Peter Drucker (1909–2005) was more than a management scholar—he was probably the architect of modern management thinking. Advisor to CEOs and Governments for over six decades, he coined terms like “knowledge worker” and popularised the idea that management is about human beings first.

As we enter a world which seems to be so different to the one of the last six decades, I was wondering about the applicability of some of Drucker’s theories in the world that is unfolding, and feel they seem timeless and still resonate.

While there are several popular pieces written by him, his top ideas, according to me, are:

·     Managing Oneself: Before you can lead others effectively, you must first understand and lead yourself
·     Management by Objectives: Setting clear, measurable goals for individuals and aligning them with organisational priorities is key
·     Theory of the Business: Continually question whether the assumptions on which your organisation is built still matches reality
·     Strengths-Based Leadership: Focus on maximising strengths rather than fixing every weakness. I particularly like this one since we do tend to spend a lot of time in appraisals and self-assessments thinking about “development areas” and the idea here is that you will become exceptional only by focusing on strengths, never by trying to improve weaknesses
·     Knowledge Worker Productivity: Recognise that effectiveness, not hours worked, drives results
·     Relationships matter: managers must not only know their own strengths but also understand and respect the strengths of others. Clear communication about “how I work” and “how you work” builds trust, reduces friction, and accelerates performance

In Managing Oneself, arguably Drucker’s most popular work, he asks leaders to answer five critical questions:
1. What are your strengths? Use feedback analysis to find out more about this for yourself so you really know yourself
2. How do you perform best? Understand whether you process information best as a reader or listener, whether you thrive in collaboration or autonomy
3. What are your values? Apply the “mirror test”: what kind of person do you want to see each morning?
4. Where do you belong? Find environments where your strengths, style, and values align because that’s where you will deliver your best
5. What should you contribute? Identify the most important results you can deliver in the next 18 months and focus on that

While there is a lot of food for thought in his work, the thought that has stuck most with me is “Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.”