A Class with Drucker: The Lost Lessons of the World's Greatest Management Teacher - Paperback

by William Cohen (Author)

From 1975 to 1979, author William Cohen studied under one of the greatest management educators and thought-leaders of all time: Peter Drucker. What Drucker taught him literally changed his life. Now, in this warm and inspiring read, Cohen shares the insights he gained as the first-ever graduate of Drucker's doctoral program and teaches readers how Druker's game-changing ideas stand the test of time in the face of real-world workplace challenges today. A Class with Drucker shares many of Drucker's teachings that never made it into his countless books and articles--ideas that were offered to his students in classroom or informal settings. Cohen expands on Drucker's lessons with personal anecdotes about his teacher's personality, lack of pretension, and interactions with students and others. Having gone on from Drucker's teachings to become an Air Force general and eventually professor, management consultant, multibook author, and university president, Cohen is a testament to the lifechanging impact of Drucker's teachings and friendship. Enlightening and intriguing, this book allows you, too, to learn and grow from the timeless wisdom of a most inspiring man.

Back Jacket

At once a philosopher, historian, family man, and professor, Peter Drucker is hailed as the Father of Modern Management. He was also a thoughtful and passionate teacher, whose wisdom continues to inspire leaders everywhere. From 1975 to 1979, author William Cohen studied under the great man and became the first graduate of his doctoral program. What Drucker taught him literally changed his life. In a matter of a few years, Cohen was recommissioned in the Air Force and rose to the rank of major general. Eventually, he became a full professor, management consultant, esteemed author, and university president--all the while maintaining a nearly lifelong friendship with the master. In "A Class with Drucker," Cohen shares many of Drucker's teachings that never made it into his countless books and articles, ideas that were offered to his students in classroom or informal settings. Cohen expands on Drucker's lessons with personal anecdotes about his teacher's personality, lack of pretension, and interactions with students and others. He also shows how Drucker's ideas can be applied to the real world challenges we face today. Now you can benefit from his thoughts on such topics as: Why what everybody knows is frequently wrong - Why everyone should approach problems with their ignorance - Why top executives should stay in their positions no longer than six years - Why some so called menial tasks can only be done by the boss - What everyone needs to do to be an effective manager - Why self confidence is a necessity. Enlightening and intriguing, this book will enable anyone to gain from the timeless wisdom of the inspiring man himself. William A. Cohen, Ph.D., is an international authority on leadership and strategy formulation and Peter Drucker's first executive Ph.D. graduate. He is the author of many books, including The Art of the Strategist, Secrets of Special Ops Leadership, and How to Make It Big as a Consultant. He lives in Pasadena, California, and can be reached at www.stuffofheroes.com. Cohen is pictured here with Peter Drucker's wife, Doris, at the Inaugural Drucker Society Global Symposium in 2007.

Author Biography

William A. Cohen, Ph.D. (Pasadena, CA) is an authority on leadership and strategy formulation and deployment. He is the author of many books including "The New Art of the Leader," "The Wisdom of the Generals," and "How to Make It Big as a Consultant" (978-0-8144-7073-2).