John Kotter of the Harvard Business School is one of a number of experts who believe that organisations are over managed and under led, at least partially because people do not appreciate the differences between management and leadership. We start this book by challenging mental models of leadership and management. Agility has become a prerequisite for organisations in a business environment that is characterised by change. Two trends in particular have been evident. First hierarchical systems of management are yielding to a 'new leadership' movement which has at its core shared vision and individual empowerment in place of consistency and control. Second, leadership is no longer the preserve of those in positions in the management hierarchy. Increasingly it is dispersed through the organisation. By developing awareness of these and other influential trends, those who have a responsibility for leading and managing in some form will be better equipped to flex their style and to play the diverse roles required of the managerial leader in contemporary organisations. Explore ways in which you can build a culture of commitment, performance and learning. Improve your influencing skills and the level of influence you hold with organisational stakeholders. Use contemporary concepts and theories to analyse your approach to management and leadership and to identify areas for development.

《卓有成效的管理者》的基本观念：
对组织负有责任，能影响组织经营成果的人，就是管理者。
管理者，就必须卓有成效。
卓有成效是可以学会的！
如此，一群平凡的人，就做出不平凡的事。
书中，德鲁克集中论述了一个管理者如何做到卓有成效。这本书是德鲁克最著名的管理学著作之一，倾注了德鲁克极大的心血。一位卓有成效的管理者，一般具有以下6个特征：
1、重视目标和绩效；只做正确的事情。
2、一次只做一件事情，并只做最重要的事情；他极为审慎地设定自己的优先顺序，随时进行必要的检讨，毅然决然地抛弃那些过时的任务，或者推迟做那些次要的任务；他知道时间是他最为珍贵的资源，必须极为仔细地使用它。
3、作为一名知识工作者，他知道自己所能作出的贡献在于：创造新思想、远景和理念；他的原则是：我能作哪些贡献？为了达成整体目标，我如何激励他人做出自己的贡献？他的目标在于提高整体的绩效。
4、在选用高层管理者时，他注重的是出色的绩效和正直的品格。他能敏锐地感觉到为一个关键职务选用人才，是一项非常艰巨的任务。卓有成效的管理者也知道，还没有人能永无过失。他知道人无完人。即使是最有能力的人也有弱点。他关心的是一个人能做什么，而不是他不能做什么。他致力于充分集中人员的知识和技能，利用这些优势达成组织的目标。
5、他知道增进沟通的重要性；他有选择性地搜集所需要的信息。他知道有些事物不能被量化，而过多的信息会导致混淆和混乱。
6、他只做有效的决策。