Peter Drucker's Five Most Important Questions. Peter F. Drucker

over the globe. In one of my national research studies of college students, 70.0 percent of freshmen and 79.1 percent of juniors and seniors reported volunteering while in college.2 The Millennial generation will continue to seek opportunities to connect the mission of nonprofit organizations to for-profit partners. Great leaders “think of the needs and the opportunities of the organization,” Drucker wrote, “before they think of their own needs and opportunities.”

      As a mentor to undergraduate and master of business administration (MBA) students, I've observed a dramatic shift in their expectations and anxieties regarding postcollege career opportunities. The financial crisis led many companies to change their workforce dramatically, which deflated the sense of security most employees associate with the larger companies. MBA graduates today are becoming more selective in their postgraduate pursuits and setting their sights on new ventures that allow them more responsibility and where they perceive they will gain a deeper understanding of the enterprise. Business schools are encouraging the swelling interest in start-ups through business plan competitions and new media and venture-related courses.

      More Millennials are starting businesses than any previous generation, fleeing cubicles in corporate America to launch their passion projects. According to Bloomberg, 8 out of 10 entrepreneurs who start businesses fail within the first 18 months. In many cases, failure is because of lack of focus in the business strategy, along with a lack of funding. To garner investment and support from others, you must demonstrate core knowledge and laser focus for your business. What better way to build your business than to use the five questions self-assessment tool as your foundation?