggets. Drucker had a remarkable ability to offer profound insights into the real world, which would later be proven by history. His monumental work "The End of Economic Man," published in 1939, dissected the roots of totalitarianism. After France fell in 1940, Winston Churchill listed it as required reading for students at the British Military Academy. In 1946, Drucker published "The Concept of the Corporation," in which he analyzed the management of a company run by technical experts based on his deep understanding of General Motors. His insightful explanation of the challenges facing the corporate kingdom shook the General Motors management so much that during the time Sloan was in charge of General Motors, Drucker's theories were banned. Drucker's 1964 work revolutionized the discussion of the principles of "corporate strategy," so much so that publishers thought the concept was too avant-garde and advised him to change the title of "Business Strategy" to "Results Management," believing that "strategy" was a completely new and unfamiliar term for business at the time.