Volgens Peter Drucker moet je voordat je leiding kunt geven aan anderen, eerst leren om leiding te geven aan jezelf. Peter Drucker formuleerde in 1966 in zijn boek The effective executive, vijf gewoonten die je jezelf moet eigen maken om een effectieve manager (executive) te zijn:

1. Ga bewust om met je tijd (Know thy time (and time wasters)); manage systematisch dát deel van je tijd waar jezelf invloed op hebt: Effective executives know where their time goes. They work systematically at managing the little of their time that can be brought under their control."

2. Richt je op duidelijke resultaten (Focus on contribution); wees gericht op de resultaten (bijdrage) en niet op de werkzaamheden: "Effective executives focus on outward contribution. They gear their efforts to results rather than to work. They start out with the question, 'What results are expected of me?' rather than with the work to be done. (...) The effective executive focuses on contribution. He asks, 'What can I contribute that will significantly affect the performance and the results of the institution I serve?"

3. Gebruik de sterke punten van jezelf en van anderen (Make strengths productive); concentreer je niet op zwakten, zaken waar je geen invloed op hebt of die je niet kunt doen: "Effective executives build on strengths - their own strengths, the strengths of their superiors, collegaues, and subordinates. They do not build on weakness. The do not start with the things they cannot do. (...) The effective executives makes strength productive. He knows that he cannot build on weakness. To achieve results, one has to use all the available strenghts."

4. Doe eerst de belangrijkste dingen (First things first); stel prioriteiten en houdt daaraan vast: Effective executives "...forces themselves to set priorities and stay with their priority decisions. They know they have no choice but to do first things first - and second things not at all. (...) If there is any 'secret' of effectiveness, it is concentration. Effective executives do first things and they do one thing at a time."

5. Richt je op belangrijke, effectieve beslissingen (Make decisions as a systematic process); onderneem systematisch goede stappen in de goede volgorde om tot beslissingen te komen: "There is one final question the effective decision-maker asks: 'Is a decision really necessary?' One alternative is always the alternative of doing nothing."

Bestel hier de Nederlands versie van het boek, De effectieve manager (2006), Peter Drucker