Managing Oneself

Lessons from Peter Drucker's classic article:

Most people, do not really know where they belong until they are well past their mid-twenties. By that time, however, they should know the answers to the three questions:

1.What are my strengths?
A person can perform only from his strength. One cannot build performance on weaknesses. What do I find myself doing repeatedly and that comes easily?

2.How do I perform?
Am I a reader or a listener? Do I perform better when most are written out or told? How do I learn? Do I need structure? Do I work alone? Do I like big or small organizations

3.What are my values?
Is the way of doing things at your work align or conflict with your principles? Do I like the way this company does things?

"And then they can and should decide where they belong. Or rather, they should be able to decide where they do not belong."

The answers to the three questions above should somehow be let known not only to yourself but to the other people you work with, so that expectations on how and when a certain work will be done, match or at least nearly meet.

What to contribute (then)?
A plan can usually cover no more than 18 months and still be reasonably clear and specific. So the question should be, Where and how can I achieve results that will make a difference within the next year and a half?