So much of what we call management consists in making it difficult for people to work.
—Peter Drucker (1909–2005) Austrian-born Management Consultant
When a management with a reputation for brilliance tackles a business with a reputation for bad economics, it is the reputation of the business that remains intact.
—Warren Buffett (b.1930) American Investor
You don’t need a Harvard MBA to know that the bedroom and the boardroom are just two sides of the same ballgame.
—Stephen Fry (b.1957) English Actor, Writer, Director, Broadcaster
A good manager is a man who isn’t worried about his own career but rather the careers of those who work for him. My advice: Don’t worry about yourself. Take care of those who work for you and you’ll float to greatness on their achievements.
—H. S. M. Burns (1900–71) American Businessman
As a manager the important thing is not what happens when you are there, but what happens when you are not there.
—Ken Blanchard (b.1939) American Author, Management Consultant
Reduce the layers of management. They put distance between the top of an organization and the customers.
—Donald Rumsfeld (1932–2021) U.S. Secretary of Defense
Effective leadership is putting first things first. Effective management is discipline, carrying it out.
—Stephen Covey (1932–2012) American Self-help Author
Leadership on the other hand, is about creating change you believe in.
—Seth Godin (b.1960) American Entrepreneur
If you want to manage somebody, manage yourself. Do that well and you’ll be ready to stop managing. And start leading.
—Unknown
Instead of forming new words I recommend to you any kind of artful management by which you may be able to give cost to old ones
—Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus) (65–8 BCE) Roman Poet
Every time I appoint someone to a vacant position, I make a hundred unhappy and one ungrateful.
—Louis XIV of France (1638–1715) King of France
Are you a serial idea-starting person? The goal is to be an idea-shipping person.
—Seth Godin (b.1960) American Entrepreneur
Management is nothing more than motivating other people.
—Lee Iacocca (1924–2019) American Businessperson
The one word that makes a good manager—decisiveness.
—Lee Iacocca (1924–2019) American Businessperson
When a management with a reputation for brilliance tackles a business with a reputation for bad economics, it is usually the reputation of the business that remains intact.
—Warren Buffett (b.1930) American Investor
There is no class of men so difficult to be managed in a state as those whose intentions are honest, but whose consciences are bewitched.
—Napoleon I (1769–1821) Emperor of France
Just a few words on time management: forget all about it.
—Tim Ferriss (b.1977) American Self-help Author
Successful Project Management: PLAN, EXECUTE, EVALUATE Sounds simple, but most projects aren’t well planned nor are they evaluated well. The tendency is to jump right into execution and as soon as execution is completed (which usually isn’t soon), move on to the next project without evaluating what happen on the present project and what could have been improved. Successful project management requires more front and back end resources (and less middle) than are usually allocated.
—Unknown
Management by objectives works if you first think through your objectives. Ninety percent of the time you haven’t.
—Peter Drucker (1909–2005) Austrian-born Management Consultant
Things refuse to be mismanaged long.
—Common Proverb
Effective people stay out of Quadrants III and IV because, urgent or not, they aren’t important. They also shrink Quadrant I down to size by spending more time in Quadrant II…Quadrant II is the heart of effective personal management.
—Stephen Covey (1932–2012) American Self-help Author
The secret of successful managing is to keep the five guys who hate you away from the four guys who haven’t made up their minds.
—Casey Stengel (1890–1975) American Sportsperson
You manage things, you lead people. We went overboard on management and forgot about leadership. It might help if we ran the MBAs out of Washington.
—Grace Hopper (1906–92) American Naval Officer, Mathematician
Management is efficiency in climbing the ladder of success; leadership determines whether the ladder is leaning against the right wall.
—Stephen Covey (1932–2012) American Self-help Author
For a manager to be perceived as a positive manager, they need a four to one positive to negative contact ratio.
—Ken Blanchard (b.1939) American Author, Management Consultant
Most management-speak is, as Schrijvers points out, Panglossian balderdash designed to lull the weak and credulous
—Anonymous
Organization doesn’t really accomplish anything. Plans don’t accomplish anything, either. Theories of management don’t much matter. Endeavors succeed or fail because of the people involved. Only by attracting the best people will you accomplish great deeds.
—Colin Powell (1937–2021) American Military Leader
The easiest thing is to react. The second easiest thing is to respond. But the hardest thing is to initiate.—When people ask you to tell them what to do, resist.
—Seth Godin (b.1960) American Entrepreneur
If you’re not uncomfortable in your work as a leader, it’s almost certain you’re not reaching your potential as a leader.
—Seth Godin (b.1960) American Entrepreneur
A manager is an assistant to his men.
—Thomas J. Watson, Sr. (1874–1956) American Business Executive