Decision making is the specific executive task.

Institutions mistake good intentions for objectives. They say "health care"; that's an intention, not an objective.

The most important decisions in organizations are people decisions, and yet only the military, and only recently, has begun to ask, "If we assign this general to lead this base, what do we expect him to accomplish?"

Objectives can be compared to a compass bearing by which a ship navigates. A compass bearing is firm, but in actual navigation, a ship may veer off its course for many miles. Without a compass bearing, a ship would neither find its port nor be able to estimate the time required to get there.

No decision has been made unless carrying it out in specific steps has become someone's work assignment and responsibility.

Businesses are not paid to reform customers. They are paid to satisfy customers.

Until we can manage time, we can manage nothing else.