At 558 pages, Peter Drucker’s 2008 Management: Revised Edition, published three years after his death, can seem like a daunting read. Yet the book, which I reviewed for USA TODAY, is a revised/updated version of an even longer tome, 1974’s Management: Tasks, Responsibilities, Practices, which weighed in at 839 pages. The latter is particularly close to my heart, as it was my introduction to Drucker, in 1986, and directly led to my intense interest in him and his work. It also paved the path to my two books, Living in More Than One World: How Peter Drucker’s Wisdom Can Inspire and Transform Your Life, (Berrett-Koehler, 2009), and Create Your Future the Peter Drucker Way, (McGraw-Hill and Brilliance Audio, 2013). In recognition of the daunting times we’re currently navigating, I’ve chosen 16 chapters (out of 48) from Management: Revised Edition that are particularly relevant now, at a manageable 156 pages. The entire book is indeed worth reading, and perhaps these chapters will spur you on for more:
Management as a Social Function and Liberal Art, Chapter 2, pages 18-25
The Future of the Corporation and the Way Ahead, Chapter 6, pages 51-64
Making the Future Today, Chapter 10, pages 113-121
Managing Service Institutions in the Society of Organizations, Chapter 12, pages 131-141
What Successful and Performing Nonprofits Are Teaching Business, Chapter 13, pages 142-151
The Accountable School, Chapter 14, pages 152-159
Entrepreneurship in the Public-Service Institution, Chapter 16, pages 171-179
Social Impacts and Social Responsibilities, Chapter 20, pages 213-224
The New Pluralism: How to Balance the Special Purpose of the Institution With the Common Good, Chapter 21, pages 225-231
From Middle Management to Information-Based Organizations, Chapter 26, pages 269-279
The Spirit of Performance, Chapter 27, pages 280-291
The Elements of Effective Decision Making, Chapter 28, pages 295-307
Information Tools and Concepts, Chapter 33, pages 341-355
Systematic Innovation Using Windows of Opportunity, Chapter 37, pages 398-404
Managing Oneself, Chapter 45, pages 481-497
Revitalizing Oneself—Seven Personal Experiences, Chapter 47, pages 505-513
The book represents a collaboration between Drucker and his longtime friend and Drucker School colleague, Joseph A. Maciariello, who worked on several book projects together before Drucker’s death at 95 in 2005. Maciariello discusses his relationship with Drucker, and their work on this book, in an Author’s Note on pages 527-528. He writes: “I will never forget the lessons I learned such as: his concern for the dignity and development of the human being; his emphasis on mission and results; and his uncompromising demand for integrity in personal relationships.” The revised edition also contains considerable supporting material, including the essay “Peter Drucker’s Legacy,” by Good to Great author Jim Collins, as well as a 12-page annotated bibliography of Drucker’s books. Management: Revised Edition should not be seen as strictly for managers. As I noted in my USA TODAY review, it is “also relevant for non-managers who care about where our institutions are headed and what roles they’ll play as their careers inevitably change.”