 Rank does not confer privilege or give power. It imposes responsibility. |
| Most discussions of decision making assume that only senior executives make decisions or that only senior executives' decisions matter. This is a dangerous mistake. |
| Checking the results of a decision against its expectations shows executives what their strengths are, where they need to improve, and where they lack knowledge or information. |
| The most efficient way to produce anything is to bring together under one management as many as possible of the activities needed to turn out the product. |
| The new information technology... Internet and e-mail... have practically eliminated the physical costs of communications. |
| Today knowledge has power. It controls access to opportunity and advancement. |
| People who don't take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year. People who do take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year. |
| Few companies that installed computers to reduce the employment of clerks have realized their expectations... They now need more, and more expensive clerks even though they call them 'operators' or 'programmers.' |
| Accept the fact that we have to treat almost anybody as a volunteer. |
| So much of what we call management consists in making it difficult for people to work. |
| The entrepreneur always searches for change, responds to it, and exploits it as an opportunity. |
| Teaching is the only major occupation of man for which we have not yet developed tools that make an average person capable of competence and performance. In teaching we rely on the "naturals," the ones who somehow know how to teach. |
| Effective leadership is not about making speeches or being liked; leadership is defined by results not attributes. |
| Suppliers and especially manufacturers have market power because they have information about a product or a service that the customer does not and cannot have, and does not need if he can trust the brand. This explains the profitability of brands. |
| The only thing we know about the future is that it will be different. |
| My greatest strength as a consultant is to be ignorant and ask a few questions. |
| Plans are only good intentions unless they immediately degenerate into hard work. |
| Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes... but no plans. |
| The computer is a moron. |
| Knowledge has to be improved, challenged, and increased constantly, or it vanishes. |
