Lessons On Managing Oneself

Jul 6, 2010

In his classic article, "Managing Oneself," (HBR, 1999), the late, great management thinker, Peter Drucker, offered the following: "We live in an age of unprecedented opportunity: if you've got ambition, drive and smarts, you can rise to the top of your profession-regardless of where you started out. But with opportunity comes responsibility. Companies today aren't managing their knowledge workers' careers. Rather, we must each be our own chief executive officer." Have you declared yourself CEO of your own career?

Fresh ideas sign in the skyIn his classic article, “Managing Oneself,” (HBR, 1999), the late, great management thinker, Peter Drucker, offered the following:

“We live in an age of unprecedented opportunity: if you’ve got ambition, drive and smarts, you can rise to the top of your profession-regardless of where you started out.  But with opportunity comes responsibility.  Companies today aren’t managing their knowledge workers’ careers.  Rather, we must each be our own chief executive officer.”

The futurist, Alvin Toffler offered:

“The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn.”

Questions to Ask and Answer:

What are you doing to foster your ability to learn, unlearn and relearn?

Have you declared yourself CEO of your own career?  What’s your strategy for success?

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