Managing Oneself

How should I shape my career? Will this job be a stepping stone to my goals? Did these questions bother you? Managing Oneself (Peter F Drucker, HBR Apr ’99) turns the pointer inwards. “Successful careers are not planned. They develop when people are prepared for opportunities because they know their strengths, their method of work, and their values.”

“Knowing where one belongs can transform an ordinary person – hardworking and competent but otherwise mediocre – into an outstanding performer” says Drucker. “Success in the knowledge economy comes to those who know themselves- their strengths, their values and how best they perform”

I have been working on developing specific skill sets and the article comes in handy as a framework. It asks you questions and for which there are no immediate answers. You have to evaluate yourself for a period of 2-3 years before you can answer them. It lets you ask the right questions so you can answer the more important ones. Reading this article is enlightening. At the least, it is time well spent.

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