2.1.1.2 Leading Knowledge Workers
According to Drucker, human beings should be the central focus of management.
The task of the management consists in bringing people together and facilitating the
process of collective achievement. Only by doing so can results be obtained. Today
we call this process “empowerment.” Drucker further explained that an organiza-
tion consists of individuals whose abilities and interests widely differ. Thus in all
interactions, the management must not overlook effective communication or indi-
vidual responsibility. In addition, all employees must be supported and encouraged
in their personal development efforts. Specifically, Drucker stated, “each enterprise
is both a learning and a training mechanism.” This concept of a learning-oriented
enterprise predates the popular work of Peter Senge.
Is there only one right way to lead people? Drucker made it clear: no, there isn’t.
Nevertheless – and he criticizes this several times – managers continue to search for
“the” ultimate style of leadership. Drucker also cited Maslow, who theorized and
demonstrated that different people must be led differently. Further, an individual
employee must be led differently at different times. Thus Drucker revealed the
absurdity of “X and Y” theory (in particular the either-or variant formulated by
Douglas McGregor).
Drucker recognized a workforce trend that I have already briefly touched on in
Chap. 1. In the last few decades, manual laborers have been replaced by employees
whose capital is their knowledge. They are partners instead of subordinates and must
be led as if they were voluntary coworkers. Drucker recognized that volunteers
derive more satisfaction from their work than paid employees. Volunteers look for
challenges, exciting tasks and opportunities to grow.
Intelligence, imagination and knowledge are important resources, but knowledge
workers, who do not use physical strength or provide manual labor, must above all
be effective. The knowledge worker, as Drucker described, produces ideas, infor-
mation and knowledge. But the most important knowledge is worthless if not
utilized. Based on this, the idea of effective leadership, which would later be
taken up by Fredmund Malik, was born.
It is also important to consider that today’s “superiors” have as a rule never
worked in the positions of their personnel. As a result, each staff member knows
more about his or her job details and duties than anyone else in the enterprise.
Therefore, Drucker stressed that each knowledge worker is in also a manager,
provided his or her contributions affect the efficiency and the results of the organi-
zation. And, given their superior knowledge of their duties, the knowledge workers
are best suited to make the correct decisions. Drawing an analogy between the
military and the modern economy, Drucker stated, “In guerilla warfare everyone is
a manager.” This alludes to the principle of direct responsibility put forth by
Reinhard K. Sprenger. Drucker proposed that knowledge workers and managers
are exposed to a similar reality, which is determined by several characteristics. For
example, both groups have almost no control over their individual time. Other
2.1 The Craft of Leadership 21