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…managers are made not born. There has to be systematic work on the supply, the development, and the skills of tomorrow’s management. It cannot be left to luck or chance.

To obtain balanced efforts, the objectives of all managers on all levels and in all areas should also be keyed to both short-range and long-range considerations.

Management-by-drive is a sure sign of confusion. It is an admission of incompetence. It is a sign that management does not think.

The greatest advantage of management by objectives is perhaps that it makes it possible for managers to control their own performance. Self-control means stronger motivation: a desire to do the best rather than do just enough to get by.

…if new information technology is abused to impose control on managers from above, it will inflict incalculable harm by demoralizing management and by seriously lowering the effectiveness of managers.

Management by objectives and self-control assumes that people want to be responsible, want to contribute, want to achieve… we know that people tend to act as they are expected to act.

…the first task of managers is to make effective the strengths of people. And this they can do only if they start out with the assumption that people – and especially managers and professional contributors – want to achieve.

A management that does not define performance as a balance of success and failure over a period of time is a management that mistakes conformity for achievement, and absence of weaknesses for strengths.

One owes it to the manager’s subordinates not to tolerate poor performance in their boss. They have a right to be managed with competence, dedication, and achievement.

A management that wants to create and maintain the spirit of achievement… stresses opportunity. But it will also demand that opportunities be converted into results.