<p>This week, many in business throughout the United States and around the world will be celebrating the 100th birthday of history’s most influential business thinker- Peter F. Drucker. Drucker, now deceased, was lauded as the father of modern management and published 39 books on a whole range of topics and principles that he saw as essential to the greater role of business in society. His first rule of thumb was his version of medicine’s Hippocratic Oath: Do no harm. Leave the marketplace, the workforce, the community you do business in, better than you found it.</p>
<p>One of Mr. Drucker’s most compelling quotes was, “What you have to do and the way you have to do it is incredibly simple. Whether you are willing to do it is another matter”. This quote and the implication behind it is at the core of what causes some small businesses to succeed while many others fail. As a small business advisor, I frequently chat with business owners who have followed the teachings of any number of business gurus without any real thought of implementing what they’ve learned. As coveted as information and knowledge is today, without taking action, it’s useless for the purpose of building a business.</p>
<p>One of the areas many business owners spend far too little time on is marketing their business. Marketing and sales are the only two activities that produce revenue. All other business functions incur costs. So, if your slaes are down (as many are today) and you are spending a fraction of your time marketing your product or service to consumers you know want to buy what you sell, your outcome will not change and the marketplace won't be the problem.</p>
<p>Business owners who realize that there’s no silver bullet for achieving success in the marketplace frequently get help with the things they know they should do but can’t do by themselves. This is the essence of professional business coaching and can be very effective at speeding up your learning curve while helping you develop the ‘take action’ behaviors that have previously limited your forward progress.</p>
<p>Building ones brand is not difficult but it does take commitment and a belief that what you provide not only meets an essential need but leaves your community better off. This is the heart of social media marketing- connecting with people and letting them know who you are before you ask them to do business with you. Peter Drucker understood that while the internet changed the means by which businesses interacted with consumers, it also requires the business owner to work harder on connecting with the community.</p>
<p>We’ve all been dealing with an unforgiving economy for quite a while and the latest predictions from credible economists tell us that this could be the norm for the near future. If the business you have now is the business you want years from now, follow Peter Drucker’s philosophy and decide what you will do to grow it. And, if you need help getting there, make that decision too. </p>
<p>More millionaires have been made during times such as these than at any other economic cycle. With the right mindset and the support to make your dream a reality, there’s no reason why it can’t happen to you! </p>
2009-11-04T00:28:35Z
-0.7045
114
7260
true
5
25293
peter-drucker-his-leadership-message-is-alive-and-needed
0
2009-11-04T13:37:55Z
2009-11-04T17:38:15Z
As the father of modern management, Peter Drucker's focus and concern was on the impact companies would have on society. His disciplines for good management practices helped shape an entire business generation.
Peter Drucker: His Leadership Message is Alive and Needed!
1
2009-11-04T17:38:15Z