Skip to content
quotesby

About this quote

What does it mean?
Management focuses on efficiency and execution while leadership focuses on choosing the correct goals and direction.
In plain terms
Management is about doing tasks efficiently; leadership is about choosing the right tasks.
What can you take from it?
Effective organizations need both efficient execution and strategic direction.

Where it applies

  • business operations
  • team dynamics
  • organizational strategy

Putting it to work

  • develop leadership skills
  • align tasks with goals

Questions to consider

  • What makes a decision the right one?
  • How do you balance doing things right with doing the right things?

Another view

It presents management and leadership as strictly separate roles.

More from Peter F. Drucker

  1. [the masses] ...must turn their hopes toward a miracle. In the depths of their despair reason cannot be believed, truth must be false, and lies must be truth. …

    Permalink to quote #70

  2. Education can no longer be the sole property of the state.

    Permalink to quote #72

  3. Fascism is the result of the collapse of Europe's spiritual and social order. ...catastrophes broke through the everyday routine which makes men accept existin…

    Permalink to quote #69

Related quotes

  1. I have always believed that success would be the inevitable result if the two services, the army and the navy, had fair play, and if we sent the right man to f…

    Austen Henry LayardAusten Henry Layard quote #1

  2. Those who were adept and brave fellows I have made military commanders. Those who were quick and nimble I have made herders of horses. Those who were not adept…

    Genghis KhanGenghis Khan quote #3

  3. It's easier to ask forgiveness than it is to get permission.

    Grace HopperGrace Hopper quote #4