Insights from the Global Peter Drucker ForumInnovation Begins at Home

Richard Straub, the President of the Global Peter Drucker Forum, opened with a compelling assertion: management is about more than business—it is foundational to society. Institutions across sectors rely on effective management to function and thrive. He posed a fundamental question: How can we improve management to drive value creation and innovation?

The answer, he suggested, lies in the aggregation of decisions made by managers and knowledge workers. These decisions are the building blocks of progress, shaping organizations and, by extension, society. To improve the world, we must ensure that these building blocks are sound and well-aligned with the principles of innovation and collaboration.

Gianpiero Petriglieri offered a striking metaphor for the modern workplace. Drawing parallels to the Palace of Versailles—a symbol of statecraft and diplomacy that was also a home—he argued that modern workplaces are also like homes, spaces where people live significant parts of their lives.

Gianpiero Petriglieri noted that while we excel at building efficient systems and operations, we often neglect the human aspect. ‘We need to bring workplaces to life’ he said, urging that organizations should prioritize creating environments where employees feel connected and empowered. Workplaces should function as homes, fostering both community and individual freedom.

In the first panel of the day, ‘When Innovation Is Imperative’, Keiichiro Nishi, Fujitsu’s Senior Vice President, and Head of CEO Office, shared insights into how organisations can achieve transformational change. Keiichiro Nishi challenged the conventional wisdom that innovation must be disruptive to be effective. Instead, he argued for a more sustainable and seamless approach to innovation, one that integrates new ideas without causing unnecessary upheaval.