Tuesday, June 24, 2014

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

The Five Most Important Questions You Will Ask About Your Organization
Here are some notes and quotes from The Five Most Important Questions You Will Ever Ask About Your Organization by Peter F. Drucker and others.  It’s one of the books on my 2014 reading list.  First of all, here are the five questions from the book.
  • Question 1:  What is Our Mission?
  • Question 2:  Who is Our Customer?
  • Question 3:  What Does the Customer Value?
  • Question 4:  What are Our Results?
  • Question 5:  What is Our Plan?
Here are some other notable quotes from the book.
  • Planning is not an event.  It is the continuous process of strengthening what works and abandoning what does not.
  • Trust requires dissent come into the open.
  • Never subordinate the mission to get money.  If there are opportunities that threaten the integrity of the organization, you must say no.  Otherwise, you sell your soul.
  • Your mission provides guidance on what to do, but equally about what not to do.
  • Just because something is a “once in a lifetime” opportunity is not reason enough to act.  If a great opportunity does not fit your mission, then the answer must be no.
  • “Nobody can guarantee your job.  Only customers can guarantee your job.”  - Jack Welch to GE employees
  • Profit might not be the only measuring stick, but without it, there is no long term business.
  • Need alone is not justification enough.
  • If results are our goal, they must also be our test.
  • The work of non profits is not how hard we try or how clever we may be or even how much we care.  What is remembered is how we have been able to improve lives.
  • Building around mission and long-term goals is the only way to integrate shorter-term interests.
  • “Pray for miracles but work for results.” – St. Augustine.
  • Ask this question:  “If we were not committed to this today, would we go into it?”  If they answer is “no,” then get out fast.
  • A plan must begin with the mission and end with action steps and a budget.
  • A plan is an action agenda aimed at reaching the goal.
This was a short and simple book to read with some good insights for leaders.  Grab it here and check out the other books on my 2014 reading list.

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