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Capable Quote by Peter Drucker

“No organization can depend on genius; the supply is always scarce and unreliable. It is the test of an organization to make ordinary human beings perform better than they seem capable of, to bring out whatever strength there is in its members, and to use each man's strength to help all the others…” quote by Peter Drucker
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“No organization can depend on genius; the supply is always scarce and unreliable. It is the test of an organization to make ordinary human beings perform better than they seem capable of, to bring out whatever strength there is in its members, and to use each man's strength to help all the others perform. The purpose of an organization is to enable common men to do uncommon things.”

Peter Drucker

About This Quote

Source Book: The Practice of Management, Peter Drucker, 1954

An organization must harness ordinary people’s potential, not rely on rare talent, to achieve extraordinary results.

In simple terms: Organizations succeed by developing everyday people.

Key Takeaway

Focus on developing all members.

Themes

leadership teamwork potential organization performance

Mood

inspirational pragmatic

Type

leadership management

When to use this quote

  • corporate strategy
  • team building
  • performance improvement
  • change management

Key Concepts

human capital systems thinking empowerment

Questions to Reflect On

  • How can you identify hidden strengths in your team?
  • What systems help ordinary people excel?
A Different Perspective

Relying on exceptional talent can create vulnerability.

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