Management thinker Peter Drucker once wrote:
“There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all.”
In other words, it doesn’t matter how fast, organised, or efficient you are if you’re focused on the wrong work.
Efficiency vs effectiveness
- Efficiency is about speed and process — getting tasks done with less waste.
- Effectiveness is about direction — making sure you’re doing the tasks that actually matter.
Most people and businesses default to efficiency. They make to-do lists, buy productivity apps, and work late hours. But if those hours are spent on the wrong priorities, the end result is still failure.
Drucker reminds us that effectiveness comes first.
Why effectiveness beats efficiency
- It prevents wasted effort. No amount of polish can make the wrong task valuable.
- It sharpens focus. When you know what matters, you don’t get lost in busywork.
- It multiplies results. Doing one important thing well is worth more than doing ten unimportant things quickly.
How to apply Drucker’s principle
- Start with outcomes. Ask: “What result do I want?” before choosing the task.
- Kill unnecessary work. If it doesn’t move you toward the outcome, drop it.
- Measure impact, not activity. Count the results your work produces, not the hours you logged.
- Review regularly. Priorities change. Keep checking that your focus is still on the right things.
The takeaway
Efficiency makes you faster. Effectiveness makes you successful.
Drucker’s advice is clear: don’t just work harder on what’s in front of you. Step back and make sure it’s the work worth doing.
