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Summer is a valuable season for self-reflection, career/life planning, and self-development. For Peter Drucker (1909-2005), the father of modern management, this meant a combination of reflection and planning, holding firm to his belief that self-development comes from building one’s strengths. Drucker also mentioned core competencies. Core competencies are often thought of in terms of organizations, but they also apply to individuals. What can you do with excellence? Can you possibly do it better than most? How can you build it to improve incrementally or otherwise?
In one of our interviews in 2005, seven months before he died at the age of 95, he said of implementing a self-development plan:
“Every year I do it in July,” he said, referring to the previous year’s evaluation. And every year, I change my priorities as a result of that test.A year later, I discovered that I hadn’t followed my priorities.I should have a plan, but I don’t follow it. .”
This shows that even for someone as highly accomplished and goal-oriented as Drucker, not everything works out. What is particularly impressive is that he continued to engage in these activities even after reaching the pinnacle of his field and becoming famous.
Whether or not you take a vacation this summer, the pace of the world can slow down somewhat, leading to opportunities for self-reflection.
In my interview with him for an article in America today his book Daily Drucker was published in 2004, Drucker said he developed the framework after finishing an assignment or project. This framework is perfectly consistent with summer self-development. He started by asking himself what he needed to do now, and the answer often led to something new. The hard part, he said, is additional questions to determine his priorities. “It usually takes a lot of time,” he said. But it must be asked and answered. ”
Self-development takes many forms in Drucker’s writings and teaching. “What matters,” he said in a 2002 interview with the publication information“The knowledge worker, by the time he reaches middle age, is developing and feeding a human being, not an accountant or a hydraulic engineer.”
The idea of feeding humans has received a special resonance lately. News reports about amazing advances in artificial intelligence/AI have given new urgency to the concept of what humans can do to stay productive and relevant in the workplace of the future. Few people seem to think their jobs are kept safe by constant advances in AI.
self-development
Keeping self-help notes and computer files can be useful in many areas, such as education, networking, entrepreneurship, volunteerism, new job opportunities, collaborating with new and different individuals and organizations, and participating in new extracurricular activities. Helps you capture relevant opportunities. possibility.
No matter how much that is achieved, you need to make time to think and capture and store your best self-help ideas. I thought it was of little value. Activities such as meditation can help clear your mind and help you think about what’s really important in your life, such as how to find purpose and meaning. Ideas can also come from yoga or other mind-body activities, walking, running, or just spending time in nature.
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has become one of the world’s most prominent thought leaders since stepping down as CEO to head the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He has long used “think weeks” constructively, when he goes out to read, ponder, and plan.
The key is to schedule time away from work to reflect on where you are and where you’re going. Consider the following roadmap for conceptualizing your inner journey.
- If you planned a year in advance, evaluate the results. Does your current reality reflect those plans?
- Whether or not you made specific plans last year, determine what worked and didn’t work that year.
- Determine next year’s opportunities.
- Develop plans for next year and repeat these steps in the summer of 2023.
Think about your life, where you are now and where you want to go. Think about your non-work life, not just work, but your family, friends, interests, activities, and pursuits. Evaluate what works and what doesn’t, and what needs to be added or removed to increase satisfaction and fulfillment.
Self-development was truly a once-in-a-lifetime undertaking for Peter Drucker. With proper care, it can be the same for everyone. Summer 2022 is the perfect time to start this journey. Summer 2023 you thank you!
