The Peter Drucker Challenge: How To Write a Winning Essay
The True Challenge: Owning Your Story
In 2011, six years before joining the Peter Drucker Challenge, I stumbled upon an international essay contest promoting worldwide peace. The topic, “My story of inspiration”, echoed deeply within myself. I wrote my article effortlessly, hoping that my inner journey would inspire others too. After re-reading it a few times, I felt I could win. Yet I will never know if I was right — the essay never left my inbox. I didn’t have the courage to submit it. What if my article had been published? Would I be labelled as an emotional idealist? Would my perspectives meet criticism?
Back then I was afraid to embrace my story though it’s by no means beyond ordinary. Yet I was not used to exposing my inner world and beliefs system. Growing up, I often heard this warning: “what will the world say?”, crippling my emotions and self-image. Life seemed to be shaped by neighbors’ and relatives’ standards and opinions. The external mirrors distorted the beauty of authenticity. Vulnerability was a no-go. Communism as a political ideology was gone but it remained a way of life. Not standing out in a crowd. Not lifting up the torch of your dreams. Not speaking up your truth.
Six years later, in 2017, when I found out about the Peter Drucker Challenge, I was decided to let the real me be seen, articulating my beliefs, owing my story. Writing my essay “Human Prosperity — A Cinder Block That Can’t Be Stolen” paid off. I was ranked in the top 10 finalists and invited to Vienna. The Peter Drucker Forum was an incredible opportunity for networking, wiring into the latest leadership thinking and dismantling my insecurities. Surrounded by inspirational leaders, management professionals and talented youth, I felt both humble and proud. I felt my voice mattered.
Writing a Winning Essay: 4 Effective Tips
Joining the Peter Drucker Challenge is not about competition — it’s about contribution; it’s about the courage to become co-creators of new paradigms while carrying forward Drucker’s legacy; it’s about self-knowledge: finding your voice and letting it shine through your writing. While there is no recipe for a great essay, looking back at my experience as a Peter Drucker Challenge finalist, I would share the following pieces of advice for a future applicant:
1. Keep your focus. You will get tired and frustrated. You might even have to skip your weekly dancing class in order to work on your essay. But you know your priorities and you will stand like a rock. Like that famous quote goes, “the only place success comes before work is in the dictionary”. So, don’t lose sight of your goal and know that any short-term sacrifice is worth it.
2. Explore avidly. Look into various fields to tap for ideas. Keep the topic in the back of your mind while listening to a podcast or a free Blinkist summary. Check that article recommended by your co-worker on LinkedIn. Actively search the Internet. Dive fully into Peter Drucker’s books, articles and interviews. I promise you will enjoy every moment. If I were to name a book that truly inspired me while working on my essay, that’s undoubtedly “Managing Oneself”.
3. Have patience. There might be days when you write only a paragraph at best. But don’t lose heart. Let the topic simmer. According to psychologists, incubation is one of the four stages of creativity. It means letting your subconscious connect the dots and deliver new ideas while you are engaged with other tasks. When you program your mind to succeed, it will constantly look for ways to achieve it. Just trust yourself.
4. Be true to yourself. Let your own truth speak. Bring an outpour of authenticity, share a piece of your innermost core, own your story. Yes, editing is important; research is important; originality is important. But what connects these all is your ability to breathe life into you writing. Embrace your vulnerability, for it’s the “birthplace of innovation, creativity and change” (Brené Brown).
If you are willing to take up this challenge and you meet the competition eligibility requirements, you have a couple of weeks left to submit your essay (deadline June 24 at 16.00 CET). Are you not into management? Don’t worry. Research shows the more distant a field, the more novel the ideas you bring. So, unleash your creativity, pour your essence into it and secure a trip to Vienna this autumn, attending the world’s leading management conference. And remember — winning means learning, uncovering fresh nuances of the world around you and within you, dusting off new truths and reclaiming your story. You can be a winner too! Good luck!
