EMBA 503: 2019-1-91-018

Assignment on
Managing Oneself
By Peter R Drucker

Course Code: EMBA 503

Section: 1

Name: Mahmudul Hasan Tushar

ID: 2019-1-91-018
EMBA 503: 2019-1-91-018

Managing oneself is an article from Peter F. Drucker from Harvard Business Review
(HBR). The article is based on five questions what identifies a person for his professional life
backed by personal values. The article begins with the question ‘What are my strengths?’ To
identify strengths Drucker suggested to use feedback analysis method. Feedback analysis
method is about identifying the gap between expectation and reality. According to writer
feedback analysis can easily identifies one’s strength points. After identifying strengths one
has to focus on playing with his strengths. Also one should focus one developing the gap in
his strengths along with identifying what intellectual arrogance is pulling him/her behind.
Self-defeating arrogance is like other bad habits what a person should remove from himself.
Secondly, it is to identify how one will perform best. Drucker puts a question of
identifying yourself whether you a listener or a reader. Also it is important to know whether
you are a team player or a lone wolf. Do you provide best in stressful condition or in comfort
zone?
Thirdly before going into belongingness one should identify his values. If
organizations ethical values doesn’t match with your values than it will turn into a frustrating
and poor outcome. Writer used the term mirror test to describe ones ethical and moral values
as what kind of person do you want to see in the mirror in the morning. Values are the
ultimate test for oneself to identify his belongingness.
After getting above three answers it’s time to identify where a person should belong.
It has been said that most people especially the gifted ones do not know where they belong
until they well passed their mid-twenties. That means successful careers are not well planned
because success comes when people know their strengths.
It is not so long ago when people were looking forward to their employers to know
where they will contribute. Now stronger employees knows where is the scope to contribute
more because he is well aware of organizations values. Also the necessity of working in an
organization has a lot to do with relationships with others. By observing and accepting the
others working style you need to develop ways to get your job done. Drucker highlighted on
responsibility of communication between employees of an organization. It is the duty of
others to educate one about what and why they are doing.
Lastly, it is about the midlife crisis in which point mostly due to boredom people tend
to switch to new professions. It happens because after doing twenty years of work they feel
they are not learning or contributing anymore. At this point people change their organizations
even some people get new degree and get into a completely new profession. On the contrary
it is not possible for this minor group of people to get into a second profession unless they
planned it well before. So the article is all about identifying your strengths and sharpening
them which is backed by your ethics and values.