Drucker on Leadership: New Lessons from the Father of Modern Management - Hardcover

by William A. Cohen (Author)

Although Peter Drucker, "The Father of Modern Management," died in 2005, his timeless teachings are studied and practiced by forward-thinking managers worldwide. His lessons and wisdom on the topic of leadership--the central element of management--are in constant demand, yet he wrote little under that actual subject heading.

In Drucker on Leadership, William A. Cohen explores Drucker's lost leadership lessons--why they are missing, what they are, why they are important, and how to apply them. As Cohen explains, Drucker was ambivalent about leadership for much of his career, making it clear that leadership was not by itself "good or desirable." While Drucker struggled with the concept of leadership, he was well aware that it had a critical impact on the accomplishment of all projects and human endeavors. There is no book from Drucker specifically dedicated to leadership, but a wealth of information about leadership can be found scattered throughout his 40 books and hundreds of articles. Drucker's teachings about leadership have saved many corporations from failure and helped guide others to outstanding success.

Many of the leadership concepts revealed in this book will surprise and perhaps shock Drucker's followers. For example, who would have thought that Peter Drucker taught that "leadership is a marketing job" or that "the best leadership lessons for business or any nonprofit organization come from the military"?

Written for anyone who values the insights of the man whose name is synonymous with excellence in management, Drucker on Leadership offers a deeper understanding of what makes an extraordinary leader.

Front Jacket

Praise for Drucker on Leadership

Bill Cohen's Drucker on Leadership is the best collection of Peter Drucker's unique insights, deep wisdom, and practical advice I have ever read. Cohen channels Drucker as only a three-decades-long colleague and student can. You will find the lessons highly accessible, immensely enjoyable, and wonderfully fresh.

--Jim Kouzes, coauthor, The Leadership Challenge

Cohen has written with clarity and authority about the major challenges facing leaders today. And Cohen, like Drucker, emphasizes responsibility and integrity in leadership, qualities so desperately needed today. I strongly recommend this book to you.

--Joseph A. Maciariello, Horton Professor of Management, Peter F. Drucker and Masatoshi Ito Graduate School of Management, and coauthor (with Peter Drucker), The Daily Drucker and Management by Peter F. Drucker

Cohen's unique relationship with Peter Drucker, as student and friend, allows him to extract valuable leadership lessons from Drucker's writings and teachings on management. Cohen's 'labor of love' provides the essential lessons for leaders straight from the Father of Modern Management.

--Ronald E. Riggio, director, Kravis Leadership Institute at Claremont McKenna College

For those who aspire to lead--and we need a new generation of Drucker-like leaders in organizations in every country around the world--Bill Cohen distills the essential leadership lessons from the world's greatest management thinker.

--Ira A. Jackson, dean and professor of management, Peter F. Drucker and Masatoshi Ito Graduate School of Management, Claremont Graduate University

Through a blend of anecdote and analysis, Bill Cohen has given us great insight into Peter Drucker's thinking on leadership--an aspect of Drucker's work that many have misconstrued or overlooked altogether. This is a new prism through which to view Drucker and, as such, a valuable contribution to the field.

--Rick Wartzman, executive director, The Drucker Institute

Back Jacket

Praise for Drucker on Leadership

"Bill Cohen's Drucker on Leadership is the best collection of Peter Drucker's unique insights, deep wisdom, and practical advice I have ever read. Cohen channels Drucker as only a three-decades-long colleague and student can. You will find the lessons highly accessible, immensely enjoyable, and wonderfully fresh."

--Jim Kouzes, coauthor, The Leadership Challenge

"Cohen has written with clarity and authority about the major challenges facing leaders today. And Cohen, like Drucker, emphasizes responsibility and integrity in leadership, qualities so desperately needed today. I strongly recommend this book to you."

--Joseph A. Maciariello, Horton Professor of Management, Peter F. Drucker and Masatoshi Ito Graduate School of Management, and coauthor (with Peter Drucker), The Daily Drucker and Management by Peter F. Drucker

"Cohen's unique relationship with Peter Drucker, as student and friend, allows him to extract valuable leadership lessons from Drucker's writings and teachings on management. Cohen's 'labor of love' provides the essential lessons for leaders straight from the Father of Modern Management."

--Ronald E. Riggio, director, Kravis Leadership Institute at Claremont McKenna College

"For those who aspire to lead--and we need a new generation of Drucker-like leaders in organizations in every country around the world--Bill Cohen distills the essential leadership lessons from the world's greatest management thinker."

--Ira A. Jackson, dean and professor of management, Peter F. Drucker and Masatoshi Ito Graduate School of Management, Claremont Graduate University

"Through a blend of anecdote and analysis, Bill Cohen has given us great insight into Peter Drucker's thinking on leadership--an aspect of Drucker's work that many have misconstrued or overlooked altogether. This is a new prism through which to view Drucker and, as such, a valuable contribution to the field."

--Rick Wartzman, executive director, The Drucker Institute

Author Biography

Dr. William Cohen (Pasadena, CA) is President of the Institute of Leader Arts. He has spoken and given workshops for small groups of managers and executives, and given keynote addresses in more than 50 countries to audiences of up to 15,000 in size. He has taught in the graduate schools of California State University Los Angeles, University of Southern California and Claremont Graduate University as well as three years with Touro University International, a fully accredited online university. A prolific author, speaker, and academic, ?Dr. Cohen is also a retired major general from the U.S. Air Force Reserve and has held executive positions in several companies including Director of Research at Sierra Engineering Company, Manager of Advanced Technology Marketing at McDonnell Douglas Astronautics Company, and President of Global Associates. In addition to his BS in engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point, he has an MBA from the University of Chicago, an MA and PhD in management from the Peter Drucker School of Management at Claremont Graduate University. He is a distinguished graduate in residence of the prestigious Industrial College of the Armed Forces in Washington, D.C.