--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Management must take the lead in making…" description: "\"Management must take the lead in making obsolete its own products and services rather than waiting for a competitor to do so.\" — Peter Drucker" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d5/peter-drucker-393_competitors_management-must-take-the-lead-in-making_733746.png" --- # Management must take the lead in making obsolete its own… ![“Management must take the lead in making obsolete its own products and services rather than waiting for a competitor to do so.” quote by Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d5/peter-drucker-393_competitors_management-must-take-the-lead-in-making_733746.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d5/peter-drucker-393_competitors_management-must-take-the-lead-in-making_733746.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d5/peter-drucker-393_competitors_management-must-take-the-lead-in-making_733746.png) > “Management must take the lead in making obsolete its own products and services rather than waiting for a competitor to do so.” [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Organizations should proactively retire outdated offerings before rivals force change. **In simple terms:** Innovate before competitors do. Key Takeaway Continuously evaluate and replace old products. Themes innovation leadership strategy Mood strategic forward‑looking Type advisory business When to use this quote - corporate planning - technology upgrades - market analysis Key Concepts disruptive innovation product lifecycle management Questions to Reflect On - How do you identify when a product is truly obsolete? - What processes ensure timely innovation? A Different Perspective May ignore market signals and discard viable assets. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Competitors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competitors/) [Lead in](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lead-in/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Making Obsolete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-obsolete-3218978/) [Management](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/management/) [Management Lead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/management-lead-5742296/) [Obsolete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obsolete/) [Obsolete Products](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obsolete-products-4731230/) [Products](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/products/) [Waiting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waiting/) [Waiting Competitor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waiting-competitor-5742297/) ## Related quotes > [Innovation basically involves making obsolete that which you did before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-abraham/innovation-basically-involves-making-obsolete-that-which-you-did/) [Jay Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-abraham/) > [The only big companies that succeed will be those that obsolete their own products before somebody else does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/the-only-big-companies-that-succeed-will-be-those-that-obsolete-their/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [People in any organization are always attached to the obsolete - the things that should have worked but did not, the things that once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/people-in-any-organization-are-always-attached-to-the-obsolete-the/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [People in any organization, including bureaucrats and politicians, are always attached to the obsolete; the obsolescent; the things that should have worked but didn't;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/people-in-any-organization-including-bureaucrats-and-politicians-are/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [When a subject becomes totally obsolete we make it a required course.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/when-a-subject-becomes-totally-obsolete-we-make-it-a-required-course/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [The correct assumption is that what individuals have learned by age twenty-one will begin to become obsolete five to ten years later and will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/the-correct-assumption-is-that-what-individuals-have-learned-by-age/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [The only skill that will be important in the 21st century is the skill of learning new skills.Everythi ng else will become obsolete over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/the-only-skill-that-will-be-important-in-the-21st-century-is-the/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [To drive to extinction something He has created is wrong. He has a purpose for everything... We Christians have a responsibility to take the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/to-drive-to-extinction-something-he-has-created-is-wrong-he-has-a/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [We lead in exporting jobs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-quayle/we-lead-in-exporting-jobs/) [Dan Quayle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-quayle/) > [It’s not about the dress you wear, but it’s about the life you lead in the dress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-vreeland/it-s-not-about-the-dress-you-wear-but-it-s-about-the-life-you-lead-in/) [Diana Vreeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-vreeland/) > [A free India will throw all her weight in favour of world disarmament and should herself be prepared to give a lead in this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/a-free-india-will-throw-all-her-weight-in-favour-of-world-disarmament/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Women lead in ways different from men's. Men, I think, have been programmed to give orders. Women have been programmed to motivate people, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-fox/women-lead-in-ways-different-from-men-s-men-i-think-have-been/) [Muriel Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-fox/) > [The future teachers I try to recruit are those show have refused to let themselves be neutered in this way, either in their private…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kozol/the-future-teachers-i-try-to-recruit-are-those-show-have-refused-to/) [Jonathan Kozol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kozol/) > [Where did you find that one?" "I have no idea. I'm a magnet for crazies, I guess." "They must be able to sense a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/where-did-you-find-that-one-i-have-no-idea-i-m-a-magnet-for-crazies-i/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [There could be no more powerful argument against mixing religion and government than the success of independent African American churches in placing racial segregation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/there-could-be-no-more-powerful-argument-against-mixing-religion-and/) [Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/) ## More by Peter Drucker > [One reason for the tremendous increase in health-care costs in the U.S. is managerial neglect of the "hotel services" by the people who dominate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/one-reason-for-the-tremendous-increase-in-health-care-costs-in-the-u/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [No executive has ever suffered because his subordinates were strong and effective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/no-executive-has-ever-suffered-because-his-subordinates-were-strong/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [Results is all that separates one company from another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/results-is-all-that-separates-one-company-from-another/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [“There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all. Peter Drucker”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/there-is-nothing-so-useless-as-doing-efficiently-that-which-should/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [Our society has become an employee society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/our-society-has-become-an-employee-society/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [Replace your pursuit of success with the pursuit of contribution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/replace-your-pursuit-of-success-with-the-pursuit-of-contribution/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [Management means, in the last analysis, the substitution of thought for brawn and muscle, of knowledge for folkways and superstition, and of cooperation for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/management-means-in-the-last-analysis-the-substitution-of-thought-for/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [Don't try to innovate for the future. Innovate for the present!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/don-t-try-to-innovate-for-the-future-innovate-for-the-present/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [The critical question is not "How can I achieve?" but "What can I contribute?"](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/the-critical-question-is-not-how-can-i-achieve-but-what-can-i/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [We can say with certainty - or 90% probability - that the new industries that are about to be born will have nothing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/we-can-say-with-certainty-or-90-probability-that-the-new-industries/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [When it rains manna from heaven, some people put up an umbrella. Others reach for a big spoon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/when-it-rains-manna-from-heaven-some-people-put-up-an-umbrella-others/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [The enterprise can fulfill its human and social functions only if it prospers as a business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/the-enterprise-can-fulfill-its-human-and-social-functions-only-if-it/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [The computer actually may have aggravated management's degenerative tendency to focus inward on costs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/the-computer-actually-may-have-aggravated-management-s-degenerative/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [Nobody can predict the future; the idea is to have a firm grasp of the present.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/nobody-can-predict-the-future-the-idea-is-to-have-a-firm-grasp-of-the/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [An executive should be a realist; and no one is less realistic than the cynic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/an-executive-should-be-a-realist-and-no-one-is-less-realistic-than/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) [Explore all 603 Peter Drucker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) ## More Competitors quotes > [Talented people can predict with great accuracy what's about to happen just a tiny bit ahead of their competitors. It might be two seconds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-maney/talented-people-can-predict-with-great-accuracy-what-s-about-to/) [Kevin Maney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-maney/) > [You want to remain hungry and stay in a good place as a competitor; at the same time, you want to be confident but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-odom/you-want-to-remain-hungry-and-stay-in-a-good-place-as-a-competitor-at/) [Lamar Odom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-odom/) > [Sports have always been a huge part of my life and my conversations. It is a thrill and an honor to be a part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/summer-sanders/sports-have-always-been-a-huge-part-of-my-life-and-my-conversations/) [Summer Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/summer-sanders/) > [Business is always a struggle. There are always obstacles and competitors. There is never an open road, except the wide road that leads to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kirubi/business-is-always-a-struggle-there-are-always-obstacles-and/) [Chris Kirubi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kirubi/) > [Every coercive monopoly was created by government intervention into the economy: by special privileges, such as franchises or subsidies, which closed the entry of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/every-coercive-monopoly-was-created-by-government-intervention-into/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [As they grow, companies saturate their markets, become more complex and difficult to manage, and face larger and more entrenched competitors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-berenson/as-they-grow-companies-saturate-their-markets-become-more-complex-and/) [Alex Berenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-berenson/) > [If you want to gain market share at your competitor's expense - look for a customer that's suffering from too much complexity and simplify…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-cohan/if-you-want-to-gain-market-share-at-your-competitor-s-expense-look/) [Peter Cohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-cohan/) > [I learn from all our major competitors, whether they're in or out of the U.S. Wells Fargo is very actively, very aggressively, and very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/i-learn-from-all-our-major-competitors-whether-they-re-in-or-out-of/) [Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) > [Many manufacturers secretly question whether advertising really sells their product, but are vaguely afraid that their competitors might steal a march on them if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/many-manufacturers-secretly-question-whether-advertising-really-sells/) [David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/) > [I've got to know my strength and weaknesses and the same for my competitors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-buchanan/i-ve-got-to-know-my-strength-and-weaknesses-and-the-same-for-my/) [Caroline Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-buchanan/) > [As a competitor and an athlete, you love that you get to go back and challenge someone, especially the world champs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-romo/as-a-competitor-and-an-athlete-you-love-that-you-get-to-go-back-and/) [Tony Romo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-romo/) > [We can never have too much preparation and training. We must be a strong competitor. We must adhere staunchly to the basic principle that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-bunche/we-can-never-have-too-much-preparation-and-training-we-must-be-a/) [Ralph Bunche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-bunche/) > [Even in the face of massive competition, don't think about the competition. Literally don't think about them. Every time you're in a meeting and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mccue/even-in-the-face-of-massive-competition-don-t-think-about-the/) [Mike McCue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mccue/) > [In the United States businessmen often do not trust their colleagues. If you trust your colleague today, he may be your competitor tomorrow, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akio-morita/in-the-united-states-businessmen-often-do-not-trust-their-colleagues/) [Akio Morita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akio-morita/) > [We're not competitor obsessed, we're customer obsessed. We start with the customer and we work backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/we-re-not-competitor-obsessed-we-re-customer-obsessed-we-start-with/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) [Browse all 613 Competitors quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competitors/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Management must take the lead in making obsolete its own products and services rather than waiting for a competitor to do so.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Peter Drucker" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/management-must-take-the-lead-in-making-obsolete-its-own-products-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Competitors" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/management-must-take-the-lead-in-making-obsolete-its-own-products-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d5/peter-drucker-393_competitors_management-must-take-the-lead-in-making_733746.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d5/peter-drucker-393_competitors_management-must-take-the-lead-in-making_733746.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d5/peter-drucker-393_competitors_management-must-take-the-lead-in-making_733746.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Management must take the lead in making obsolete its own products and services rather than waiting for a…” — Peter Drucker", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Peter Drucker", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Management must take the lead in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/management-must-take-the-lead-in-making-obsolete-its-own-products-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/management-must-take-the-lead-in-making-obsolete-its-own-products-and/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```