What Every Manager Should Know About How to Become An Effective Executive

In his book, The Effective Executive, Peter Drucker pointed out that the effective executive is the person who focuses on making a contribution.

This focus on the making of a contribution is the key. And the key to effectiveness comes in three areas:

1. in a person's work, its content, its level, its standards, and its impacts;

2. in his relationships with others, his superiors, his associates, and his subordinates; and

3. in his use of the tools of the executive, such as meetings and reports.

The executive who focuses on efforts and who stresses his authority downwards is a subordinate no matter how exalted his title and rank might be.

But the executive who focuses on contribution and who takes responsibility for results, no matter how junior he is, is, in the most literal sense of the term, "top management".

And what applies to the good executive applies to the good parent, or the good teacher, or the good spouse, or any person of great responsibility.

People who do not ask themselves, "What can I contribute?" are not only likely to aim too low; they are likely to aim at the wrong things as well.

Above all, they may define their responsibilities too narrowly, like the person who sees something wrong that he can easily and quickly set right, but who says, "That ain't my job, man!"

Remember: When you maximize your potential, everyone wins. When you don't, we all lose.

© Etienne A. Gibbs, MSW

PERMISSION TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished in ezines, newsletters, and on web sites provided attribution is provided to the author, and it appears with the included copyright, resource box and live web site link. Email notice of intent to publish is appreciated but not required. Mail to: executiveandgroup-consulting@yahoo.com.

Business Relationship Germs

In management seminars I often compare debt to an infection.... Read More

Knowledge Management - Lessons Learned and How To Identify Them

Many organisations use the term "lessons learned" to describe the... Read More

Why Saying Well Done Works

Encouraged by the recognition, Sarah Lewsiton went home from work... Read More

Tales from the Corporate Frontlines: The Responsibility for Job Security

This article relates to the Job Security competency, commonly evaluated... Read More

Beyond Management Coaching: When Things Are Getting Out of Control

Leaders and Managers often ask us, 'What do you do... Read More

Critical Success Factors - Next

The Critical Success Factors Focusing on the... Read More

Across The Interview Table!

Job interviews are easier for the interviewer or the interviewee... Read More

IT Expenditure - Why Businesses Spend Huge Amounts on Ineffective IT Investments

Another IT White Elephant!It seems that almost every day we... Read More

Tales from the Corporate Frontlines: Employee Ideas Achieve Work Life Balance

This article relates to the Work/Life Balance competency, which investigates... Read More

Time Management Tip: Stop Micro-Managing Employees

If I was a fly on the wall what would... Read More

The Survey Feedback Process for Organizational Development and Change

THE PURPOSE OF SURVEY FEEDBACK:In globally competitive environments, organizations are... Read More

What is Knowledge Management Anyway?

When you think of all the things companies have, you... Read More

Reflections in the Glass Ceiling

The recent news about one of America's most powerful woman... Read More

Five Steps to Better Employee Management

Hiring employees is a huge responsibility. Before hiring anyone, be... Read More

Make Change Easy - Get Involved!

There are wild variances in how much involvement organisations are... Read More

The Significance of the Mundane

This article begins with a tip of the hat to... Read More

Managers Who Spend PR $$ Wisely

If you are a department, division or subsidiary manager, your... Read More

Experiences of Management Coaching (Part 2)

In our experience, we have found that there are several... Read More

Can Your Corporate Policy Pass the Monkeys, Bananas, and Water-spray Experiment?

Five monkeys were placed in a cage. A banana was... Read More

The Power of the Contract in Performance Management

An essential step in managing the performance of salespeople is... Read More

Can A Business Still Be Profitable When People Skills Are Absent?

In our current world of rapid and amazing technological advances,... Read More

Plans & Goal Setting - Kicking winning Goals

Kicking Winning Business Goals The competition for business... Read More

Employee Discipline: How to Nip Problems in the Bud

Are you uncomfortable with delivering disciplinary action, even involving employees... Read More

Creativity and Innovation Management ? Idea Progression

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

Why I always Keep my Promises

Integrity is very important to me, and I try hard... Read More