The Path to Revitalization

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When management expert Peter Drucker was in his mid-80s, in the 1990s, he wrote about seven formative experiences, mainly dating to his earlier years in Europe, that helped shape the thinking, life outlook, and career that made him a legend. The exercise of taking stock turned out to be a revitalizing process, one worthy of emulation by anyone who wants to stay vital without becoming a prisoner of the past.

Drucker’s narrative around the experiences, first written for the book Drucker on Asia (1997) and appearing in slightly different form in Management: Revised Edition, published after his 2005 death (days short of this 97th birthday), can be seen as a way of taking stock, a personal accounting about people and events that held deep personal meaning for him. But it also illuminated a way forward.

Looking back showed him how people “can remain effective over long periods of years," he discovered. It enabled him to understand experiences that “taught me to maintain myself as effective, capable of growth, capable of change—and capable of aging without becoming a prisoner of the past.”

Those experiences included a prodigious amount of reading in the city library of Hamburg, Germany, where, at 18, he was both a trainee at an export firm and a university student (where, he claims, it was not actually necessary to attend classes).

The Magnificent Seven

Here are Drucker's seven key experiences as he named and ordered them,

Goal and Vision: Drucker says this was taught by Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901), whose opera Fallstaff gave Drucker his guiding star for pursuing perfection (although the quality is better described as achieving ongoing excellence).

“The Gods Can See Them”: Taught by Phidias, a sculptor of ancient Greece, who applied the same level of care and excellence to the back of his statues on the roof of the Parthenon even though people could only view the front. Drucker calls them “among the greatest sculptures of the Western tradition.” Like the Verdi example, the experience was acquired through reading, not a literal visit to Athens.

Continuous Learning: As a 20-year-old newspaper journalist in Frankfurt, Germany, while still a law student, Drucker decided there were topics he needed to learn about, and he began a lifelong habit of embarking on self-study projects that extended for months or years at a time. “A journalist has to write about many subjects,” Drucker explained, “so I decided that I had to know something about many subjects to be at least a competent journalist.”

Reviewing: An experience of interacting with another person, in this case the newspaper’s editor-in-chief, whom Drucker credits for teaching the value of reviewing work done: Drucker and his fellow young reporters and editors met for extended sessions twice a year with the editor-in-chief, to review what they had done well, what they had tried to do acceptably or otherwise, and to plan their work for the next six months. They had to decide where they should concentrate their efforts, what they should improve, and what they needed to learn.

What Is Necessary in a New Position: This was another lesson taught by one of his bosses, in this case the senior partner of a private bank in London, where Drucker had moved after his studies ended. Harsh criticism by the partner ultimately led Drucker to a revelation he put to good use later as a management consultant: “What do I need to do now that I have a new assignment to be effective?”

Writing Down: Drucker called on historical examples for this experience, which he said was taught by the Jesuits and Calvinists: Before embarking on something significant and important, write down your expected results, and compare them later to what actually happens. Applying this exercise “brings out what one’s strengths are—and this is the most important thing an individual can know about himself or herself.”

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What to Be Remembered for: Drucker credits the great 20^th century Austrian economist Joseph Schumpeter, originator of the term “creative destruction,” for demonstrating the value of knowing how to make a difference. Schumpeter, a friend of Drucker’s father, was asked by the latter what, knowing “he was very sick and would not live long,” he wanted to be remembered for? The economist replied that “being remembered for books and theories is not enough. One does not make a difference unless it is a difference in the lives of people.” The response resonated with Drucker, then 40, for the rest of his life.

Our Own Formative Experiences

We, however, do not have to wait until we are in our mid-80s to take on a similar exercise. We can engage in much the same exercise, wherever we are at our career or personal journeys.

What, in our early years, especially resonated with us regarding teachers, bosses, coaches, mentors, and colleagues? Can we draw lessons from our reaction to books we read, music we listened to, historical figures who influenced us, or works of art that touched something deep within us? We can follow Drucker’s lead and provide a brief narrative to explain the significance of the experiences

We may decide to broaden the concept to include experiences from different periods of life and about different subjects. We can work on our own version of this exercise periodically throughout life, gaining new perspectives on our formative experiences and their importance.

Engaging in self-examination, taking personal history seriously, worked for Peter Drucker. It could be one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves.