The purpose of an organization is to enable ordinary humans beings to do extraordinary things.
Peter DruckerRead
Society, community, family are all conserving institutions. They try to maintain stability and to prevent, or at least slow down, change. But the organization of the post-capitalist society of organizations is a destabilizer. Because its function is to put knowledge to work - on tools, processes, and products; on work; on knowledge itself - it must be organized for constant change.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects on the tension between traditional institutions and the need for constant adaptation in modern society.
Peter Drucker argues that while society, community, and family work to preserve stability, the nature of the post-capitalist organization is inherently disruptive. By emphasizing the importance of applying knowledge to innovate tools, processes, and products, these organizations must embrace continuous change rather than resist it, leading to a dynamic evolution in how we work and interact.
Themes
ChangeSocietyStabilityKnowledgeInnovation
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a motivational speech about adapting to change in a business setting.
More from Peter Drucker
All quotes →In the Western tradition, we have focused on teaching as a skill and forgotten what Socrates knew: teaching is a gift, learning is a skill.
Peter DruckerRead
We now accept the fact that learning is a lifelong process of keeping abreast of change. And the most pressing task is to teach people how to learn.
Peter DruckerRead
The basic economic resource - the means of production -_x000D_ _x000D_ is no longer capital, nor natural resources, nor labor._x000D_ _x000D_ It is and will be knowledge.
Peter DruckerRead
Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes... but no plans.
Peter DruckerRead
The strength of the computer lies in its being a logic machine. It does precisely what it is programed to do. This makes it fast and precise. It also makes it a total moron; for logic is essentially stupid.
Peter DruckerRead
Similar quotes
A challenge so far-reaching in its impact and irreversible in its destructive power, that it alters radically human existence... There is no doubt that the time to act is now.
Tony BlairRead
Illness strikes men when they are exposed to change.
HerodotusRead
Cravings are what drive habits. And figuring out how to spark a craving makes creating a new habit easier.
Charles DuhiggRead
You think OWS is radical? You think 350.org was radical for helping organize mass civil disobedience in D.C. in August against the Keystone Pipeline? We're not radical. Radicals work for oil companies. The CEO of Exxon gets up every morning and goes to work changing the chemical composition of the atmosphere. No one has ever done anything as radical as that, not in all of human history.
Bill MckibbenRead
To break our addiction to oil is one of the greatest challenges that our generation will have to master.
Barack ObamaRead
When I look at our communities, our country, our justice system, those are things I want to change and I'm committed to changing, and that's going to take sacrifice. Laying the foundation is the hardest part and requires a lot of sacrifice and time.
Malcolm JenkinsRead