Marcus Aurelius

Peter F. Drucker Seth Godin

Altogether, an enormous amount of the work being done by executives is work that can easily be done by others, and therefore should be done by others.

Effective executives have learned to ask systematically and without coyness: What do I do that wastes your time without contributing to your effectiveness?

[The effective executive] does not hunt for genius to do the impossible. He redesigns the job.

All that matters, he pointed out, is that you know that this man is not equal to the task. Where his replacement comes from is the next question.

If we did not already do this, would we go into it now? Unless the answer is an unconditional Yes, drop the activity or curtail it sharply.

This is the trouble with so many policy statements, especially of business: They contain no action commitment.

We know what to do with hypotheses one does not argue them; one tests them.