The Five Most Important Questions: You Will Ever Ask About Your Organization

The Five Most Important Questions: You Will Ever Ask About Your Organization

by Peter F. Drucker
Released April 2008
Publisher(s): Jossey-Bass
ISBN: 9780470227565

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Book description

With Peter Drucker’s five essential questions and the help of five of today’s thought leaders, this little book will challenge readers to take a close look at the very heart of their organizations and what drives them. A tool for self-assessment and transformation, answering these five questions will fundamentally change the way you work, helping you lead your organization to an exceptional level of performance.

Peter Drucker’s five questions are:

  • What is our Mission? with Jim Collins

  • Who is our Customer? with Phil Kotler

  • What does the Customer Value? with Jim Kouzes

  • What are our Results? with Judith Rodin

  • What is our Plan? with V. Kasturi Rangan

These essential questions, grounded in Peter Drucker's theories of management, will take readers on a exploration of organizational and personal self-discovery, giving them a means to assess how to be--how to develop quality, character, mind-set, values and courage. The questions lead to action. By asking these questions, readers can focus on why they are doing what they are doing in their work, and how to do it better. Designed for today’s busy professionals, this brief, clear and accessible book will challenge readers to ask these provocative questions and it will stimulate spirited discussions and action within any organization, inspiring positive change and new levels of excellence, helping all to envision the future of theirs' or any organization.

Table of contents

  2. Copyright
  3. OTHER PUBLICATIONS FROM THE LEADER TO LEADER INSTITUTE
  5. FOREWORD
  6. ABOUT PETER F. DRUCKER
  7. WHY SELF-ASSESSMENT?
    1. THE FIVE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
    2. PLANNING IS NOT AN EVENT
    3. ENCOURAGE CONSTRUCTIVE DISSENT
    4. CREATING TOMORROW'S SOCIETY OF CITIZENS
  8. QUESTION 1: What Is Our Mission?
    1. Question 1: WHAT IS OUR MISSION?
    2. IT SHOULD FIT ON A T-SHIRT
    3. MAKE PRINCIPLED DECISIONS
    4. KEEP THINKING IT THROUGH
    5. Question 1: WHAT IS OUR MISSION?
  9. QUESTION 2: Who Is Our Customer?
    1. Question 2: WHO IS OUR CUSTOMER?
    2. IDENTIFY THE PRIMARY CUSTOMER
    3. IDENTIFYING SUPPORTING CUSTOMERS
    4. KNOW YOUR CUSTOMERS
    5. Question 2: WHO IS OUR CUSTOMER?
  10. QUESTION 3: What Does the Customer Value?
    1. Question 3: WHAT DOES THE CUSTOMER VALUE?
    2. UNDERSTAND YOUR ASSUMPTIONS
    3. WHAT DOES THE PRIMARY CUSTOMER VALUE?
    4. WHAT DO SUPPORTING CUSTOMERS VALUE?
    5. LISTEN TO YOUR CUSTOMERS
    6. Question 3: WHAT DOES THE CUSTOMER VALUE?
  11. QUESTION 4: What Are Our Results?
    1. Question 4: WHAT ARE OUR RESULTS?
    2. LOOK AT SHORT-TERM ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND LONG-TERM CHANGE
    3. QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE MEASURES
    4. ASSESS WHAT MUST BE STRENGTHENED OR ABANDONED
    5. LEADERSHIP IS ACCOUNTABLE
    6. Question 4: WHAT ARE OUR RESULTS?
  12. QUESTION 5: What Is Our Plan?
    1. Question 5: WHAT IS OUR PLAN?
    2. GOALS ARE FEW, OVERARCHING, AND APPROVED BY THE BOARD
    3. OBJECTIVES ARE MEASURABLE, CONCRETE, AND THE RESPONSIBILITY OF MANAGEMENT
    4. FIVE ELEMENTS OF EFFECTIVE PLANS
    5. BUILD UNDERSTANDING AND OWNERSHIP
    6. NEVER REALLY BE SATISFIED
    7. Question 5: WHAT IS OUR PLAN?
  13. TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP
  14. THE SELF-ASSESSMENT PROCESS
  15. SUGGESTED QUESTIONS TO EXPLORE
    1. QUESTION 1: WHAT IS OUR MISSION?
    2. QUESTION 2: WHO IS OUR CUSTOMER?
    3. QUESTION 3: WHAT DOES THE CUSTOMER VALUE?
    4. QUESTION 4: WHAT ARE OUR RESULTS?
    5. QUESTION 5: WHAT IS OUR PLAN?
  16. DEFINITIONS OF TERMS
  17. ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTORS
  18. ABOUT THE LEADER TO LEADER INSTITUTE
  19. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  20. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Product information

  • Title: The Five Most Important Questions: You Will Ever Ask About Your Organization
  • Author(s): Peter F. Drucker
  • Release date: April 2008
  • Publisher(s): Jossey-Bass
  • ISBN: 9780470227565