LONG
Tom Peters’ X25*
EXCELLENCE.
ALWAYS.
Re-imagine2007/Focus Conference
Amsterdam/19 December 2006
*In Search of Excellence 1982-2007
Slides at …
tompeters.com
tom peters’ “excellence. Always.”
1. Excellence! Always!
2. context. 3,000,000,000 new capitalists!
3. Innovate or die!
4. Action!/Try It!/Execution!
5. Revenue Matters Most!
6. Up+Up+Up+up the “Value-added Ladder”!
(commodity to “ gamechanging solution”
to “breathtaking experience” to “lovemark”)
7. Make . Much. Money. Damn it!
(women-Boomers-geezers)
8. Best “roster” wins!
9. Emotional Leadership!/
Leading for excellence!
10. Excellence! Always!
“Excellence can be obtained if you:
... care more than others think is wise;
... risk more than others think is safe;
... dream more than others think
is practical;
... expect more than others think
is possible.”
Source: Anon. (Posted @ tompeters.com by
K.Sriram, November 27, 2006 1:17 AM)
The Irreducible209+
One Word+
The Sales122
60TIBs
Tom-A-to,Tom-ah-to
The Irreducible209
A frustrated participant at a seminar for investment bankers in Mauritius listened
impatiently to my explanation of differences of opinion among me, Mike Porter,
“What,
if anything,” he asked,
“do you believe ‘for
sure’?”
Gary Hamel, Jim Collins, etc. Finally, he’d had enough.
I mumbled something, but his query started rumbling
around in my mind. Three days later, wandering on a Sunday in London, the idea of
“the irreducibles” occurred to
me—and I started jotting down notes on stuff I do indeed believe “for sure.” Before
I knew it, a few days later, the list had grown to
209 items. Hence “The
Irreducible209” that follows.
Tom Peters
1.
2.
3.
4.
Hare 1, Tortoise 0. (Hare-y times.)
Tempo. (O.O.D.A.)
MBWA.
Appreciation. (“Motivator” #1.)
(Can’t be faked. Good.)
5. Decency.
6. Hurry.
7. Time out.
8. One matters.
9. Big change. Short time. (Alt not work.)
10. Excellence. Always.
11. Passion. Energy. Hustle. Enthusiasm.
Exuberance. (Move mountains. No alt.)
12. You must care.
13. Emotion.
14. Hard is soft. (Soft is hard.)
EXCELLENCE.
ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW.
“A man
without a
smiling face
must not open
a shop.”
—Chinese Proverb
MBWA, Grameen Style!
“Conventional banks ask their clients to come
to their office. It’s a terrifying place for the poor
and illiterate. … The entire Grameen Bank
system runs on the principle that people
should not come to the bank, the bank
should go to the people. … If any staff
member is seen in the office, it should be taken
as a violation of the rules of the Grameen Bank.
… It is essential that [those setting up a new
village Branch] have no office and no place to
stay. The reason is to make us as different as
possible from government officials.”
Source: Muhammad Yunus, Banker to the Poor
EXCELLENCE.
ALL. YOU. NEED.
TO. KNOW.
ANYWHERE.
ANY MARKET.
ANY TIME.
Jim’s
Group
That’s a
Big
Number ….
THREE
BILLION NEW
CAPITALISTS
—Clyde Prestowitz
5 /42
(Years)
(New Airports)
Schools & Shifting Tectonic Plates
In: "economics, technology, social
customs and globalization."
Out: Socialism in general ("one short
chapter"). Chinese communism
before the 1979 economic revolution
("a sentence"). Mao ("only once--in a
chapter on etiquette").
Source: The New York Times, p1, 0901.2006, on
reported on revised history textbooks for high school
seniors in Shanghai, China.
“There is no job that
is America’s God-given
right anymore.”
—Carly Fiorina/HP/January2004
“There is no job that
is _____’s Godgiven right anymore.”
“Income Confers
No Immunity as
Jobs Migrate”
—Headline/USA Today/02.2004
“Deutsche Bank Moves Half of Its
Back-office Jobs to India”/
(500
of 900
Research)
headline/FT/0327
December 9, 2005: “Ogre to
Slay? Outsource It to
Chinese” (New York Times,
page 1—news section). The
“factory”: Fuzhou, China. The workers: youngsters
logging 12-hour shifts. Their clientele: youngsters
from “Seoul to San Francisco.” The “work”: The
Chinese youngsters are playing the early levels of
video games for their affluent “clients,” who want to
avoid the pain and time associated with those
annoying first few levels.
“Forget China,
India and the
Internet: Economic
Growth Is Driven
by
Women.”
—Headline, Economist,
April 15, 2006, Leader, page 14
EXCELLENCE.
EVERYWHERE.
ASPIRATION.
NECESSITY.
“One Singaporean worker
costs as much as …
3 … in Malaysia
8 … in Thailand
13 … in China
18 … in India.”
Source: The Straits Times/2003
“Thaksinomics” (after Thaksin Shinawatra)
“Bangkok Fashion City”:
“managed asset
reflation”
(add to
brand value of Thai textiles by demonstrating
flair and design excellence)
Source: The Straits Times/2004
Spain
Portugal
Italy
Ireland
Singapore
Taiwan
Thailand
Malaysia
Singapore
Philippines
UAE
Oman
Chile
Botswana
Romania
New Zealand
“Better By Design”: A National Strategy
NZ = Design
Excellence
Spain
Portugal
Italy
Ireland
Singapore
Thailand
Malaysia
Singapore
Philippines
UAE
Oman
Chile
Botswana
Romania
New Zealand
Taiwan
“ ‘MADE IN
TAIWAN’: From
Cheap
Manufacturing to
Chic Branding ”
—Headline/Advertising Age/06.05
Taiwan, Your
Partner in
InnoValue
Poster/Bucharest/03.06
“The Creative
Age is a wideopen game.”
—Richard Florida, The Rise of the Creative Class
“Human
creativity is the
ultimate
economic
resource.”
—Richard Florida,
The Rise of the Creative Class
Spain
Portugal
Italy
Ireland
Singapore
Thailand
Malaysia
Philippines
Dubai
Oman
Chile
Botswana
Romania
Australia
New Zealand
Taiwan
EXCELLENCE.
THE MANDATE.
“I am often asked by would-be entrepreneurs
seeking escape from life within huge corporate
structures, ‘How do I build a small firm for
Buy
a very large one
and just wait.”
myself?’ The answer seems obvious:
—Paul Ormerod, Why Most Things Fail:
Evolution, Extinction and Economics
“Forbes100” from 1917 to 1987
: 39
members of
the Class of ’17 were alive in ’87; 18 in ’87
F100; 18 F100 “survivors” significantly
underperformed the market;
just
2 (2%), GE & Kodak,
outperformed the market from
1917 to 1987.
S&P 500 from 1957 to 1997:
’97;
74 members of the Class of ’57 were alive in
12 (2.4%) of 500 outperformed the market from 1957 to 1997.
Source: Dick Foster & Sarah Kaplan, Creative Destruction:
Why Companies That Are Built to Last Underperform the Market
Welcome to the “Club of Shattered Dreams”:
Of Korea’s Top 100 companies
in 1955, only 7 were still on the
list in 2004. The 1997 crisis
“destroyed half of Korea’s
30 largest conglomerates.”
Source: “KET Issue Report,” Kim Jong Nyun (14.05.2005)
S&P Stability Ratings*
1985
2006
Low Risk
41%
13%
Average Risk
24%
14%
High Risk 35%
*Likelihood of stable long-term earnings growth
Source: Fortune (2 October 2006)
73%
“It is not the
strongest of the
species that survives,
nor the most
intelligent, but the
one most responsive
to change.”
—Charles Darwin
“It is generally much easier to
organization
kill an
than change it
substantially.”
—Kevin Kelly, Out of Control
“The difficulties arise from the inherent conflict between the need to
control existing operations and the need to create the kind of
environment that will permit new ideas to flourish—and old ones to
We believe that most
corporations will find it
impossible to match or
outperform the market without
abandoning the assumption of
continuity. … The current apocalypse—the transition
die a timely death. …
from a state of continuity to state of discontinuity—has the same
suddenness as the trauma that beset civilization in 1000 A.D.”
Richard Foster & Sarah Kaplan, “Creative Destruction” (The McKinsey Quarterly)
C.E.O.
to
C.D.O.
RMcK:
RN:
“Maybe not enough fail.”
RMcK:
RN:
“A lot of companies in the
Valley fail.”
“What do you mean
by that?”
“Whenever you fail, it
means you’re trying
new things.”
Source: Fast Company
“Wealth in this new regime
flows directly from innovation,
not optimization. That is,
wealth is not gained by
but by
imperfectly seizing the
unknown.” —Kevin Kelly, New Rules for
perfecting the known,
the New Economy
“Reward
excellent failures.
Punish mediocre
successes.”
Phil Daniels, Sydney exec
EXCELLENCE.
STARTERS.
BASICS.
K.I.S.S.
Raging Success =
P-SQUARED.
C. E-CUBED.
People.
Product.
Clients.
Execution.
Enthusiasm.
Excellence.
“To me business isn’t about
wearing suits or pleasing
stockholders. It’s about
being true to yourself,
your ideas and focusing on
the essentials.” —Richard Branson
People.
Product.
Clients.
Execution.
Enthusiasm.
Excellence.
Resilience.
Relentless.
Senility.
Forget>“Learn”
“The problem is never how to get
new, innovative thoughts into your
mind, but how to get the old
ones out.”
—Dee Hock
“Strive for
Excellence.
Ignore
success.”
—Bill Young, PR driver
(courtesy Andrew Sullivan)
EXCELLENCE.
THE WORD.
Synonyms
Purity
Transcendence
Virtue
Elegance
Majesty
Antonyms
Mediocrity
EXCELLENCE.
PETERS.
WATERMAN.
CIRCA 1982.
Excellence1982: The Bedrock “Eight Basics”
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
A Bias for Action
Close to the Customer
Autonomy and Entrepreneurship
Productivity Through People
Hands On, Value-Driven
Stick to the Knitting
Simple Form, Lean Staff
Simultaneous Loose-Tight
Properties”
ExIn*: 1982-2002/Forbes.com
DJIA: $10,000 yields $85,000
EI: $10,000 yields $140,050
*Forbes/Excellence Index /Basket of 32 publicly traded stocks
EXCELLENCE.
(MAYBE.)
Hardball: Are You Playing to Play or Playing to Win?
by George Stalk & Rob Lachenauer/HBS Press
“The winners in business have always played hardball.”
“Unleash massive and overwhelming force.” “Exploit
anomalies.” “Threaten your competitor’s profit
sanctuaries.” “Entice your competitor into retreat.”
Approximately
640 Index entries: Customer/s
(service, retention, loyalty),
worker/s),
4. People (
0. Innovation (
employees, motivation, morale,
product development, research &
development, new products),
0.
Them-Us
“Them”
“Us”
Strategy
Planning
Marketing
Markets
Customers
Micro-segmentation
Cost minimization
Synergy/“Efficiencies”
“Strategic” supplier
Process
Effectiveness
Men
Leadership
Standardization
Big clients
Prestigious Board
EXECUTION
Action
Selling/Sales
Customers
Clients
Big Stuff (Women, Boomers)
Revenue maximization
Decentralization
Pioneering supplier
Project
Excellence
Women
Management + Leadership
Exceptionalism (53 = 53)
COOL clients
INTERESTING Board
“Them”
Big
Growth by merger
Buy market share
Efficient, streamlined
“department”
Certainty-predictability
Fearful of losing
Plan
Careful evaluation
Revised plan
People/Employees
Effective HR department
Benchmark against the
“best”-“industry leader”
“Us”
Mid-size
Organic growth
Create NEW markets
Value-creating “PSF”
Ambiguity-opportunity
Aggressive pursuit
of winning
Prototype
Another prototype
Another prototype
Talent
Rockin’ Talent
Development Center
of Excellence
Benchmark against the
“coolest”
“Them”
“Us”
Benchmark
Orderly career progression
Head
IQ
“Professional”
Stoic, humble leaders
“Future”mark
“Up or Out” (PDQ)
Heart
EQ
Passionate
Noisy, emotional
“characters” in charge
Hire for intangibles
Relentless, pig-headed
determination
Teamwork and disruptive
individuals equal billing
Lead customers
Intimate-Seamless
customer inter-twining
Hire for Resume
Measured-thoughtful
approach
Teamwork comes first
Listen to customers
Customer “involvement”
“Them”
MBM (Management
by memo)
MBA
Shareholder Value
comes first
Work smart
Built to last
Reward successes
“Us”
MBWA
MFA
Great people-product rule
Work hard
Built to Rock the World
Reward (EXCELLENT)
failures
Design 1T
Innovation 1T
Jaw-dropping Experience
Quality first!
Quality first
High-quality
transaction
CVs demo consistent CVs feature Magic Moments
performance
Good grades
Cool stuff
Operational excellence World-rocking INNOVATION
“Them”
Brand
Best analysis wins
“Beyond politics”
Outsource
“Motivate”
“Motivate”
Measured language
Product-Service
Pastel
Better
“Mission success”
Very good
“Us”
Lovemark
Best STORY wins
Politics-is-life, the
rest is details
Bestsource
Send on QUESTS
Invite
HOT language
Gamechanging SOLUTION,
Thrilling EXPERIENCE,
DREAM come true,
LOVEMARK
Technicolor
Different
“Mission EXCELLENCE”
EXCELLENCE. ALWAYS.
Porter.
Drucker.
Bennis.
Peters.
Importance of Success Factors by Various
“Gurus”/Biased Estimates by Tom Peters
Strategy
Systems Passion Execution
Porter
50%
20
15
15
Drucker
35%
30
15
20
Bennis
25%
20
30
25
Peters
15%
25
25
35
good words.
Bad words.
Words that may NOT be
used in my presence:
“Motivate”
“In the end, management
doesn’t change culture.
Management
invites
the workforce itself to
change the culture.”
—Lou Gerstner
Words that may NOT be
used in my presence:
“Marketing”
Sell
Sell
Radically Thrilling Language!
“Radically
Thrilling.”
—BMW Z4 (ad)
EXCELLENCE.
ASPIRATION.
“Why in the
world did
you go to
Siberia?”
The Peters
Principles: Enthusiasm.
Emotion. Excellence. Energy.
Excitement. Service. Growth.
Creativity. Imagination. Vitality.
Joy. Surprise. Independence.
Spirit. Community. Limitless
human potential. Diversity. Profit.
Innovation. Design. Quality.
Entrepreneurialism. Wow.
An emotional,
vital, innovative, joyful,
creative, entrepreneurial
endeavor that elicits
maximum concerted
human potential in
the wholehearted
service of others.***
Enterprise* ** (*at its best):
**Excellence. Always.
***Employees, Customers, Suppliers, Communities, Owners, Temporary partners
EXCELLENCE.
ASPIRATION.
YOU & ME.
“The First step in a
‘dramatic’
‘organizational change
program’ is obvious—
dramatic personal
change!”
—RG
“Work
on me
first.”
—Kerry Patterson,
Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan and Al Switzler/Crucial Conversations
“Do one thing
every day
that scares
you.”
—Eleanor Roosevelt
“Every time we come to a comfort
zone, we will find a way out. … A
typical day at the office for me
begins by asking, ‘What is
impossible that I
am going to do
today?’”
—Daniel Lamarre, president,
Cirque du Soleil
EXCELLENCE.
DEFINED.
EXCELLENCE.
DEFINED.
AGENDA.
SETTER.
Great Companies …
SET
THE
AGENDA.*
* “disturb the sleep of …
(PERIOD.)
AGENDA SETTERS: “Set the Table”/
Pioneers/ Questors/ Adventurers
US Steel … Ford … Toyota … Sears …
GM … ITT … The Gap … Limited …
Wal*Mart … Tesco … P&G … 3M …
Intel … IBM … Apple … Nokia …
Cisco … Dell … MCI … Sun …
Microsoft … Google … Enron …
Schwab … GE … Laker … Southwest
… People Express … Ogilvy … Virgin
… eBay … Amazon … Sony …
Amgen … BMW … CNN … Nike
Built to Last
vs
Built to
Change/Rock
the World
TP#1*:
Netscape!
*Where would you rather have worked for those 5 years, Netscape
or IBM-HP-Microsoft-Oracle? (Where, 25 years from now, would you
rather to be able to tell someone—e.g., grandchild—that you worked?)
GM25/50-75:
“Built to
last”????
The last
word:
There is
no last
word.
U.S. Steel
Ford
GM
IBM
Macy’s
Sears
Microsoft?
Dell?
Wal*Mart?
Flat as a Pancake (Or Worse)
Wal*Mart … Dell …
Intel … Home Depot
… Microsoft … GE
EXCELLENCE.
DEFINED.
X06.
Tom Peters/Excellence.2006/1210.2006
X.06.23: Whole Foods Markets …
Starbucks … Wegmans … Commerce
Bank … John Laing Homes … Apple …
London Drugs … Griffin Hospital/
Planetree Alliance … The Met School/Big
Picture … Carl Sewell … Progressive
Insurance … Stanford women’s sports …
Stanford D-School … HSM … Washington
Speakers Bureau … Build-A-Bear …
RE/MAX … Donnelly’s Weather Strip
Service … Jim’s Group … Cirque du
Soleil … (U.S. Grant) … (Horatio Nelson)
… (Stew Leonard’s) … (DeMar Plumbing)
… (FBR/Friedman Billings Ramsey)
whole
foods
$415/SqFt/Wal*Mart
$798/SqFt/Whole
Foods
Wegmans
#1/100
“Best Companies to
Work for”/2005
starbucks
“It’s simple, really,
Tom. Hire for s,
and, above all,
promote for s.”
—Starbucks middle manager/field
Commerce
Bank
The Power of WOW!
How Commerce Bank
Created a SuperGrowth Business in a
No-Growth Industry
Vernon W. Hill, II
“Our whole
story is
growing
revenue.”
—Vernon Hills (Top-line driven; standard
is bottom-line driven by cost cutting)
8,000 Radio City
Music Hall … J.D. Power/Customer
service/Bank/NYC/1st in 5 of 6; 2nd in #6 … Inspired by
Ray Kroc … $36B ($100B in 6 years); +$750M per
month/373 branches in 7 states/900 in 6 years … player
piano … Penny Arcade/$25K per machine … 9M lollipops,
2M dog biscuits … stupid rule (red) button … call center
not “cost center,” but opportunity/human by second
operation … over-invest in real estate … designexperience fanaticism … Red!/Red Friday/Hot music …
deposits available next day (vs ½ on 3rd; ½ on 5th; focus
on 99%, not 1%) … LONG HOURS!!!! (7/week/12
hours/Fridays/15 minutes before) … “Do whacky things
for customers” (VH) … “create magical moments of
surprise and delight for employees” (VH) … “Hire for
attitude. Train for skills.” (VH) … Chinatown/10K first
day; 28K first week … Commerce U in ’93 (“underlying
theme is fun”—VH)
Commerce Bank: From “Service” to “Experience”
7X. 730A800P. F12A.*
*’93-’03/10 yr annual return: CB: 29%;
WM: 17%; HD: 16%. Mkt Cap: 48% p.a.
Thesaurus of WOW!
“They” hate it if you call them “bankers.” “They” love it, on the other hand, when
you ask to see their #s—stupendous. “They” are … Commerce Bank. These absurdly
fast growing, insanely profitable “retailers,” rewriting the rules of East Coast retail
banking, sent me a copy of their booklet, “Traditions.” It explicates their
“Wow
the Customer Philosophy.” At the end there’s “A Collection of
Commerce Lingo.” I won’t define (use your imagination), but simply offer a small
sample: “Fans, Not Customers.” “Say YES … 1 to say YES, 2 to say NO.” (A staffer
has to get a supervisor’s approval to say “no” to anything.) “Recover!!! To Err Is
Human; To Recover Is Devine.” “Leave ’Em Speechless.” “Positive Behavior.”
“Positive Language.” “Kill A Stupid Rule.” (Get cash rewards for exposing dumb
internal rules “that impede our ability to WOW!”) Make the ‘WOW! Answer Guide’
Your Best Friend.” “Buzz Bee.” “CommerceWOW!Zone.” (A K-12 financial education
program.) “Doctor WOW!” “Ten-Minute Principle.” (“Stores” open 10 minutes before
posted hours, stay open 10 minutes after posted hours—and the hours, such as
open 7 days a week, are already incredibly generous & tradition-shattering.) “Wall of
WOW!” “WOW! Awards.” (The annual recognition ceremony—Radio City
Music Hall, with the Rockettes, in ’05.) “WOW! Patrol.” “WOW! Spotlight.”
“WOW Van.” “WOW Wiz.” (A service superstar.) Etc.
S.M.A.R.T.
S.
M.
A.
R.
T.
Say Yes
Make Each Customer Feel Special
Always Keep Customer Promises
Recover!
Think Like Our Customers
Standard bank: Keep ’em out of branches;
ignore middle income; cost-driven
following mergers. (“No great American
retailer was ever created by doing
acquisitions”—VH “No examples of
seriously broken retail models that
have been fixed.”)
CB: deposit focus; customer experience;
best facilities; no stupid rules; revenue
driven; better experience for lower yield
“ … cut costs at most banks.
‘We have to push them out
of the branches.’ ‘We have
to push them to machines.’
We have to push them to
the Internet.”
Source: Vernon Hill
“We defy conventional
wisdom, operating more
like the young bucks at
Starbucks than the old
farts at the Bank of
America.” —Vernon Hills
TP: Experience … Top-line
fanaticism (vs Costfanaticism) … Deposits
…Drive ’em to the branch …
Experience/Wow! … design
… little touches … no stupid
rules … Talent/Attitude/
Recognition
sewell
Customers
for Life
FLOWER
POWER
X.06.23: Whole Foods Markets (high-end, experience-design,
demographic) … Starbucks (people, experience) … Wegmans
(people) … Commerce Bank (nuts about customers, WOW, people,
execution) … Apple (design-experience, breakthrough, “virus
management,” resilience, talent, “seriously cool”) … London
Drugs (design-experience, people, “solutions”) … Griffin
Hospital/Planetree Alliance (customer-centric, “whole person”) …
The Met School/Big Picture (engagement, self-control) … Carl
Sewell (experience!) … Progressive Insurance (speed, IT) …
Stanford women’s sports (demographic, Blue Ocean) … Stanford
D-School (design-biz-engineering, Blue Ocean) … HSM (execution,
experience) … WSB (integrity, broad view of customers,
execution) … Build-A-Bear (experience) RE/MAX (people/“create
success stories”) … Donnelly’s Weather Strip Service (high end,
execution-reliability, simply the best) … Jim’s Group (imaginationBlue Ocean, demographic, customer-centric) … Cirque du Soleil
(talent, R&D, Imagination, resilience, design-experience,
partnering) … (U.S. Grant/execution, delegation, people, K.I.S.S.,
action-at-all-costs, win, bold ) … (Horatio Nelson/execution,
delegation, people, K.I.S.S., action-at-all-costs, win, bold) … (Stew
Leonard’s/people, experience-design, Wow) … (DeMar
Plumbing/experience, people, Blue Ocean) … (FBR/Friedman
Billings Ramsey/research, focus)
High end.
Experience.
Design.
Crazy for customers!
Crazy for Patients! (“Whole person”).
Wow!
People first, second, third.
Breakthrough or bust.
“Seriously cool.”
“Virus management.”
Resilience.
Tippy-top talent.
“Solutions,” not “just” “satisfaction.”
Engagement.
Self-control. (Customer/Patient/Student control.)
Blue Ocean.
“Mundane stuff” made great.
Great demographic.
The best. Period.
Effective partnering.
K.I.S.S.
Play to win. (Offense > Defense.)
Bold!
Action! Always!
Integrity-as-strategy.
*Focused on growth and revenue and “offense,”
not defense and cost containment.
*People-talent obsession.
*Provide mind-bending experiences. (Driven
by design primacy.)
*Nuts about customers.
*Happy to use words like “Wow.”
*Pretty close to the high end of the market.
[*Ability to make silk purses filled with gold out of
sows’ ears: Wegmans-Whole Foods-Stew Leonard’s
and groceries; Jim’s Group and dog-walking;
Donnelly and weatherstrip installation; DeMar
and plumbing.]
*Execution!
EXCELLENCE.
REVENUE.
MATTERS.
MOST.
“Analysts … preferred cost cutting, as long as
they could see two or three years of EPS growth. I preached revenue
and the analysts’ eyes would glaze over. Now revenue is ‘in’ because
They
said, ‘Oh my gosh, you
need revenues to grow
earnings over time.’
Well, Duh!”
so many got caught, and earnings went to hell.
—Dick Kovacevich, Wells Fargo
P=R–C
P=R–C+E
CRO (Revenue)
CPO/COO (Processes
& Execution)
CCO/CFO (Costs)
C
*Chief
O*
Revenue
Officer
EXCELLENCE.
SELL.
SELL.
SELL.
“Everyone
lives by
selling
something.”
.
– Robert Louis Stevenson
Sell
Sell
“It’s always
showtime.”
—David D’Alessandro, Career Warfare
Incidentally …
“TAKE THIS QUICK QUIZ: Who manages more
things at once? Who puts more effort into their
appearance? Who usually takes care of the
details? Who finds it easier to meet new
people? Who asks more questions in a
conversation? Who is a better listener? Who
has more interest in communication skills?
Who is more inclined to get involved? Who
encourages harmony and agreement? Who has
better intuition? Who works with a longer ‘to
do’ list? Who enjoys a recap to the day’s
events? Who is better at keeping in touch with
others?”
Source: Selling Is a Woman’s Game: 15 Powerful Reasons Why Women Can
Outsell Men, Nicki Joy & Susan Kane-Benson
TP.27 …
on Selling
(Short) (Personal)
Out-prepare!! (huge time commitment!)
Learn the “culture”
Practice!
Care-Empathy
Listen-Empathetic listening (SC)
“Listen”-Body language
K.I.S.S. (1-page summary. 1 = 1.)
Enthusiasm-ENERGY-“Authenticity”!!
OBVIOUS belief in product
Selling: Solution-Success-Experience-Dream come true-Love-Dramatic Difference
Selling: Better STORY! (“Best story wins”)
Selling: Yourself! (Brand you)
“Obvious” Wow!
No exaggeration!
Spell out commitments!
SIMPLE timeline
Sell “inside”-First! Thorough!
Relationships-“Way down”!!
Time!!!! (E.g., build trust)
Ooze integrity
Introduce to rest of team, esp. “mechanics”
SBWA (5K for 5M)
Remember: Close!
Gotta-make-a-profit (be ready to walk away!)
“Good loss”
Don’t dis competitors!!
Make her-him-target SUCCESSFUL (in a personal way)
“Courtesies of a small and
trivial character are the
ones which strike
deepest in the grateful
and appreciating heart.”
—Henry Clay
GE
(more or less)
:
The Sales122:
122 Ridiculously
Obvious Thoughts
About Selling Stuff
Tom Peters/0402.2006
See below (End of
presentation)
EXCELLENCE.
INNOVATE.
OR. DIE.
“A focus on cost-cutting and efficiency has
helped many organizations weather the
downturn, but this approach will ultimately
Only the
constant pursuit of
innovation can ensure
long-term success.”
render them obsolete.
—Daniel Muzyka, Dean, Sauder School of Business,
Univ of British Columbia
“Under his former boss, Jack Welch, the skills GE prized
above all others were cost-cutting, efficiency and dealmaking. What mattered was the continual improvement
of operations, and that mindset helped the $152 billion
industrial and finance behemoth become a marvel of
earnings consistency. Immelt hasn’t turned his back on
But in his GE, the
new imperatives are risktaking, sophisticated
marketing and, above all,
innovation.” BW
the old ways.
—
/2005
More than $$$$
R&D
spending,
last 25 years?
“I am often asked by would-be entrepreneurs
seeking escape from life within huge corporate
structures, ‘How do I build a small firm for
Buy
a very large one
and just wait.”
myself?’ The answer seems obvious:
—Paul Ormerod, Why Most Things Fail:
Evolution, Extinction and Economics
“I don’t believe in economies of
You don’t get
better by being
bigger. You get
worse.”
scale.
—Dick Kovacevich/Wells Fargo
Scale?
“Microsoft’s Struggle With
Scale”
—Headline, FT, 09.2005
“Troubling
Exits at Microsoft”
—Cover Story, BW, 09.2005
“Too Big to Move Fast?”
—Headline, BW, 09.2005
“When asked to name just one big
merger that had lived up to
expectations, Leon Cooperman,
former cochairman of Goldman Sachs’
Investment Policy Committee,
I’m sure there
are success stories out
there, but at this
moment I draw a
blank.” —Mark Sirower, The Synergy Trap
answered:
“Not a single company that
qualified as having made a
sustained transformation
ignited its leap with a big
acquisition or merger. Moreover,
comparison companies—those that failed to make a
leap or, if they did, failed to sustain it—often tried to
make themselves great with a
big acquisition or merger. They failed to grasp the
simple truth that while you can buy
your way to growth, you cannot buy your way to
greatness.” —Jim Collins/Time/2004
“Acquisitions are about
buying market share. Our
challenge is to
create markets.
There is a big difference.”
—Peter Job, former CEO, Reuters
Free at Last: Most Recent Chapter
in a Long-running Saga
Freescale
Semiconductor*
*$16B
Spinoffs
systematically
perform better than IPOs … track
record, profits … “freed from
the confines of the parent
… more entrepreneurial,
more nimble”
—Jerry Knight/ Washington Post/ 08.05
Private Equity-financed
Firm, Best *Case
*Focus! Focus! Focus!
*In a [Big] hurry
*CEO/Top team, “skin
in the game”
*CEO, 100% of time
on the biz
*Merit! Merit!
*Motivated oversight
*Worst case: Rape & Pillage
There’s “A”
and then
there’s “A.”
EXCELLENCE.
INNOVATE.
AXIOMATIC.
EVERYTHING YOU
THOUGHT YOU KNEW
ABOUT INNOVATION
IS WRONG
The Mess Is
the
Message!
Period!
“Recently I asked three corporate
executives what decisions they had made
in the last year that would not have been
made were it not for their corporate plans.
All had difficulty identifying one such
decision. Since all of the plans are marked
‘secret’ or ‘confidential,’ I asked them
how their competitors might benefit
from possession of their plans. Each
answered with embarrassment that
their competitors would not
benefit.” —Russell Ackoff (from Henry Mintzberg,
The Rise and Fall of Strategic Planning)
The Perils of Conservatism/
Industry Leadership
“ ‘Good management’ was the
most powerful reason [leading
firms] failed to stay atop their
industries. Precisely because these firms
listened to their customers, invested aggressively
in technologies that would provide their customers
more and better products of the sort they wanted,
and because they carefully studied market trends
and systematically allocated investment capital to
innovations that promised the best returns, they
lost their positions of leadership.”
—Clayton Christensen, The Innovator’s Dilemma
“A pattern emphasized in the case
studies in this book is the degree to
which powerful competitors not only
resist innovative threats, but actually
resist all efforts to understand them,
preferring to further their positions in
older products. This results in a surge
of productivity and performance that
may take the old technology to
unheard of heights. But in most cases
this is a sign of impending death.”
—Jim Utterback, Mastering the
Dynamics of Innovation
The Mess Is the Message! Period!
An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution
of the United States —Charles Beard (1913)
The Box: How the Shipping Container Made the World
Smaller and the World Economy Bigger —Marc Levinson
Tube: The Invention of Television —David & Marshall Fisher
Empires of Light: Edison, Tesla, Westinghouse,
and the Race to Electrify the World —Jill Jonnes
The Soul of a New Machine —Tracy Kidder
Rosalind Franklin: The Dark Lady of DNA —Brenda Maddox
The Blitzkrieg Myth —John Mosier
Get mad. Do
something
about it. Now.
First-level
Scientific
Success:
Beyond Brains
First-level Scientific Success
The smartest guy
in the room wins”
Or …
First-level Scientific Success
Fanaticism
Persistence-Dogged Tenacity
Patience (long haul/decades)-Impatience (in a hurry/”do it yesterday”)
Passion
Energy
Relentlessness (Grant-ian)
Enthusiasm
Driven (nuts!)
(Brutal?) Competitiveness
Entrepreneurial
Pragmatic (R.F!A.)
Scrounge (“gets” the logistics-infrastructure bit)
Master of Politics (internal-external)
Tactical Genius
Pursuit of (Oceanic) Excellence!
High EQ/Skillful in Attracting + Keeping Talent/Magnetic
Prolific (“ground up more pig brains”)
Egocentric
Sense of History-Destiny
Futuristic-In the Moment
Mono-dimensional (“Work-life balance”? Ha!)
Exceptionally Intelligent
Exceptionally Clever (methodological shortcuts/methodological genius)
Luck
InnoTacs
We become
who we hang
out with!
Innovation’s Saviors-in-Waiting
Disgruntled Customers
Off-the-Scope Competitors
Rogue Employees
Fringe Suppliers
Wayne Burkan, Wide Angle Vision: Beat the Competition by Focusing on
Fringe Competitors, Lost Customers, and Rogue Employees
“Future-defining
customers may account for
only 2% to 3% of your total,
CUSTOMERS:
but they represent a
crucial window on the
future.”
Adrian Slywotzky, Mercer Consultants
Axiom: Never use a vendor
who is not in the top
quartile (decile?) in
their industry on R&D
spending!*
*Inspired by Hummingbird
Employees:
“Are there
enough weird
people in the lab
these days?”
V. Chmn., pharmaceutical house, to a lab director
Why Do I love Freaks?
(1) Because when Anything Interesting happens … it was
a freak who did it. (Period.)
(2) Freaks are fun. (Freaks are also a pain.) (Freaks are
never boring.)
(3) We need freaks. Especially in freaky times. (Hint:
These are freaky times, for you & me & the CIA & the
Army & Avon.)
(4) A critical mass of freaks-in-our-midst automatically
make us-who-are-not-so-freaky at least somewhat more
freaky. (Which is a Good Thing in freaky times—see
immediately above.)
(5) Freaks are the only (ONLY) ones who succeed—as in,
make it into the history books.
(6) Freaks keep us from falling into ruts. (If we listen to
them.) (We seldom listen to them.) (Which is why most
organizations are in ruts. Make that chasms.)
Measure “Strangeness”/Portfolio Quality
Staff
Consultants
Vendors
Out-sourcing Partners (#, Quality)
Innovation Alliance Partners
Customers
Competitors (who we “benchmark” against)
Strategic Initiatives
Product Portfolio (LineEx v. Leap)
IS/IT Projects
HQ Location
Lunch Mates
Language
Board
“[CEO A.G.] Lafley has shifted
P&G’s focus on inventing all its
own products to developing
others’ inventions at least half
the time. One successful example
Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, based on
a product found in an Osaka
market.” —Fortune, 12.18.06
“The
Bottleneck Is at
the Top of the Bottle”
“Where are you likely to find people with the least diversity of
experience, the largest investment in the past, and the greatest
reverence for industry dogma:
At the top!”
— Gary Hamel/Harvard Business Review
Keep Austin Weird
futuremark
“To grow, companies need
to break out of a vicious
cycle of competitive
benchmarking and
imitation.”
—W. Chan Kim & Renée Mauborgne,
“Think for Yourself —Stop Copying a Rival,” Financial Times/2003
“How do dominant companies
lose their position? Two-
thirds of the time,
they pick the wrong
competitor to worry
about.”
—Don Listwin, CEO,
Openwave Systems/WSJ
“The best swordsman
in the world doesn’t need to
fear the second best swordsman
in the world; no, the person for him to be
COMPETITORS:
afraid of is some ignorant antagonist who has
never had a sword in his hand before; he
doesn’t do the thing he ought to do, and so the
expert isn’t prepared for him; he does the thing
he ought not to do and often it catches the
expert out and ends him on the spot.”
—Mark Twain
Kodak …. Fuji
GM …. Ford
Ford …. GM
IBM …. Siemens, Fujitsu
Sears …. Kmart
Xerox …. Kodak, IBM
“Don’t
benchmark,
futuremark!”
Impetus: “The future is already here; it’s just
not evenly distributed” —William Gibson
Find ’em!
“Somewhere in your
organization, groups of
people are already doing
things differently and better.
To create lasting change, find
these areas of positive
deviance and fan the flames.”
—Richard Pascale & Jerry Sternin,
“Your Company’s Secret Change Agents,” HBR
Demos!
Heroes!
Stories!
“Never doubt that a
small group of
committed people
can change the
world. Indeed it is
the only thing that
ever has.”
—Margaret Mead
Find ’em!
Innovation
“Tool”/“Source” # 1:
Pissed Off
Person/
People
invite ’em!
“In the end, management
doesn’t change culture.
Management
invites
the workforce itself to
change the culture.”
—Lou Gerstner
“If I could have chosen not to tackle the IBM
culture head-on, I probably wouldn’t have. My
bias coming in was toward strategy, analysis and
measurement. In comparison, changing the
attitude and behaviors of hundreds of thousands
[Yet] I
came to see in my time at
IBM that culture isn’t just
one aspect of the game—
it is the game.” —Lou Gerstner,
of people is very, very hard.
Who Says Elephants Can’t Dance
send ’em on
a quest!
Organizing Genius / Warren Bennis
and Patricia Ward Biederman
“Groups become great only when
everyone in them, leaders and
members alike, is free to do his or
her absolute best.”
“The best thing a leader can do for a
Great Group is to allow its
members to discover their
greatness.”
Leadership’s Mt Everest/Mt Excellence
“free to do his or her
absolute best” …
“allow its members to
discover their
greatness.”
Concoct a
Parallel
universe!
“SkunkWorks”/ “ParallelUniverse”
“the
solution”
Source: Scott Bedbury (Others: 3M, Google, Shell, NAVFAC)
“Venture”
fund: Gerstner/Amex,
Dow/Marriott, Grove/Intel,
Bedbury/Starbucks
The
“Sri Lanka
Stratagem”
Forward, march:
Try it. Try it. Try it
Try it. Try it. Try it
Try it. Try it. Try it
Try it. Try it. Try it
Try it. try it. Try it
Try it. try it. Try it
“This is so simple it sounds stupid, but it is amazing
how few oil people really understand that
you only find
oil if you drill
wells.
You may think you’re finding it
when you’re drawing maps and
studying logs, but you have to drill.”
Source: The Hunters, by John Masters, Canadian O & G wildcatter
“We have a
‘strategic plan.’
It’s called doing
things.”
— Herb Kelleher
“Experiment
fearlessly”
Source: BW0821.06, Type A Organization Strategies/
“How to Hit a Moving Target”—Tactic #1
“We made mistakes, of course. Most of them were
omissions we didn’t think of when we initially wrote the
software. We fixed them by doing it over and over, again
and again. We do the same today. While our competitors
are still sucking their thumbs trying to make the design
perfect, we’re already on prototype version
#5.
By the time our rivals are
ready with wires and screws, we are on version
#10. It gets back to planning
versus acting: We act from day
one; others plan how to plan—
for months.” —Bloomberg by Bloomberg
“We ground
up more pig
brains!”
READY.
FIRE!
AIM.
Ross Perot (vs “Aim! Aim! Aim!” /EDS vs GM/1985)
“You miss 100
percent of the
shots you never
take.”
—Wayne Gretzky
Excellence1982: The Bedrock “Eight Basics”
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
A Bias for Action
Close to the Customer
Autonomy and Entrepreneurship
Productivity Through People
Hands On, Value-Driven
Stick to the Knitting
Simple Form, Lean Staff
Simultaneous Loose-Tight Properties”
“Never forget
implementation
boys. In our work it’s
what I call the
‘missing 98
percent’ of the client
puzzle.”
—Al McDonald
“The first 90% of a
project takes 90% of
the time. The last 10%
takes the other 90% of
the time.”
—Richard Templar,
The Rules of Management
tolerate
[encourage?]
failure
“FAIL, FAIL
AGAIN. FAIL
BETTER.”
—Samuel Beckett
“Fail . Forward.
Fast.”
High Tech CEO, Pennsylvania
“Fail faster.
Succeed Sooner.”
David Kelley/IDEO
Sam’s
Secret
#1!
“Reward
excellent failures.
Punish mediocre
successes.”
Phil Daniels, Sydney exec
think.
Do.
Play.
“Action is the
foundational
key of all
success.”
—Picasso
“The secret of
getting ahead
is getting
started.” —
Agatha Christie
“The secret to having
good ideas is to have a
lot of ideas, then
throw the bad ones
away.” —Linus Pauling
“Intelligent people
can always come up
with intelligent
reasons to do
nothing.”
—Scott Simon
Translating Picasso
“Doing something
is the key to
getting something
done.”
In Search of
—TP (Co-author,
Excellence, first “Basic”: “A BIAS FOR ACTION”)
think.
Do.
Play.
SERIOUS
PLAY
“You can’t be a serious
innovator unless and until
you are ready, willing and
able to seriously play.
‘Serious play’ is not an
oxymoron; it is the essence
of innovation.”
—Michael Schrage, Serious Play
Culture of Prototyping
“Effective prototyping may
be the most valuable core
competence an innovative
organization can hope to
have.” —Michael Schrage
Think about It!?
Innovation =
Reaction to the
Prototype
Source: Michael Schrage
“Learn not to
be careful.”
—Photographer Diane Arbus
to her students (Careful = The sidelines, from
Harriet Rubin in The Princessa)
Speed/
Tempo/
is-it
“We don’t sell
insurance anymore.
We sell
speed.”
Peter Lewis, Progressive
Wal*Mart (!)
& Katrina
FedEx
Economy”
“the
—headline/New York Times/10.08.05
Anything/
Anywhere/
Anytime
“Any3”:
“UPS used to be a trucking company
Now it’s
a technology
company with
trucks.”
with technology.
—Forbes
Open-source
Goldmining!
Rob McEwen, CEO,
Goldcorp Inc.
“Goldcorp Challenge”/
$575,000
Source: Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes
Everything, Don Tapscott & Anthony Williams
Power Tools
For Power
Strategies
Sysco!
Productivity!
McKesson 2003-2004:
Revenue … +$7B
Employees … +500
Source: USA Today
Go for the Bold
* Bold/Aggressive/$$$$
* Bold/GameChanger
* Bold/Creative Destruction
* Bold/“Cool” Supplier Portfolio
* Bold/Web Fanaticism
“ebusiness is about
rebuilding the
organization from the
ground up. Most companies today
are not built to exploit the Internet. Their
business processes, their approvals, their
hierarchies, the number of people they
employ … all of that is wrong for running
an ebusiness.” —Ray Lane, Kleiner Perkins
5% F500 have CIO
on Board: “While some of the
world’s most admired companies—Tesco,
Wal*Mart —are transforming the business
landscape by including technology experts on
their boards, the vast majority are missing out
on ways to boost productivity, competitiveness
and shareholder value.”
Source: Burson-Marsteller
bet the
farm
“[Immelt] is now identifying
technologies with which GE
systematically
set out to build
entirely new
industries”
will …
—Strategy+Business, Fall 2005
Immelt on “Innovation
breakthroughs”: Pull out and
fund ideas in each business
that will generate >$100M in
revenue; find best people to
lead (80 throughout GE)
Source: Fast Company/07.05
“Beware of the tyranny
of making Small Changes
to Small Things. Rather,
make Big Changes to
Big Things.”
—Roger Enrico, former Chairman, PepsiCo
No Wiggle Room!
“Incrementalism
is innovation’s
worst enemy.”
Nicholas Negroponte
Five MYTHS About Changing Behavior
*Crisis is a powerful impetus for change
*Change is motivated by fear
*The facts will set us free
*Small, gradual changes
are always easier to
make and sustain
*We can’t change because our brains become
“hardwired” early in life
Source: Fast Company/05.2005
“Reward
excellent failures.
Punish mediocre
successes.”
Phil Daniels, Sydney exec
focus
“We will not, I
repeat not, pretend
to be ‘all things to
all people.’”
—CEO, Investec (03.06)
The Benefits of … “FOCUSED EXCELLENCE”
Shouldice/Hernia Repair:
1% recurrence.
Avg: 90 min, 10%-15%
30 min,
recurrence.
Source: Complications, Atul Gawande
Private Equity-financed
Firm, Best *Case
*Focus! Focus! Focus!
*In a [Big] hurry
*CEO/Top team, “skin
in the game”
*CEO, 100% of time
on the biz
*Merit! Merit!
*Motivated oversight
*Worst case: Rape & Pillage
Conscious
measurement
Innovation Index: How many
of your Top 5 Strategic
Initiatives/Key Projects score
8 or higher [out of 10] on a
“Weird”/ “Profound”/
“Wow”/“Game- changer”
Scale?
personal
Buy a
Mirror!
Step #1:
Inno64:
Innovation
Strategies
& Tactics
Parallel universe /Exec Ed v res MBA
End run regnant powers/JKC
Find done deals-practicing mavericks/Stone-ReGo
Bell curves2016 in 2006
Non-industry benchmarking
Everything = Portfolio
V.C.s all!
Hot language/Wow-Astonish me-Insanely
great-immortal-Make something great
Lead customers/PW-Embraer
Lead suppliers /Top decile R&D
Weird alliances
Mottos/Paul Arden (“Whatever You Think
Think the Opposite”)
Hire freaks/Enough weird people?
Weird Boards!!!
CEO track record of Innovation (nobody starts
at 45!)
System/GE-Immelt
“Strategic thrust overlay”
Calendar
Big Delta easier than Small
MBWA with freaks-weirdos/JKC
MBWA/Boonies’ labs
V.C.-formal/Intel
Acquire weird
Children’s crusade
Old farts crusade
Go Global at any size
Stop listening to customers
Talent!/Unusual sources-Hire innovators-V.C.s
Eschew giant mergers
Remember: scale economies max out early
Assisted suicide! (“Built to last” = Chimerasnare-delusion)
Burn your press clippings
“Forgetting” “strategy”
Fire all strategic planners
Tempo!
Final product bears little relation to starting
notion
Design! Design! Design! (“culture,” not
program)
All innovation: Pissed-off people
Gut feel rules!
Focus groups suck
Weird focus groups okay
Be-Do philosophy
Celebrations
Culture-little as well as big Inno (“everyonean-innovator”)
Life = Wow Projects
Acknowledge messiness-pursue serendipity
(Blitzkrieg-Containers-Science-Jim
Utterback)
R.F.A.
Culture of execution
4/40: decentralization, execution,
accountability, 615AM
EVP (S.O.U.B.)/Systems-process “un-design”
Diversity for diversity’s sake
Women-Women-Women/customers (they
“are the market,” not a “segment”)-leaders
Boomers-Geezers (“all the money”)
CRO (Chief Revenue Officer) “culture”/topline obsessed
CIO (Chief INNOVATION Officer)
Laughter
Facility-space configuration
Experiments-prototypes
“Reward excellent failures. Punish mediocre
successes.”
Bizarrely high incentives (& penalties)
We are what we eat/We are who we hang out
with (E.g.: Staff-Consultants-Vendors-Out-sourcing
Partners/#, Quality-Innovation Alliance PartnersCustomers-Competitors/who we “benchmark” against
-Strategic Initiatives -Product Portfolio/LineEx v. LeapIS/IT Projects-HQ Location-Lunch Mates-LanguageBoard)
What “We” Know “For Sure” About Innovation
Big mergers [by & large] don’t work
Scale is over-rated
Strategic planning is the last refuge of scoundrels
Focus groups are counter-productive
“Built to last” is a chimera (stupid)
Success kills
“Forgetting” is impossible
Re-imagine is a charming idea
“Orderly innovation process” is an oxymoronic phrase
(= Believed only by morons with ox-like brains)
“Tipping points” are easy to identify …
long after they will do you any good
“Facts” aren’t
All information making it to the top is filtered
to the point of danger and hilarity
“Success stories” are the illusions of egomaniacs (and “gurus”)
If you believe the memoirs of CEOs you should be institutionalized
“Herd behavior” (XYZ is “hot”) is ubiquitous
… and amusing
“Top teams” are “Dittoheads”
CEOs have little effect on performance
“Expert” prediction is rarely better than rolling the dice
EXCELLENCE.
INNOVATION.
REVOLUTION.
ORGANIZATION.
Excellence: The SE22:
ORIGINS OF
SUSTAINABLE
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
SE22/Origins of Sustainable Entrepreneurship
1. Genetically disposed to Innovations that upset apple carts (3M, Apple,
FedEx, Virgin, BMW, Sony, Nike, Schwab, Starbucks, Oracle, Sun,
Fox, Stanford University, MIT)
2. Perpetually determined to outdo oneself, even to
the detriment of today’s $$$ winners (Apple, Cirque du Soleil, Nokia, FedEx)
3. Treat History as the Enemy (GE)
4. Love the Great Leap/Enjoy the Hunt (Apple, Oracle, Intel, Nokia, Sony)
5. Use “Strategic Thrust Overlays” to Attack Monster Problems (Sysco,
GSK, GE, Microsoft)
6. Establish a “Be on the COOL Team” Ethos. (Most PSFs, Microsoft)
7. Encourage Vigorous Dissent/Genetically “Noisy” (Intel, Apple,
Microsoft, CitiGroup, PepsiCo)
8.
“Culturally” as well as
organizationally Decentralized
(GE, J&J, Omnicom)
9. Multi-entrepreneurship/Many Independent-minded Stars (GE, PepsiCo)
HP’s Big “Duh”!
Decentralize ($90B)
Undo “Matrix”
Accountability
Source: “HP Says Goodbye To Drama”/
BW/09.05/re Mark Hurd’s first 5 months
“‘Decentralization’
is not a piece of
paper. It’s not me.
It’s either in your
heart, or not.”
—Brian Joffe/BIDvest
TP “Lessons Learned”
Innovation = DisDis
(Disciplined Disorganization)
Luck is a very good thing.* **
(*More “lessons” later: E.g., If you hire a bunch of disciplined weirdos and
try a lot of weird stuff, the odds of getting lucky go up remarkably) (**Career
success depends on convincing others that you knew what the hell you
were doing all along. Good news: Say it long enough and you will believe it.
Great news: Keep saying it and you, too, can become a “guru.”)
SE22/Origins of Sustainable Entrepreneurship
10. Keep decentralizing—tireless in pursuit of wiping out
Centralizing Tendencies (J&J, Virgin)
11. Scour the world for Ingenious Alliance Partners—
especially exciting start-ups (Pfizer)
12. Acquire for Innovation, not Market Share (Cisco, GE)
13. Don’t overdo “pursuit of synergy” (GE, J&J, Time Warner)
14. Execution/Action Bias: Just do it … don’t obsess on
how it “fits the business model.” (3M, J & J)
15. Find and Encourage and Promote Strong-willed/
Hyper-smart/Independent people (GE, PepsiCo, Microsoft)
16. Support Internal Entrepreneurs (3M, Microsoft)
17. Ferret out Talent anywhere/“No limits” approach to
retaining top talent (Virgin, GE, PepsiCo)
SE22/Origins of Sustainable Entrepreneurship
18. Unmistakable Results & Accountability focus from
the get-go to the grave (GE, New York Yankees, PepsiCo)
19. Up
or Out (GE, McKinsey, big consultancies and law
firms and ad agencies and movie studios in general)
20. Competitive to a fault! (GE, New York Yankees, News
Corp/Fox, PepsiCo)
21. “Bi-polar” Top Team, with “Unglued” Innovator #1,
powerful Control Freak #2 (Oracle, Virgin) (Watch out when
#2 is missing: Enron)
22. Masters of Loose-Tight/Hard-nosed about a very few
Core Values, Open-minded about everything else
(Virgin)
Itinerant.
Potential.
Machines.
TALENT POOL TO DIE FOR. Youthful.
Insanely energetic. Value creativity. Risk
taking is routine. Failing is normal … if
you’re stretching. Want to “make their
bones” in “the revolution.” Love the new
technologies. Well rewarded. Don’t plan
to be around 10 years from now.
In-Cab University
*Business. Humanities. Science.
Personal growth.
*Listen in truck, transmit assignments via
cellphone or Wi-Fi at truck stops
*$225 per credit hour; several big
fleets paying
*Stephen Fraser, 38: “Rather than driving
all day and dreaming about lottery
winnings, I’m actually using my mind.”
TALENT POOL PLUS. Seek out and
work with “world’s best” as needed
(it’s often needed). “We aim to change
the world, and we need gifted
colleagues—who well may not be on
our payroll.”
BRASSY-BUT-GROUNDEDLEADERSHIP. Say “I don’t know”—and
then unleash the TALENT. Have a vision to
be DRAMATICALLY DIFFERENT—but don’t
expect the co. to be around forever. Will
scrap pet projects, and change course 180
degrees—and take a big write-off in the
process. NO REGRETS FROM SCREW-UPS
WHOSE TIME HAS NOT-YET-COME.
GREAT REGRETS AT TIME & $$$
WASTED ON “ME TOO” PRODUCTS
AND PROJECTS.
BRASSY-BUT-GROUNDED-LEADERSHIP.
(Cont.) “Visionary” leaders matched by leaders
with shrewd business sense: “HOW DO WE
TURN A PROFIT ON THIS GORGEOUS IDEA?”
Appreciate “market creation” as much as or
more than “market share growth.” ARE
INSANELY AWARE THAT MARKET LEADERS
ARE ALWAYS IN PRECARIOUS POSITIONS, AND
THAT MARKET SHARE WILL NOT PROTECT US,
IN TODAY’S VOLATILE WORLD, FROM THE NEXT
KILLER IDEA AND KILLER ENTREPRENEUR.
(Gates. Ellison. Venter. McNealy. Walton. Case.
Etc.)
ALLIANCE MANIACS. Don’t assume
that “the best resides within.” WORK
WITH A SHIFTING ARRAY OF STATEOF-THE-ART PARTNERS FROM ONE
END OF THE “SUPPLY CHAIN” TO
THE OTHER. Including vendors and
consultants and … who especially …
PIONEERING CUSTOMERS … will
“pull us into the future.”
TECHNOLOGY-NETWORK
FANATICS. Run the whole-damncompany, and relations with all outsiders,
on the Internet … at Internet speed.
Reluctant to work with those who don’t
share this (radical) vision.
POTENTIAL MACHINESORGANISMS. Don’t know
what’s coming next. But are
ready to jump at
opportunities, especially
those that challengeoverturn our own “way of
doing things.”
“Crazy Times
Call for Crazy
Organizations”
—Subtitle, The Tom Peters Seminar (1993)
EXCELLENCE.
4/40.
De-central-iza-tion!
“If if feels
painful and
scary—that’s
real delegation”
—Caspian Woods, small biz owner
The True Logic* of Decentralization:
6 divisions = 6 “tries”
6 divisions = 6 DIFFERENT leaders =
6 INDEPENDENT “tries” = Max
probability of “win”
6 divisions = 6 very DIFFERENT
leaders = 6 very INDEPENDENT
“tries” = Max probability of “far
out”/”3-sigma” “win”
*“Driver”: Law of Large #s
Ex-ecu-tion!
“Execution is
the job of the
business
leader.”
—Larry Bossidy & Ram
Charan/ Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done
“Execution is a
systematic
process
of rigorously
discussing hows and whats, tenaciously
following through, and ensuring
accountability.”
—Larry Bossidy & Ram Charan/ Execution:
The Discipline of Getting Things Done
Projects =
Goal (“Vision”)
Milestones =
Project
Rapid Review +
Truth-telling =
accountability
Ac-counta-bil-ity!
“Realism is
the heart of
execution.”
—Larry Bossidy & Ram Charan/Execution:
The Discipline of Getting Things Done
“GE has set a standard
of candor. … There is no
puffery. … There isn’t
an ounce of denial in
the place.”
—Kevin Sharer, CEO Amgen,
on the “GE mystique” (Fortune)
6:15A.M.
DECENTRALIZATION.
EXECUTION.
ACCOUTABILITY.
6:15A.M.
EXCELLENCE.
VALUE ADDED.
UP THE LADDER.
EXCELLENCE.
VALUE-ADDED LADDER I.
SOLVE IT.
Planetary Rainmaker-in-Chief!
“Palmisano’s strategy is
to expand tech’s borders
by pushing users—and
entire industries—toward
radically different
business models. The payoff for IBM
would be access to an ocean of revenue—Palmisano
estimates it at $500 billion a year —that technology
companies have never been able to touch.” —Fortune
“Big Brown’s New Bag: UPS
Traffic
Manager for
Corporate
America”
Aims to Be the
—Headline/BW/2004
MasterCard
Advisors
“Security ‘devices’”
to “Turnkey security
solutions” (A/C, elevators, DIY,
photo shops, etc, etc)
Home Depot Business
ToolBox: Payroll processing.
Credit card processing. Personnel
paperwork. Mobile phones. Shipping.
Health insurance. 12K customers
(plumbers, electricians, small
homebuilders and contractors).
Source: Forbes, 0918.06
I. LAN Installation Co.
II. Geek Squad.
(3%)
(30%.)
III. Acquired by BestBuy.
IV. Flagship of BestBuy
Wholesale “Solutions”
Strategy Makeover.
Huge:
Customer
Satisfaction
versus
Customer
Success
Up,
Up,
Up,
Up
the Value-added Ladder.
The Value-added Ladder/ STUFF ‘N’ THINGS
Goods
Raw Materials
The Value-added Ladder/Stuff & TRANSACTIONS
Services
Goods
Raw Materials
The Value-added Ladder/ OPPORTUNITY-SEEKING
Gamechanging
Solutions
Services
Goods
Raw Materials
Era #1/Obvious Value: “Our ‘it’ works, is
delivered on time” (“Close”)
Era #2/Augmented Value: “How our ‘it’
can add value—a ‘useful it’ ” (“Solve”)
Era #3/Complex Value Networks: “How our
‘system’ can change you and deliver
‘business advantage’ ” (“CultureStrategic change”)
Source: Jeff Thull, The Prime Solution: Close the Value Gap,
Increase Margins, and Win the Complex Sale
“The business of selling is not just about matching viable
It’s
equally about managing the
change process the customer will
need to go through to implement
the solution and achieve the value
promised by the solution. One of the key
solutions to the customers that require them.
differentiators of our position in the market is our attention to
managing change and making change stick in our customers’
organization.”* (*E.g.: CRM failure rate/Gartner: 70%)
—Jeff Thull, The Prime Solution: Close the Value Gap,
Increase Margins, and Win the Complex Sale
EXCELLENCE.
NECESSITY.
OPPORTUNITY.
“ ‘Disintermediation’ is overrated. Those who fear
disintermediation-outsourcing should in fact be
afraid of irrelevance; ‘outsourcing’ is just another
you’ve
become irrelevant to
your customers.”
way of saying that …
—John Battelle/Point/Advertising Age/07.05
Chicago:
HRMAC
“support function” /
“cost center”/
“overhead”
or …
Are you …
“Rock
Stars of the
Age of
Talent”
EXCELLENCE.
SOLVE IT.
NO OPTION.
PSF. (PSF++)
Department Head
to …
Managing
Partner,
IS Inc.
[HR, R&D, etc.]
Core Mechanism:
“Game-changing Solutions”
PSF
(Professional Service Firm “model”/The Organizing Principle)
+
Brand You
(“Distinct” or “Extinct”/The Talent)
+
Wow! Projects
(“Different” vs “Better”/The Work)
“Solutions World”: The
Mega-PSF
Big Idea:
“Corporation” as
Mega-“PSF”
(Professional Service
Firm*)
* “Virtual” Collection of Entrepreneurially-minded
Professionals (“Talent”/“Roster”) Creating/Applying
Intellectual Capital (“Work Product”)
Core Mechanism:
“Game-changing Solutions”
Brand You(S)
(“Distinct” or “Extinct”/The Talent)
+
Wow! Project(s)
(“Different” vs “Better”/The Work)
=
PSF(S)
(Professional Service Firm “model”/The Organizing Principle)
=
“Corporation” as
“Mega-PSF”
The “PSF35”:
Thirty-Five
Professional Service Firm
Marks of Excellence
The PSF35: The Work & The Legacy
1.
CRYSTAL CLEAR POINT OF VIEW
(E very Practice Group: “If you can’t explain your position in eight
words or less, you don’t have a position”—Seth Godin)
2. DRAMATIC DIFFERENCE (“We are the only ones who do what
we do”—Jerry Garcia)
3. Stretch Is Routine (“Never bite off less than you can chew”—anon.)
4. Eye-Appetite for Game-changer Projects (Excellence at Assembling
“Best Team”—Fast)
5. “Playful” Clients (Adventurous folks who unfailingly Aim to Change
the World)
6. Small “Uneconomic” Clients with Big Aims
7. Life Is Too Short to Work with Jerks (Fire lousy clients)
8. OBSESSED WITH LEGACY (Practice Group and Individual: “Dent the
Universe”—Steve Jobs)
9. Fire-on-the-spot Anyone Who Says, “Law/Architecture/Consulting/
I-banking/ Accounting/PR/Etc. has become a ‘commodity’ ”
10. Consistent with #9 above … DO NOT SHY AWAY FROM THE
WORD (IDEA) “RADICAL”
?????
Do good (excellent?!) work
Make a lot of money
Pointed
Point of
View!
R.POV8*
*Remarkable Point Of View/8 Words or less/“If you can’t state your
position in eight words or less you don’t have a position.”—SG
“If you can’t write your
back
of a business
card, you ain’t got a
movie idea on the
movie.”
—Samuel Goldwyn
Answer:
I. LAN Installation Co.
II. Geek Squad.
(3%)
(30%.)
III. Acquired by BestBuy.
IV. Flagship of BestBuy
Wholesale “Solutions”
Strategy Makeover.
EXCELLENCE.
ATTITUDE.
TRANSFORMATION.
PSF.
Are you the …
“Principal
Engine of
Value Added”
*E.g.: Your R&D budget as robust as the New Products team?
Cost
(at All Costs*) Minimization
Professional?
Or/to: Full Partner“Purchasing Officer” Thrust #1:
Leader in Lifetime
Value-added
Maximization?
(*Lopez: “Arguably ‘Villain #1’ in GM tragedy”/Anon VSE-Spain)
“Technology
Executive” (workin’ in a hospital)
HCare CIO:
Full-scale,
Accountable (life or death)
Member-Partner of XYZ
Hospital’s Senior
Or/to:
Healing-Services
Team
(who happens to be a techie)
PSF Transformation: Credit Department/Trek
Was
Is
Credit Dept
Financial Services
Hammer on dealers until
they pay
Make dealers successful so they
CAN pay
AR sold to 3rd party
commercial co.
Trek is the commercial financial
Company
23 employees
12 employees
Oversee peak AR of $70M
Oversee peak AR of $160M
Identify risky dealers
Identify opportunities
Cost Center
Profit Center
No products
Products: Consulting, MC/Visa,
Stored value of gift cards, Gift card
peripherals, Online payments
Source: John Burke/0330.06
EXCELLENCE.
VALUE-ADDED LADDER II.
EXPERIENCE IT.
“Experiences
are as distinct
from services as
services are from
goods.”
—Joe Pine & Jim Gilmore, The
Experience Economy: Work Is Theatre & Every Business a
Stage
“The [Starbucks] Fix” Is on …
“We have
identified a ‘third
place.’
And I really believe
that sets us apart. The third place is
that place that’s not work or home. It’s
the place our customers come for
refuge.” —Nancy Orsolini, District Manager
Experience: “Rebel Lifestyle!”
“What we sell is the
ability for a 43year-old accountant
to dress in black
leather, ride through
small towns and have
people be afraid
of him.”
Harley exec, quoted in Results-Based Leadership
Up,
Up,
Up,
Up
the Value-added Ladder.
The Value-added Ladder/ MEMORABLE CONNECTION
Spellbinding
Experiences
Gamechanging Solutions
Services
Goods
Raw Materials
Beyond the “Transaction”/ “Satisfaction” Mentality
“Good hotel”/ “Happy guest”/
“Exceeded Expectations”
vs.
“Great Vacation”/
“Great Conference”/
“Operation Personal
Renewal”
C
*Chief e
O*
Xperience Officer
“Most executives have
no idea how to add value
to a market in the
metaphysical world. But
that is what the market will cry
out for in the future. There is no
lack of ‘physical’ products to
choose between.”
Jesper Kunde, Unique Now ... or Never [on the
excellence of Nokia, Nike, Lego, Virgin et al.]
Extraction & Goods:
Male dominance
Services &
Female
dominance
Experiences:
Steinbeck.
Reductionism,
Perils Of.
“The Mexican Sierra has 17 plus 15 plus 9 spines in the
dorsal fin. These can easily be counted. But if the sierra
strikes on the line so that our hands are burned, if the fish
sounds and nearly escapes and finally comes in over the
rail, his colors pulsing and his tail beating the air, a whole
new relational externality has come into being—an entity
which is more than the sum of the fish plus the fisherman.
The only way to count the spines of the sierra unaffected
by this second relational reality is to sit in a laboratory,
open an evil-smelling jar, remove a stiff colorless fish
from the formalin solution, count the spines and write
the truth. There you have recorded a reality which cannot
be assailed—probably the least important reality
concerning the fish or yourself,. … It is good to know
what you are doing . The man with this pickled fish has
set down one truth and recorded in his experience many
lies. The fish is not that color, that texture, that dead, nor
does he smell that way.” —John Steinbeck
"A cynic is a man who
knows the price of
everything and the
value of nothing"
—Oscar Wilde
EXCELLENCE.
DRAMATIC.
DIFFERENCE.
DOABLE.
“The ‘surplus society’ has a surplus of
companies, employing
similar
similar
similar
similar
similar
people, with
educational backgrounds, coming up with
similar
similar
ideas, producing
prices and
things, with
quality.”
—Kjell
Nordström and Jonas Ridderstråle, Funky Business
This is not a
“mature
category.”
This is an
“undistinguished
category.”
“When we did it
‘right’ it was still
pretty ordinary.”
—Barry Gibbons on “Nightmare No. 1”
$415/SqFt/Wal*Mart
$798/SqFt/Whole
Foods
#1/100
“Best Companies to
Work for”/2005
Wegmans
7X. 730A800P.
F12A.*
*’93-’03/10
yr annual return: CB: 29%; WM: 17%;
HD: 16%. Mkt Cap: 48% p.a.
“It’s simple, really,
Tom. Hire for s,
and, above all,
promote for s.”
—Starbucks middle manager/field
“A man
without a
smiling face
must not open
a shop.”
—Chinese Proverb
EXCELLENCE.
NO EXCUSES.
A store is
a store is a
store is a
WallopWal*Mart16*
*Or: Why it’s so ABSURDLY EASY
to BEAT a GIANT Company
The “Small Guys” Guide: Wallop Wal*Mart16
*Niche-aimed. (Never, ever “all things for all people,” a “miniWal*Mart.)
*Never attack the monsters head
business and lukewarm customers.)
on! (Instead steal niche
*“Dramatically
Different”
(La Difference ... within our community, our
industry regionally, etc … is as obvious as the end of one’s nose!) (THIS IS
WHERE MOST MIDGETS COME UP SHORT.)
*Compete on value/experience/intimacy, not price. (You
ain’t gonna beat the behemoths on cost-price in 9.99 out of 10 cases.)
*Emotional bond with Clients,
ON EMOTION/CONNECTION!!)
Vendors. (BEAT THE BIGGIES
The “Small Guys” Guide: Wallop Wal*Mart16
*Hands-on, emotional leadership. (“We are a great &
cool & intimate & joyful & dramatically different team working to
transform our Clients lives via Consistently Incredible
Experiences!”)
*A community
out of it!)
star! (“Sell” local-ness per se. Sell the hell
*An
incredible experience, from the first to last
moment—and then in the follow-up! (“These guys
are cool! They ‘get’ me! They love me!”)
*DESIGN DRIVEN! (“Design” is a premier weapon-inpursuit-of-the sublime for small-ish enterprises, including the
professional services.)
The “Small Guys” Guide: Wallop Wal*Mart16
*Employer of choice. (A very cool, well-paid
place to work/learning and growth experience in at
least the short term … marked by notably progressive
policies.) (THIS IS EMINENTLY DO-ABLE!!)
*Sophisticated
use of information
technology. (Small-“ish” is no excuse for “small
aims”/execution in IS/IT!)
*Web-power! (The Web can make very small very
big … if the product-service is super-cool and one
purposefully masters buzz/viral marketing.)
*Innovative! (Must keep renewing and expanding
and revising and re-imagining “the promise” to
employees, the customer, the community.)
The “Small Guys” Guide: Wallop Wal*Mart16
*Brand-Lovemark* (*Kevin Roberts) Maniacs!
(“Branding” is not just for big folks with big budgets. And modest
size is actually a Big Advantage in becoming a local-regionalniche “lovemark.”)
*Focus
*
on women-as-clients. (Most don’t. How stupid.)
Excellence!
(A small player … per me …
has no right or reason to exist unless they are in Relentless
Pursuit of Excellence. One earns the right—one damn day and
client experience at a time!—to beat the Big Guys in your chosen
niche!)
tom peters: what
I’ve Learned
about “Small
Business”
Passion for PRODUCT.
OBSESSION With Product.
LOVE The Product.
Aim To Be “ONLY ONES WHO DO WHAT WE DO.”
Keep ADDIN’ Stuff.
Invest “UNWISELY” in R&D.
Reside Permanently In The DISCOMFORT Zone.
“Unhealthy” PARANOIA Is A Good Thing.
Add Clients That PUSH-PULL.
SELL. SELL. SELL. SELL.
Go For Broke: CUSTOMER CONTACT PEOPLE.
PERFECTION: Customer Contact People.
Hire for ATTITUDE.
INVITE On An Adventure.
GREAT CFO/Biz Guy-Gal.
NASTY CFO/Biz Guy-Gal.
QUADRANGULAR LEADERSHIP: Visionary-Talent FanaticProject Manager-I.P.M. (I.P.M. = Inspired Profit Mechanic)
Seminars + Travel: 65%
Research & Writing: 40-50%*
Admin/“Stuff”: 15%
*Greater than 100%; considerable researchwriting is performed on the road
GREAT Logo.
DESIGN!
“OVERDO” Marketing Materials.
WOMEN Roar. WOMEN Rule. WOMEN Buy.
Diversity = $$$$$$
Be RELENTLESS. Cut And RUN.
Product Includes-Features the PACKAGING.
Define Your DRAMATIC DIFFERENCE (R.P.O.V.8)
Best STORY Wins.
DRESS For Success.
First Goal: AMUSE Yourself.
Know YOURSELF.
DON’T Do Stuff You Hate.
“Over-invest” In RELATIONSHIPS.
(R.O.I.R.: Return On Investment in Relationships)
SYSTEMATICALLY “Manage” Relationships.
“Work” The SUPPORT PEOPLE In Client Orgs.
BLOG As If Your Life Depended On It.
SOPHISTICATED Use Of Infotech.
RESPONSE To Problems.
Make ’Em PAY.
CLOSE The Sale.
Invest BIGTIME In PR.
Media FRIENDLY.
Live-To-SCHMOOZE.
Fun/Laughter = $$$$
MBWA: Stay In Touch.
“You Must Be The Change You Wish
To See In The World”/GANDHI
5K For 5M.
Your CALENDAR Never Lies.
OUT: Pastels. IN: Technicolor
JUST SAY “NO” TO C.E.O.: CIO/Chief Innovation
Officer. CSO/Chief Sales Officer. CWO/
Chief Wow Officer
EXCELLENCE Is Very Cool.
“MICRO-MANAGE” Your Reputation.
Wear Your Integrity On Your SLEEVE.
KEEP Your Promises.
EXECUTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“A Man Without A Smiling Face
MUST NOT Open His Shop.”
RECOGNITION!
Work HARD, Not Smart.
“Insanely Great.” THE STANDARD.
The Fab Five: What Every Small Biz Needs
Success = DDMMPR/
"D-squared, M-squared, PR” =
DramDiff + Money-Financial
Acumen + Good “Marketing”
Instincts + Stellar People +
Resilience
Small Giants:
Companies That
Choose To Be
Great Instead Of
Big
—by Bo Burlingham
Small Giants/Bo Burlingham
"First, I could see that, unlike most entrepreneurs,
their founders and leaders had recognized the full
range of choices they had about the type of company
they would create."
"Second, the leaders had overcome the enormous
pressures on successful companies to take paths they
had not chosen and did not necessarily want to follow."
"Third, each company had an extraordinarily intimate
relationship with the local city, town, or county in
which it did business -- a relationship that went well
beyond the usual concept of `giving back.'"
"Fourth, they cultivated exceptionally intimate
relationships with customers and suppliers, based on
personal contact, one-on-one interaction, and mutual
commitment to delivering on promises."
Small Giants/Bo Burlingham
"Fifth, the companies also had what struck me as
unusually intimate workplaces."
"Sixth, I was impressed by the variety of corporate
structures and modes of governance that these
companies had come up with."
"Finally, I noticed the passion that the leaders brought
to what the company did. They loved the subject
matter, whether it be music, safety lighting, food,
special effects, constant torque hinges, beer, records
storage, construction, dining, or fashion."
The Small*Mart
Revolution: How
Local Businesses
Are Beating Local
Competition
—Michael Shuman
I [“Bacteria Man”] HEREBY PLEDGE:
When asked, “What are some examples
of companies stepping up to today’s
challenges?” … I will …
NEVER
AGAIN … offer an example of a
Giant Company; instead I’ll refer to
Cirque du Soleil, Donnelly’s Weatherstrip
Service, 3K tanning salons, 10.6M
women-owned businesses (or the
typically/95+% female recipients of
micro-lending) …*
*There is more to Biz Life than Giant Cos … LOTS MORE … that “hidden 99%”
Q: Why isn’t the mainstream
business press interested
in the “missing 90%” of
the Economy?
A(?): (1) Ad revenue.
(2) Hard work.
Grameen Bank/Mohammed Yunus
Small can be beautiful & powerful!
People first!
Trust!
Women rule!!!!!!!!
Giant forests from tiny seedlings!
Self reliance!
Community based!
Self/Small group management!
Banish the bureaucrats!
Keep it simple, stupid!
Hands on!
Etc.
Etc.
Stephen Jay Gould:
Bacteria rule!
Sizeable cases
are virtually
irrelevant
anomalies.
[e.g. humans]
EXCELLENCE.
VALUE-ADDED LADDER III.
DREAM IT.
DREAM: “A dream is a complete
moment in the life of a client.
Important experiences that tempt
the client to commit substantial
resources. The essence of the
desires of the consumer. The
opportunity to help clients
become what they want to be.”
—Gian Luigi Longinotti-Buitoni
Furniture vs. Dreams
“We do not sell ‘furniture’ at Domain.
We sell dreams. This
is accomplished by addressing the
half-formed needs in our customers’
heads. By uncovering these needs,
we, in essence, fill in the blanks. We
convert ‘needs’ into ‘dreams.’
Sales are the inevitable
result.”
— Judy George, Domain Home Fashions
“No longer are we only an insurance
provider. Today, we also offer
our customers the products
and services that help them
achieve their dreams —
whether it’s financial security, buying
a car, paying for home repairs, or even
taking a dream vacation.” —Martin
Feinstein, CEO, Farmers Group
Up,
Up,
Up,
Up
the Value-added Ladder.
The Value-added Ladder/ EMOTION
Dreams Come True
Spellbinding Experiences
Gamechanging Solutions
Services
Goods
Raw Materials
The (NEW) Value-added Ladder
Dreams Come True
Spellbinding Experiences
Gamechanging Solutions
Services
Goods
Raw Materials
C
*Chief Dream Merchant
“Dreams Come
True”:
IBM
“The sun is setting on the Information Society—even
before we have fully adjusted to its demands as
individuals and as companies. We have lived as hunters
and as farmers, we have worked in factories and now we
live in an information-based society whose icon is the
We stand facing the
fifth kind of society: the
Dream Society. … Future products will
computer.
have to appeal to our hearts, not to our heads. Now is the
time to add emotional value to products and services.”
Rolf Jensen/The Dream Society:How the Coming Shift from
Information to Imagination Will Transform Your Business
EXCELLENCE.
VALUE-ADDED LADDER IV.
LOVE IT.
Kevin Roberts:
Lovemarks!
Brand …………………………………………………. Lovemark
Recognized by consumers ………………. Loved by People
Generic ………………………………………………… Personal
Presents a narrative ………………….. Creates a Love story
The promise of quality ……………… A touch of Sensuality
Symbolic ………………………………………………….. Iconic
Defined ………………………………………………….. Infused
Statement ………………………………………………….. Story
Defined attributes ……………………... Wrapped in Mystery
Values ………………………………………………………. Spirit
Professional …………………………... Passionately Creative
Advertising agency ………………………….. Ideas company
Source: Kevin Roberts, Lovemarks
Tattoo Brand: What %
of users would tattoo the
brand name on their body?
Top 10 “Tattoo Brands”*
Harley .… 18.9%
Disney .... 14.8
Coke …. 7.7
Google .... 6.6
Pepsi .... 6.1
Rolex …. 5.6
Nike …. 4.6
Adidas …. 3.1
Absolut …. 2.6
Nintendo …. 1.5
*BRANDsense: Build Powerful Brands through Touch,
Taste, Smell, Sight, and Sound, Martin Lindstrom
Up,
Up,
Up,
Up
the Value-added Ladder.
The Value-added Ladder/ ECSTASY
Lovemark
Dreams Come True
Spellbinding Experiences
Gamechanging Solutions
Services
Goods
Raw Materials
C
O*
*Chief Lovemark Officer
Up,
Up,
Up,
Up
the Value-added Ladder.
Ladder.2006: 4 of 7!
Lovemark
Dreams Come True
Spellbinding Experiences
Gamechanging Solutions
Services
Goods
Raw Materials
EXCELLENCE.
SOUL I.
THE STORY.
“Storytelling
is the core
of culture.”
—Branded Nation: The Marketing of Megachurch,
College Inc., and Museumworld, James Twitchell
Market Power =
Story Power
Best
story
wins!
“We are in the twilight of a society based on data. As
information and intelligence become the domain of
computers, society will place more value on the one human
ability that cannot be automated: emotion. Imagination, myth,
ritual - the language of emotion - will affect everything from
our purchasing decisions to how we work with others.
Companies will thrive on
the basis of their stories
and myths.
Companies will need to
understand that their products are less important than their
stories.” —Rolf Jensen, Copenhagen Institute for Future Studies
C
O*
*Chief Storytelling Officer
EXCELLENCE.
SOUL II.
DESIGN.
All Equal Except …
“At Sony we assume that all products
of our competitors have basically the
same technology, price, performance
and features. Design is the
only thing that
differentiates one product
from another in the
marketplace.” —Norio Ohga
“Design is treated
like a religion
at BMW.” —Fortune
“We don’t have a good language to talk
about this kind of thing. In most people’s
vocabularies, design means veneer. … But
to me, nothing could be further from the
Design is
the fundamental
soul of a man-made
creation.”
meaning of design.
—Steve Jobs
“With its carefully conceived mix of colors and textures,
Starbucks
aromas and music,
is more
indicative of our era than the iMac. It is to the Age of
Aesthetics what McDonald’s was to the Age of
Convenience or Ford was to the Age of Mass
Production—the touchstone success story, the exemplar
‘Every
Starbucks store is carefully designed
to enhance the quality of everything
the customers see, touch, hear, smell
or taste,’ writes CEO Howard Schultz.”
of … the aesthetic imperative. …
-—Virginia Postrel, The Substance of Style: How the Rise of Aesthetic
Value Is Remaking Commerce, Culture and Consciousness
C
O*
*Chief Design Officer
“One bank is currently
claiming to … ‘leverage its global
footprint to provide effective financial
solutions for its customers by providing
a gateway to diverse markets.”
—Charles Handy
“I assume that it is just
saying that it is there to
‘help its customers
wherever they are’.”
—Charles Handy
EXCELLENCE.
NEW VALUE
EQUATION.
NEW “C-levels”.
C
*Chief
O*
Revenue
Officer
C
*Chief e
O*
Xperience
Officer
C
*Chief Dream Merchant
C
O*
*Chief Festivals Officer
C
*Chief Portal Impresario
C
O*
*Chief Conversations Officer
C
O*
*Chief Lovemark Officer
C
O*
*Chief Seduction Officer
C
O*
*Chief Storytelling Officer
O*
C
*Chief
Design
Officer
C
O*
*Chief talent acquisition Officer
C
O*
*Chief freaks acquisition Officer
C
O*
*Chief quest-meister
C
O*
*Chief Thrills Officer
C
O*
*Chief Transcendence Officer
Synonyms
Purity
Transcendence
Virtue
Elegance
Majesty
Antonyms
Mediocrity
C
O*
*Chief WOW Officer
C
*Chief
O*
!
Officer
EXCELLENCE.
WHAT MATTERS.
“What Isn’t
Matter Is What
Matters”
—section title, Branded Nation: The Marketing of Megachurch,
College Inc., and Museumworld, James Twitchell
VA “Teaching Moment”
“Andy pointed to
a molding,
about halfway
up the wall …”
The Boot … and
Timberland
The Tomato/
Farmer … and
Campbell’s
Amazon Reviewer: “‘Trends’ [TPMB book] is old news!” (1 of 5
stars)
TP:
“Repeating it doesn’t make it
It ain’t old if it
hasn’t been
implemented!”
‘old.’
EXCELLENCE.
NEW MARKETS.
ENORMOUS.
OPPORTUNITIES.
women.
BOOMERS.
GEEZERS.
E-nor-mous
Strat-eg-ic
opp-or-tun
women
BOOMERS
EXCELLENCE.
OPPORTUNITY.
ENORMOUS.
WOMEN.
“Idiot” is
too kind a
word.
“That’s a very
diverse* team.”
—Patrick Cescau, CEO, Unilever**
*1 of 14 Board of Directors members is a woman
(not an exec); 2 of 7 Exec Team members
are … Indians. (Source: FT/24-25 June.)
**Approximately
85%
of Unilever’s
products are purchased by … women.
“That’s a
VERY
diverse team.”
—Patrick Cescau, CEO, Unilever* **
*1 of 14 Board of Directors members is a woman
(not an exec); 2 of 7 Exec Team members
are … Indians. (Source: FT/24-25 June.)
**Approximately 85% of Unilever’s products
are purchased by … women.
“That’s a
VERY
man.”
—Tom Peters
sick
EXCELLENCE.
FOUND.
DUH.
“To be a leader in
consumer products,
it’s critical to have
leaders who
represent the
population we serve.”
—Steve Reinemund/PepsiCo
A[nother] Delightful Blinding
Flash of the Obvious!* **
“P&G does more than half its
business outside the U.S.,
so [CEO A.G.] Lafley has
recast his top executive
group to be 50% nonAmerican.” —Fortune, 1218.06
*I’ll take it!
**Women next? 85%?
“A couple of years ago, the Los Angeles
division [of John Laing Homes] decided it was
going to become the king of Hispanic housing
[sarcasm], because our research shows
there’s a huge demand. They were right to go
after that market, but I looked around the
room, and it’s full of white guys. They were
telling us how much they know about
Hispanic buyers, and they were making it up.
… We’re getting better now.
We hired two smart, young Hispanic
managers. … We are working through a
partnership with [former HUD secretary]
Henry Cisneros. We’re learning, but we have
a long way to go.” —Larry Webb
EXCELLENCE.
OPPORTUNITY.
ENORMOUS.
WOMEN.
“Women are
the majority
market”
—Fara Warner/The Power of the Purse
?????????
Home Furnishings … 94%
Vacations … 92% (Adventure Travel … 70%/ $55B travel equipment)
Houses … 91%
D.I.Y. (major “home projects”) … 80%
Consumer Electronics … 51% (66% home computers)
Cars … 68% (90%)
All consumer purchases … 83%
Bank Account … 89%
Household investment decisions … 67%
Small business loans/biz starts … 70%
Health Care … 80%
Women > 50% of Household Income in >50% of households.
In 48% of the 55% of households/married couples, women
provide >50% of income. 27% of households are headed by
a single female. 75% of married female execs with the rank
of VP or above out earn their spouse. Women control 51% of
private wealth in the U.S.; head 40% of households with
>$600K assets; 47% of market investors are women.
Major Credit Union: pre Y2K, modal customer was 53-year-old
family man; today, 46-year-old single working woman.
Commercial: 51% purchasing managers are women.
Women make >80% consumer purchases; businesswomen
make >90% of household purchasing decisions. Women:
70% of travel decisions; purchase 57% of consumer
electronics; write 80% of personal checks; purchase >50% of
cars (primary influence >80%).
Source: Don’t Think Pink: What Really Makes Women Buy—and How to
Increase Your Share of This Crucial Market, Lisa Johnson & Andrea Learned
1970-1998
Men’s median income: +0.6%
Women’s median income:
+ 63%
Source: Martha Barletta, Marketing to Women
The “91% Factor”!
More than 9 in 10 women
age 35 - 49 say they
either make or at least
equally influence their
household purchases
of home electronics.
Source: Andrea Learned, co-author, Don’t Think Pink
“The most significant
variable in every sales
situation is the gender of
the buyer, and more
importantly, how the
salesperson
communicates to the
buyer’s gender.”
—Jeffery Tobias Halter, Selling to Men, Selling to Women
91%
women:
ADVERTISERS “DON’T
UNDERSTAND US.”
(58% “ANNOYED.”)
Source: Greenfield Online for Arnold’s Women’s Insight
Team (Martha Barletta, Marketing to Women)
Thanks,
Marti Barletta!
The Perfect Answer
Jill and Jack buy
slacks in black…
“She
knows more about the
[Volvo] than the salesman who greets
her at the door. But how is she
treated? As if she has a low IQ , is
slightly hard of hearing , and really
has no right to be buying a luxury
car; and if she brought a male friend
with her, odds are 10:1 that the
clueless salesperson spent most of his
time speaking to him .” —Selling to Men, Selling
to Women, Jeffery Tobias Halter
EVEolution:
The Eight Truths
of Marketing
to Women
Faith Popcorn & Lys Marigold
EVEolution: Truth No. 1
Connecting Your
Female Consumers to
Each Other Connects
Them to Your Brand
“The ‘Connection Proclivity’ in
women starts early. When asked,
‘How was school today?’ a girl
usually tells her mother every
detail of what happened, while a
boy might grunt, ‘Fine.’ ”
EVEolution
“Women don’t buy
They
join them.”
brands.
EVEolution
Selling to men:
The
TRANSACTION Model
Selling to Women:
The
RELATIONAL Model
Source: Selling to Men, Selling to Women, Jeffery Tobias Halter
Editorial/Men: Tables, rankings.*
Editorial/Women:
Narratives that cohere.*
*Redwood (UK)
Purchasing Patterns
Women: Harder to convince;
more loyal once convinced.
Men: Snap decision; fickle.
Source: Martha Barletta, Marketing to Women
“Women speak and hear a language
of connection and intimacy, and men
speak and hear a language of status and
independence. Men communicate to
obtain information, establish their status,
and show independence. Women
communicate to create relationships,
encourage interaction, and exchange
feelings.”
—Judy Rosener, America’s Competitive Secret
2.6 vs.
“Women come out better
on almost every count as
investors … They are less likely to
hold a losing investment too long, and
less likely to wait too long to sell a
winner; they’re also less likely to put too
much money into a single investment or
to buy a reputedly hot stock without
doing sufficient research.”
Source: The Merrill report: “When It Comes to Investing,
Gender A Strong Influence on Behavior.”/Atlantic
1. Men and women are different.
2. Very different.
3. VERY, VERY DIFFERENT.
4. Women & Men have a-b-s-o-l-u-t-e-l-y
nothing in common.
5. Women buy lotsa stuff.
6. WOMEN BUY A-L-L THE STUFF.
7. Women’s Market = Opportunity No. 1.
8. Men are (STILL) in charge.
9. MEN ARE … TOTALLY, HOPELESSLY
CLUELESS ABOUT WOMEN.
10. Women’s
Market =
Opportunity
No. 1.
P-l-e-a-s-e Read …
Fara Warner:
The Power of
the Purse
Cases! Cases! Cases!
McDonald’s (“mom-centered” to “majority consumer”; not
via kids)
Home Depot (“Do it [everything!] Herself”)
P&G (more than “house cleaner”)
DeBeers (“right-hand rings”/$4B)
AXA Financial
Kodak (women = “emotional centers of the household”)
Nike (> jock endorsements; new def sports; majority consumer)
Avon
Bratz (young girls want “friends,” not a blond stereotype)
Source: Fara Warner/The Power of the Purse
Faith, Lys, Marti, Fara …
Targeting the New
Professional Woman:
How to Market and Sell to
Today’s 57 Million
Working Women
—Gerry Myers
“Goldman Sachs in Tokyo has developed
an index of 115 companies poised to
benefit from women’s increased
purchasing power; over the past
decade the value of shares
in Goldman’s basket has
risen by 96%, against the
Tokyo stockmarket’s
rise of 13%.” —Economist, April 15
EXCELLENCE.
OPPORTUNITY.
WOMEN.
BUSINESS.
OWNERS.
“The growth and
success of womenowned businesses is
one of the most
profound changes
taking place in the
business world
today.” —
Margaret Heffernan, How She Does It
U.S. firms owned or controlled by Women: 10.6
million (48% of all firms)
Growth rate of Women-owned firms vs all firms: 3X
Rate of jobs created by Women-owned firms vs all
firms: 2X
Ratio of total payroll of Women-owned firms vs total
for Fortune500 firms: >1.0
Ratio of likelihood of Women-owned firms staying in
business vs all firms: >1.0
Growth rate of Women-owned companies with
revenues of >$1,000,000 and >100 employees vs all
firms: 2X
Source: Margaret Heffernan, How She Does It
94%
of loans to …
women*
*Microlending; “Banker to the poor”; Grameen Bank;
Muhammad Yunus; 2006 Nobel Peace Prize winner
WOMEN.
DOMINATE.
ECONOMIC.
GROWTH.
“Forget China,
India and the
Internet: Economic
Growth Is Driven
by
Women.”
—Headline,
Economist, April 15, 2006, Leader, page 14
“Women make 80 percent of all
buying decisions. They control
$7 trillion in purchasing power.
By 2010 they'll control more
than $13 trillion in private
wealth. And that's just in
America. Globally, women's
soaring economic power is
changing business forever.”
—Fara Warner
“Since 1970, women
have held two
out of every
three new jobs
created.”
—FT, 10.03.2006
Impact! Add It Up!
Primary markets/Everything
(“Men buy
things that other men will buy for women. I buy things that women want.”—
successful jeweler/F. “Women are the majority market” —Fara Warner/The
Power of the Purse. Women as Purchasing Officers, CIOs, etc.)
Greater global workforce
participation rate (“bigger contributor to GDP
growth than technology, China, India”—Economist)
Higher wages
(more seniority, promotions—even if not to
CEO; greater pay equity—even if not equal)
Business “decision makers”
(more
seniority, promotions—even if not to CEO)
Women-owned businesses
(answer to the
Glass Ceiling—10.6M in USA; recipients of “micro-lending”—developing
world)
10 UNASSAILABLE REASONS WOMEN RULE
Women make [all] the financial decisions.
Women control [all] the wealth.
Women [substantially] outlive men.
Women start most of the new businesses.
Women’s work force participation rates have
soared worldwide.
Women are closing in on “same pay for same
job.”
Women are penetrating senior ranks rapidly
[even if the pace is slow for the corner
office per se].
Women’s leadership strengths are exceptionally well
aligned with new organizational effectiveness &
value-added imperatives.
Women are better salespersons than men.
Women buy [almost] everything—commercial
as well as consumer goods.
So what exactly is … the point of men?
Not Just America …
“Boys Falling
Seven Years
Behind Girls
at GCSE Level”
—headline, Weekly Telegraph, UK, 10.25.06
“One thing is certain: Women’s rise to power, which is
linked to the increase in wealth per capita, is happening
in all domains and at all levels of society. Women are no
longer content to provide efficient labor or to be
consumers with rising budgets and more autonomy to
spend. … This is just the beginning. The phenomenon
will only grow as girls prove to be more successful than
For a number of
observers, we have already
entered the age of
‘womenomics,’ the economy as
thought out and practiced
by women.” —Aude Zieseniss de Thuin, Financial Times,
boys in the school system.
10.03.2006
COROLLARY.
EXCELLENCE.
WOMEN.
RULE.
“AS LEADERS,
WOMEN
RULE:
New Studies find that
female managers outshine their male
counterparts in almost every measure”
TITLE/ Special Report/ BusinessWeek
Women’s Negotiating Strengths
*Ability to put themselves in their
counterparties’ shoes
*Comprehensive, attentive and detailed
communication style
*Empathy that facilitates trust-building
*Curious and attentive listening
*Less competitive attitude
*Strong sense of fairness and ability to persuade
*Proactive risk manager
*Collaborative decision-making
Source: Horacio Falcao, Cover story/May 2006, World Business, “Say It
Like a Woman: Why the 21st-century negotiator will need the female touch”
Women’s Strengths Match New
Economy Imperatives: Link [rather than rank]
workers; favor interactive-collaborative leadership
style [empowerment beats top-down decision
making]; sustain fruitful collaborations; comfortable
with sharing information; see redistribution of power
as victory, not surrender; favor multi-dimensional
feedback; value technical & interpersonal skills,
individual & group contributions equally; readily
accept ambiguity; honor intuition as well as
pure “rationality”; inherently flexible; appreciate
cultural diversity. —Judy B. Rosener,
America’s Competitive Secret: Women Managers
New (4 of 7) Value-added “Ladder”:
Plays to Women’s Inherent Strengths!
Lovemark/F
Dreams Come True/F
Spellbinding Experiences/F
Gamechanging Solutions/F
Services/F
Goods/M
Raw Materials/M
“TAKE THIS QUICK QUIZ: Who manages more things
at once? Who puts more effort into their
appearance? Who usually takes care of the
details? Who finds it easier to meet new
people? Who asks more questions in a
conversation? Who is a better listener? Who
has more interest in communication skills?
Who is more inclined to get involved? Who
encourages harmony and agreement? Who has
better intuition? Who works with a longer ‘to
do’ list? Who enjoys a recap to the day’s
events? Who is better at keeping in touch
with others?”
Source: Selling Is a Woman’s Game: 15 Powerful Reasons Why
Women Can Outsell Men, Nicki Joy & Susan Kane-Benson
The Core Argument: Women [Ought to] Rule!
1. We are in a War for Talent.
2. The war will intensify.
3. There is a severe shortage of effective leaders
at all levels.
4. Women are under-represented in our
leadership ranks at or near the top.
5. Women and men are different; “new science”
reinforces this view.
6. Women’s strengths match the New Economy’s
leadership needs—to a striking degree.
7. Women are also the principal purchasers of
goods and services—retail and commercial.
8. Ergo, women are a large part of “the answer”
to the War for Talent/leadership shortage
issue/opportunity.
EXCELLENCE.
OPPORTUNITY.
ENORMOUS.
BOOMERS.
GEEZERS.
women
BOOMERS
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“People turning 50
today have more
than half of their
adult life ahead of
them.”
—Bill Novelli, 50+: Igniting a Revolution
to Reinvent America
women
BOOMERS
Subject: Marketers & Stupidity
“It’s 18-44,
stupid!”
Subject: Marketers & Stupidity
Or is it:
“18-44 is
stupid, stupid!”
“One particularly puzzling category of youthobsession is the highly coveted target of men
18-34, and it’s always referred to as ‘highly
coveted category.’ Marketers have been
distracted by men age 18-34 because they are
getting harder to reach. So what? Who wants
to reach them? Beyond fast food and beer, they
don’t buy much of anything. … The theory is
that if you ‘get them while they’re young,
What
nonsense!”
they’re yours for life.’
—Marti Barletta, PrimeTime Women
2000-2010 Stats
18-44: -1%
55+: +21%
(55-64:
+47%)
BoomerBucks!
Boomer turns 50: every 7 seconds. 2009: majority of
U.S. households headed by someone over 50. 20062016: U.S. population up 22.9 million; 22.1 million in
over-50 group. 2006: 1 in 5 adults is F, over 50.
Women between 50-70 who are single: 35%. Age
45-54: highest average income, $59, 021 (national
average is $42,209). FASTEST GROWING INCOME
CATEGORY: WOMEN, 55-64 (4X men in same
category). Women, age 60-64: 50% still in
workforce. Highest net worth: families, 55-64
($182,000). People over 50: 70% to 79% of all
financial assets; 80% of all savings accounts; 62% of
all large Wall Street asset accounts; 66% of $$
invested in the stock market. Age 50+: 29% of
population, 40% of total consumer spending, 50% of
discretionary spending. Next 2 decades: BOOMERS
WILL INHERIT $14 TRILLION-$25 TRILLION (“largest
intergenerational transfer of wealth in history”).
—Marti Barletta, PrimeTime Women
55-64 vs 25-34
E.g.: New cars & trucks: 20% more
spending. Meals at full-service restaurants:
+29%. Airfare: +38%. Sports equipment:
+58%. Motorized recreational vehicles:
+103%. Wine: 113%. Maintenance, repairs
and home insurance: +127%. Vacation
homes: +258%. Housekeeping & yard
services: +250% to +500%.
Source: Marti Barletta, PrimeTime Women
Average # of cars purchased per
household, “lifetime”:
13
Average # of cars bought per household
after the “head of household” reaches age
50:
7
Source: Marti Barletta, PrimeTime Women
50+
$7T wealth (70%)/ $2T annual income
50% all discretionary spending
79% own homes
40M credit card users
41% new cars/48% luxury cars
$610B healthcare spending/
74% prescription drugs
5% of advertising targets
Ken Dychtwald, Age Power: How the 21st
Century Will Be Ruled by the New Old
“Fifty-four years of age has been
the highest cutoff point for any
marketing initiative I’ve ever been
involved in. Which is pretty weird
when you consider age 50 is right
about when people who have
worked all their lives start to have
some money to spend.” —Marti Barletta,
PrimeTime Women
Median Household Net Worth
<35: $7K
35-44: $44K
45-54: $83K
55-64: $112K
65-69: $114K
70-74: $120K
>74: $100K
Source: U.S. Census
44-65:
“New
Customer
Majority” *
*45% larger than 18-43; 60% larger by 2010
Source: Ageless Marketing, David Wolfe & Robert Snyder
“The New Customer
Majority is the only adult
market with realistic
prospects for significant
sales growth in dozens of
product lines for
thousands of companies.”
—David Wolfe & Robert Snyder, Ageless Marketing
“Marketers attempts at
reaching those over 50
have been miserably
unsuccessful. No market’s
motivations and needs are
so poorly understood.”
—Peter Francese, founding publisher, American Demographics
Possession Experiences /“Desires
for things”/Young adulthood/to 38
Catered Experiences/ “Desires to
be served by others”/Middle
adulthood
Being Experiences/“Desires for
transcending experiences”/Late
adulthood
Source: David Wolfe and Robert Ageless Marketing
“Baby-boomer
Women: The
Sweetest of
Sweet Spots for
Marketers”
—David Wolfe and Robert
Snyder, Ageless Marketing
“WOMAN of the Year: She’s
the most powerful
consumer in America. And
as she starts to turn sixty
this month, the affluent baby
boomer is doing what she’s
always done—redefining
herself.”
—Joan Hamilton, Town & Country, JAN06
Magazine of the
Year*: More
Source: Advertising Age, 1023.2006, “‘More’
Taps Power of 40-plus to Draw Advertisers in
Droves” (“More is breaking through
advertisers’ irrational obsession with
20-somethings …”)
“Rock of Ages: Uncool But
True, the AARP
Demographic Leads the
Music Market. But Who
Will Lead It?”
Source: Headline, “Arts and Leisure,” NYT, 1126.06
“Sixty Is
the New
Thirty”
—Cover/AARP
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“People turning 50
today have more
than half of their
adult life ahead of
them.”
—Bill Novelli, 50+: Igniting a Revolution
to Reinvent America
not.
Yet.
Done.
Amazon Reviewer: “‘Trends’ [TPMB book] is old news!” (1 of 5
stars)
TP:
“Repeating it doesn’t make it
It ain’t old if it
hasn’t been
implemented!”
‘old.’
Women’s Trifecta+
*Buy/all
*Wealth/all
*Lead/ better
+Eclipse of males/whoops
(Retire-old/Poorly educated-young)
Boomers’-Geezers’ Trifecta
*Buy/all
*Wealth/all
*time left/ lots
Boomers’-Geezers’-Women’s Trifecta+
*Buy/all
*Wealth/all
*time left/ lots
*Eclipse of males/retire-die
Just Say “No” (!):
Launch an
“Initiative.”
E-nor-mous
Strat-eg-ic
opp-or-tun
EXCELLENCE.
BEDROCK.
TALENT.
Hire very
good
people!
“We believe companies can increase their market cap
50 percent in 3 years. Steve Macadam at Georgia-
changed 20 of his
40 box plant managers
to put more talented,
higher paid managers in
charge. He increased profitability from
Pacific …
$25
million to
$80
million in
—Ed Michaels, War for Talent
2
years.”
C
O*
*Chief talent acquisition Officer
INVITE THEM TO
JOIN US IN A
JOURNEY TO
EXCELLENCE!
“In the end, management
doesn’t change culture.
Management
invites
the workforce itself to
change the culture.”
—Lou Gerstner
“The role of the Director is to
create a space where the
actor or actress can become
more than they’ve
ever been before, more
than they’ve dreamed
of being.”
—Robert Altman, Oscar
acceptance
“No matter what the situation,
[the great manager’s] first response is
always to think about the
individual concerned and how
things can be arranged to help
that individual experience
success.” —Marcus Buckingham,
The One Thing You Need to Know
C
O*
*Chief quest-meister
EMPHASIZE
THE “SOFT
SKILLS.”
“It’s simple, really,
Tom. Hire for s,
and, above all,
promote for s.”
—Starbucks middle manager/field
A Few Lessons from the Arts
Each hired and developed and evaluated in unique ways
(23 contributors = 23 unique contributions = 23 pathways =
23 personalities = 23 sets of motivators)
Attitude/Enthusiasm/Energy paramount
Re-lent-less!
“Practice is cool” (G Leonard/Mastery)
Team and individual
Aspire to EXCELLENCE = Obvious
Ex-e-cu-tion
Talent = Brand = Duh
“The Project” rules
Emotional language
Bit players. No.
B.I.W. (everything)
Delta events = Delta rosters (incl leader/s)
PUT HR AT THE
HEAD OF THE HEAD
TABLE. BEST
PEOPLE. NOBLEST
MISSION.
A review of Jack and Suzy Welch’s Winning claims there are but
two key differentiators that set GE “culture” apart from the herd:
First: Separating financial forecasting and performance
measurement. Performance measurement based, as it usually is, on budgeting
leads to an epidemic of gaming the system. GE’s performance measurement is
divorced from budgeting—and instead reflects how you do relative to your past
performance and relative to competitors’ performance; i.e., it’s about how you
actually do in the context of what happened in the real world, not as compared to a
gamed-abstract plan developed last year.
Putting HR on
a par with finance
and marketing.
Second:
SO YOU’RE A
“PEOPLE
PERSON”?
PROVE IT.
“The leaders of Great
Groups love talent and
know where to find it. They
revel in the talent of
others.”
—Warren Bennis &
Patricia Ward Biederman, Organizing Genius
PARC’s Bob Taylor:
“Connoisseur
of Talent”
SO YOU’RE A
“PEOPLE
PERSON”?
PROVE IT.
< CAPEX
> People!
LIVE FOR
TALENT!
Our Mission
To develop and manage talent;
to apply that talent,
throughout the world,
for the benefit of clients;
to do so in partnership;
to do so with profit.
WPP
Internal
“brand
promise”!
EVP/
IBP?*
What’s your company’s …
*Employee Value Proposition, per Ed Michaels et al.,
The War for Talent; IBP/Internal Brand Promise per TP
EVP/IBP = Remarkable
challenge, rapid professional
growth, respect, satisfaction, fun,
stunning opportunity, exceptional
reward, amazing peer group, full
membership in Club Adventure,
maximized future employability
Source: Ed Michaels, The War for Talent; TP
“We are a
‘Life Success’
Company.”
Dave Liniger, founder, RE/MAX
Brand =
Talent.
Re-imagine
People Power:
The Talent50
The Talent50
1. People first!
2. Soft is Hard.
3. FUNDAMENTAL PREMISE: We are in an
Age of Talent/ Creativity/Intellectualcapital Added.
4. Talent “excellence” in every part of the
organization.
5. P.O.T./Pursuit Of Talent = Obsession.
6. HR sits at The Head Table.
7. HR is “cool.”
The Talent50
8. Re-name “HR.” (Talent Department, Center of
Talent Excellence)
9. There’s an HR Strategy
10. There is a FORMAL Recruitment Strategy.
11. There is a FORMAL Leadership Development
Strategy.
12. There is a “world class” Leadership
Development Center.
13. There is a FORMAL-STRATEGIC HR Review
Process.
14. The “Top100,” and every unit’s Top10, are
consciously managed.
The Talent50
15. “People/Talent Reviews” are the
FIRST reviews.
16. HR Strategy = Business Strategy.
17. Make it a Cause Worth Signing Up For..
18. Set Sky High Standards.
19. Enlist everyone in Challenge Century21.
20. Pursue the Best!
21. Up or Out.
22. Ensure that the Review Process has
INTEGRITY.
23. Pay!
The Talent50
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
Training I: Train! Train! Train!
TII: 100% “business people.”
TIII: 100% Leaders.
TIV: Boss as Trainer-in-Chief.
Open Communication I: NO
BARRIERS.
Open Communication II: Share
Information. (ALL!)
Respect!
INTEGRITY!
Treat the Whole Individual.
The Talent50
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
39.
40.
Places of “grace.”
MBWA: The “Rudy Rule.”
Thank You!
Promote for “people skills.”
(ALL ELSE IS SECONDARY.)
Honor youth.
Early leadership assignments.
Fast Tracking is the norm.
Create a System of Mentoring.
The Talent50
41. Diversity!
42. Diversity starts on the Board of
Directors.
43. WOMEN RULE.
44. Weird Wins.
45. We are all unique.
46. Bosses “win people over.”
47. GOAL: Adventures of Mutual
Discovery.
48. Foster Independence.
49. Enthusiasm!
50.
Talent
= Brand.
EXCELLENCE.
WOMEN.
RULE.
“AS LEADERS,
WOMEN
RULE:
New Studies find that
female managers outshine their male
counterparts in almost every measure”
TITLE/ Special Report/ BusinessWeek
10 UNASSAILABLE REASONS WOMEN RULE
Women make [all] the financial decisions.
Women control [all] the wealth.
Women [substantially] outlive men.
Women start most of the new businesses.
Women’s work force participation rates have
soared worldwide.
Women are closing in on “same pay for same
job.”
Women are penetrating senior ranks rapidly
[even if the pace is slow for the corner
office per se].
Women’s leadership strengths are exceptionally well
aligned with new organizational effectiveness
imperatives.
Women are better salespersons than men.
Women buy [almost] everything—commercial
as well as consumer goods.
So what exactly is the point of men?
EXCELLENCE.
INDIVIDUAL.
BRAND YOU.
“One of the defining
characteristics [of the change] is
that it will be less driven by
countries or corporations and
more driven by real people. It will
unleash unprecedented creativity,
advancement of knowledge, and economic
development. But at the same time, it will
tend to undermine safety net systems and
penalize the unskilled.” —Clyde Prestowitz, Three
Billion New Capitalists
Core Mechanism:
“Game-changing Solutions”
PSF
(Professional Service Firm “model”/The Organizing Principle)
+
Brand You
(“Distinct” or “Extinct”/The Talent)
+
Wow! Projects
(“Different” vs “Better”/The Work)
“If there is nothing
very special about
your work, no matter
how hard you apply yourself
you won’t get noticed, and
that increasingly means you
won’t get paid much either.”
—Michael Goldhaber, Wired
New Work SurvivalKit.2006
1. MASTERY! (Best/Absurdly Good at Something!)
2. “Manage” to Legacy (All Work = “Memorable”/“Braggable” WOW Projects!)
3. A “USP”/UNIQUE SELLING PROPOSITION 4. Rolodex Obsession
(From vertical/hierarchy/“suck up” loyalty to
horizontal/“colleague”/“mate” loyalty)
5. ENTREPRENEURIAL INSTINCT (A sleepless … Eye for Opportunity!
6.CEO/LEADER/BUSINESSPERSON/CLOSER (CEO, Me Inc. 24/7!)
7. Master of Improv (Play a dozen parts simultaneously, from
Chief Strategist to Chief Toilet Scrubber)
8. Sense of Humor (A willingness to Screw Up & Move On)
9. Comfortable with Your Skin (Bring “interesting you” to work!)
10. Intense Appetite for Technology (E.g.: How Cool-Active is your
Web site? Do you Blog?)
11. EMBRACE “MARKETING” (Your own CSO/Chief Storytelling Officer)
12. PASSION FOR RENEWAL (Your own CLO/Chief Learning Officer)
13. EXECUTION EXCELLENCE! (Show up on time! Leave last!)
“The only thing you
have power over is
to get good at what
you do. That’s all
there is; there ain’t
no more!” —Sally Field
ACTING:
Think of a person as a
“troupe of
actors.” (“Many truths
about oneself” which must
all be understood if one is to
know oneself.)
Source: A..C. Grayling, The Meaning of Things: Applying Philosophy to Life
“You are the
storyteller of your
own life, and you can
create your own
legend or not.”
—Isabel Allende
12January2006
th,
Happy 300
Brand You!
Distinct
…
… or
Extinct
“Life is not a journey to the
grave with the intention of
arriving safely in a pretty and
well-preserved body—but
rather a skid in broadside,
thoroughly used up, totally
worn out, and loudly
proclaiming, ‘Wow, what
a ride!’ ” —anon.
Joe J. Jones
1942 – 2006
HE WOULDA DONE SOME
REALLY COOL STUFF
BUT …
HIS BOSS WOULDN’T
HIM!
LET
1 Person!
Wendy Kopp, Princeton senior (1989)
Teach America (19,000-2,400)
10% Dartmouth, Yale
17,000 to date
Principal hirer of college graduates
“One of the few jobs that people pass up
Goldman Sachs for is Teach America” (Edie
Hunt, HR)
Source: Fortune, 1127.06
“It’s always
showtime.”
—David D’Alessandro, Career Warfare
Getting to WOW
Through Mastery of …
The Sales25.
Getting Things Done:
Power &
The
Implementation34.
Presentation
Excellence: The
PresX56
“The problem with
communication ...is the
ILLUSION that it has been
accomplished.”
—George Bernard Shaw
Presentation Excellence
1. Total commitment to the Problem/Project/Outcome
2. A compelling “Story line”/“Plot”
3. Enough data to sink a tanker (98% in reserve)
4. Know the data from memory; ability to manipulate the
data in your head
5. Great Stories/Illustrations/Vignettes
6. Superb “political antennae” (you must “play the room”
like a Virtuoso and be hyper-attentive to the likes of
Body Language)
7. By hook or by crook … CONNECT
7A. CONNECT! CONNECT! CONNECT!
8. Punch line/Plot Outline/WOW/Surprise in first
one to two minutes
Joe Kramer, welder: “When my
mother’s toaster went on the
fritz, I asked myself, ‘If I were
that toaster and didn’t work,
what would be wrong with me?’”
—Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Flow: The Psychology of Optimal
Experience, on “empathetic identification” (Joe: “burdens” vs
“opportunities” to master complex problems)
Presentation Excellence
9. Once you’ve “won” … stop pushing (don’t “rub it in”)
10. Be “in command” but don’t “show off” (if you’re
brilliant they’ll figure it out for themselves)
11. Pay attention to the Senior Person present, but not
too much (don’t look like/act like/be a “suck up”)
12. Brief the hell out of your “champions” before the
presentation; insist that they make changes/fine tune ...
they must “own” the outcome before the fact!
13. Don’t try to “score off” your detractors … be
especially courteous to them (even if/especially if they’re
jerks)
14. Adjust as you go: LET THE GROUP ARRIVE AT
“YOUR” CONCLUSION! THEY MUST OWN IT (“I knew
that”) IN THE END!
Presentation Excellence
15. No more than THREE key points! Come at them in several
different ways.
16. No more than ONE point per slide!
17. Slides: NO CLUTTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (no wee print/ charts/graphs)
18. Slides: Good quotes from the field. (Remember you’re “telling a
story”)
19. Be aware of differing cognitive styles, especially M-F
20. There must be “surprise” … some key facts that are not
commonly known/are counter-intuitive (no reason to do the
presentation in the first place if there are no Surprises)
21. Summarize the argument/story from time to time
22. Include an Action Agenda that involves some small items that will
be started/accomplished in the next 72 HOURS (this ices
commitment/practicality)
Presentation Excellence
23. If you don’t know something … ADMIT IT! (this is actually a good
thing—as opposed to appearing as a “know it all”)
24. ASK FOR THE SALE! (Remember to be a “closer”)
25. This is War (a war for Hearts & Mind), but never forget that you
are the Supplicant!
26. Data are imperative, but also play to Emotion.
27. Consider bringing along a “customer” (internal or perhaps
external) for support
28. Be precisely clear where/when you intend to prototype … and
that the prototype guinea pig is lined up (better yet, do the first, at
least partial, prototype before the presentation)
29. Compromise but don’t yield! (Lost battles are normal, no matter
how agonizing)
30. Assume that you may be cut off at any moment, and be prepared
to give on the spot a compelling 30-second to one- minute (no
longer!) Brilliant Summary including Sales Pitch
Presentation Excellence
31. Follow the Law of Recency: Make sure that you have been in the
field with the key “operating” players more recently than anyone in
the room
32. Make it clear that you’ve done a Staggering Amount of
Homework, even though you are exhibiting but a tiny fraction …
allude to the tons of research that are available if desired by
participants; offer deeper one-on-one briefings if desired
33. SMILE! RELAX (to a point) (fake it if necessary) (“up tight” is
disastrous) (remember you are doing them a favor by sharing this
Compelling Opportunity!)
34. EYE CONTACT!!!!!!!
35. Be shrewd: Override some interruptions; be attentive to others
(distraction is okay and normal … within limits!)
36. Becoming an Excellent Presenter is as tough as becoming a
great baseball pitcher. THIS IS IMPORTANT … and Presentation
Excellence is never accidental! (Work your buns off!)
Presentation Excellence
37. Practice … but don’t leave your game in the locker room.
38. Seek tips on how various participants “play the [presentation]
game”
39. A Presentation is an Act (FDR: “The President must be the
nation’s number one actor”)
40. Remember, the presentation is about Change … RESISTANCE IS
NORMAL (in fact if there’s little resistance then your Project is hardly
a “game changer”)
41. Dress well. Don’t over-dress.
42. Be early (obvious, but worth saying)
43. GET THE A/V RIGHT/PERFECT.
44. Don’t bring a supporting horde … a couple of back-ups is
okay/enough
45. No matter how good you are you’ll have crappy days … WEEP
AND THEN GET BACK ON THE HORSE
Presentation Excellence
46. Speak in “Plain English” … keep the jargon to a
minimum
47. Make your Personal Commitment clear as a bell!
48. Emphasize “competitive advantage” and timeliness
(act now), without stooping to ridiculous war-like
language (“tear the heart out of the competition”) (in
audiences with heavy female component, if you are
male, avoid repetitive “football analogues”)
49. Underscore the USP/Unique Selling Proposition
50. Emphasize the Positive
51. Sell Novelty yet “fit” with “core values”
52. Remember JFK’s immortal words: “The only reason
to give a speech is to change the world”
Presentation Excellence
53. Say what you have to say Clearly … and then Say It
Again & Again from slightly different angles
54. Make it clear that you are a Man/Woman of Action …
and Execution Excellence is your First, Middle, and Last
Name!
55. Energy! Enthusiasm! (don’t know the answer to, “If
you ain’t got it how do you get it?”)
56. Enjoy it! This is a Hoot! THE ULTIMATE TURN ON!
Remember your Goal:
Change the world!
The Interviewing
Excellence:
The IntX31
EXCELLENCE.
MOTIVATIONAL
STUFF.
Stop
Doing
It!
“The one thing you
need to know about
sustained individual
success: Discover what
you don’t like doing
and
stop doing it.”
—Marcus Buckingham, The One Thing You Need to Know
Start
Doing
It!
“A year from now
you may wish
You had
started today.”
—Karen Lamb
BONUS
Stating the Obvious:
THE PROBLEM IS
RARELY THE
PROBLEM.
THE PROBLEM IS
RARELY/NEVER THE
PROBLEM. THE
RESPONSE TO THE
PROBLEM INVARIABLY
ENDS UP BEING THE
REAL PROBLEM.* **
*Watergate, M Stewart, BR
**And: PERCEPTION IS ALL THERE IS!
OFTEN AS
NOT/MORE OFTEN
THAN NOT THE
UNDERLYING
PROBLEM IS NOT
MUCH OF A
PROBLEM.
PERCEPTION
IS ALL THERE
IS. PERIOD.*
*From Whole Foods to IBM to the corner deli
Relationships
THERE
ONCE WAS A TIME WHEN A
THREE-MINUTE PHONE CALL
WOULD HAVE AVOIDED
SETTING OFF THE DOWNWARD
SPIRAL THAT RESULTED IN A
COMPLETE RUPTURE.
(of all varieties)
:
POWER WORDS!
“I’m sorry.”
Stating the Obvious II:
MORE POWER
WORDS/IDEAS
Thank
You!
MBWA*
*5,000 miles for a 5-minute face-to
-face meeting (courtesy superagent Mark McCormick)
FLOWER
POWER
POWER IDEAS!
You must care.
—General Melvin Zais
“You can make more
friends in two months by
becoming interested in
other people than you
can in two years by
trying to get other people
interested in you.”
—Dale Carnegie
Only
connect!
—E.M. Forster, Howards End
bedrock
behaviors
Home Run
Being there! * ** *** ****
*No more, no less
**“A body can pretend to care, but they can’t
pretend to be there.” — Texas Bix Bender
*** GEN Melvin Zais on COs and inspections
****Silence is golden! [Utter silence is golden-er.]
Period!
Shake hands
Smile
Eye contact
Period+!
Shake hands
Smile
Eye contact
Thank you
Flowers
Open pose
ROIR
Period+!
Shake hands
Smile
Eye contact
Thank you
Flowers
Open pose
ROIR
Grant+
Respect
“The [Union senior] officers rode past the
Confederates smugly without any sign
of recognition except by one. ‘When
General Grant reached the line of
ragged, filthy, bloody, despairing
prisoners strung out on each side of
the bridge, he lifted his hat and held it
over his head until he passed the last
man of that living funeral cortege. He
was the only officer in that whole train
who recognized us as being on the
face of the earth.’*”
*quote within a quote from diary of a Confederate soldier
“It was much later that I realized
Dad’s secret. He gained respect by
giving it. He talked and listened to
the fourth-grade kids in Spring Valley
who shined shoes the same way he
talked and listened to a bishop or a
He was
seriously interested in
who you were and what
you had to say.”
college president.
Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot, Respect
“I wasn’t bowled over by [David Boies]
intelligence. … What impressed me was
that when he asked a question, he waited
He not only
listened, he made me feel
like I was the only person
in the room.” —Lawyer Kevin _____, on his
for an answer.
first, inadvertent meeting with David Boies, from Marshall
Goldsmith, “The One Skill That Separates,” Fast Company, 07.05
“What creates trust,
in the end, is the
leader’s manifest
respect for
the followers.”
— Jim O’Toole, Leading Change
“Don’t
belittle!”
—OD Consultant
“The deepest
human need is
the need to be
appreciated.”
William James
“Ph.D. in leadership. Short
course: Make a short list of
all things done to you that
you abhorred. Don’t do them
to others. Ever. Make
another list of things done to
you that you loved. Do them
to others. Always.” — Dee Hock
“We behaved as if we
were guests in their
house. We treated
them not as a defeated
people, but as allies.
Our success became
their success.”
—“How One Soldier
Brought Democracy to Iraq: The Mayor of Ar Rutbah”
(MAJ James Gavrilis/USA Special Forces)
Geron-imo!
“Life is not a journey to the
grave with the intention of
arriving safely in a pretty and
well-preserved body—but
rather a skid in broadside,
thoroughly used up, totally
worn out, and loudly
proclaiming, ‘Wow,
what a ride!’ ” —anon.
"Life is not a journey to the
grave with the intention of
arriving safely in one pretty
and well preserved piece, but
to skid across the line
broadside, thoroughly used
up, worn out, leaking oil,
shouting ‘GERONIMO!’ ”
—Bill McKenna, professional motorcycle racer
(Cycle magazine 02.1982)
"The object of life's
journey is not to arrive at
the grave safely in a well
preserved body, but rather
to skid in sideways, totally
worn out, shouting, 'Holy
Shit, What a
Ride!!!’ ”
—Mavis Leyrer
(feisty OCTOGENARIAN, living in Seattle)
EXCELLENCE.
AWOL: THE
SCHOOLS
FIASCO.
“My wife and I went to a [kindergarten] parent-teacher conference
and were informed that our budding refrigerator artist, Christopher,
would be receiving a grade of Unsatisfactory in art. We were
shocked. How could any child—let alone our child—receive a poor
His teacher
informed us that he had
refused to color within the
lines, which was a state
requirement for
demonstrating ‘grade-level
motor skills.’ ”
grade in art at such a young age?
—Jordan Ayan, AHA!
“How many artists are there in the room? Would you please raise
your hands. FIRST GRADE: En mass the children leapt from their
seats, arms waving. Every child was an artist. SECOND GRADE:
About half the kids raised their hands, shoulder high, no higher. The
hands were still. THIRD GRADE: At best, 10 kids out of 30 would
raise a hand, tentatively, self-consciously. By the time I reached
SIXTH GRADE, no more than one or two kids raised their hands,
and then ever so slightly, betraying a fear of being identified by the
group as a ‘closet artist.’ The point is:
Every school I visited
was participating in
the systematic suppression
of creative genius.”
Source: Gordon MacKenzie, Orbiting the Giant Hairball
Ye gads: “Thomas Stanley has not only found
no correlation between success in school and
an ability to accumulate wealth, he’s actually
found a negative correlation. ‘It seems that
school-related evaluations are poor
predictors of economic success,’ Stanley
concluded. What did predict success was a
willingness to take risks. Yet the successfailure standards of most schools penalized
risk takers. Most educational systems reward
those who play it safe. As a result, those who
do well in school find it hard to take risks
later on.”
—Richard Farson & Ralph Keyes,
Whoever Makes the Most Mistakes Wins
15 “Leading” Biz Schools
Design/Core: 0
Design/Elective: 1
Creativity/Core: 0
Creativity/Elective: 4
Innovation/Core: 0
Innovation/Elective: 6
Source: DMI/Summer 2002/Research by Thomas Lockwood
M.I.A.*: Talk. (Present.) Listen. (Interview.)
Sell. (Life = Sales.) Do. (Execution-Implementation.)
Talent. (Recruit-Develop-Retain.) Project
Management. (Create. Solicit support.
Execution. Adoption-Client “Culture Change.”)
Product. (“It.”) Innovation. (Design.
Creativity. “Buzz-building.” Politics.) Leadership.
(USMA, etc.) E.Q. (Connect.) “Culture”
Change. (Lasting impact.) Diversity. (Crosscultural Effectiveness.) Career Creation.
(Brand You life-lifestyle.) Wellness. (Life.)
*B.Schools (“M.I.A.” or at most “B.I.A.”—barely in action)
New Economy Biz Degree Programs
MBA (Master of Business Administration)
MMM1 (Master of Metaphysical Management)
MMM2 (Master of Metabolic Management)
MGLF (Master of Great Leaps Forward)
MTD (Master of Talent Development)
W/MwGTDw/oC (Woman/Man Who Gets
Things Done without Certificate)
DE (Doctor of Enthusiasm)
EXCELLENCE.
BEDROCK.
LEADERSHIP.
EXCELLENCE.
BEDROCK.
LEADERSHIP.
9Ps. L23.
PURPOSE.
PASSION.
Potential.
Presence.
Personal.
PERSISTENCE.
PEOPLE.
Potent.
Positive.
PURPOSE.
PASSION.
Potential.
Presence.
Personal.
PERSISTENCE.
PEOPLE.
Potent.
Positive.
“People want to be part of
something larger than
themselves. They want to be
part of something they’re
really proud of, that they’ll
fight for, sacrifice for ,
trust.”
—Howard Schultz, Starbucks (IBD/09.05)
“Management has a lot to do with
answers. Leadership is a function of
questions. And the first question for a
‘Who do
we intend to
be?’ Not ‘What are we going to
leader always is:
do?’ but ‘Who do we intend to be?’”
—Max De Pree, Herman Miller
Ah, kids: “What is your vision for
the future?” “What have you
accomplished since your first book?”
“Close your eyes and imagine me
immediately doing something about
what you’ve just said. What would it
be?” “Do you feel you have an
obligation to ‘Make the world a
better place’?”
PURPOSE.
PASSION.
Potential.
Presence.
Personal.
PERSISTENCE.
PEOPLE.
Potent.
Positive.
“Nothing is so
contagious as
enthusiasm.”
—Samuel Taylor Coleridge
“Whenever anything is
being accomplished, I
have learned, it is being
done by a monomaniac
with a mission.”
—Peter Drucker
PURPOSE.
PASSION.
Potential.
Presence.
Personal.
PERSISTENCE.
PEOPLE.
Potent.
Positive.
“In the end, management
doesn’t change culture.
Management
invites
the workforce itself to
change the culture.”
—Lou Gerstner
“The role of the Director is to create a
space where the actors and
become more
than they’ve ever been
before, more than
they’ve dreamed of
being.”
actresses can
—Robert Altman, Oscar acceptance speech
PURPOSE.
PASSION.
Potential.
Presence.
Personal.
PERSISTENCE.
PEOPLE.
Potent.
Positive.
PURPOSE.
PASSION.
Potential.
Presence.
Personal.
PERSISTENCE.
PEOPLE.
Potent.
Positive.
“The First step in a
‘dramatic’
‘organizational change
program’ is obvious—
dramatic personal
change!” —RG
“You must
be
the change you
wish to see in the
world.”
Gandhi
PURPOSE.
PASSION.
Potential.
Presence.
Personal.
PERSISTENCE.
PEOPLE.
Potent.
Positive.
Relentless: “One of
my superstitions had always been
when I started to go anywhere or
not to
turn back , or stop,
to do anything,
until the thing intended was
accomplished.” —Grant
“This [adolescent] incident [of getting from point A to point B] is notable
not only because it underlines Grant’s fearless horsemanship and his
determination, but also it is the first known example of a very important
Grant had an
extreme, almost phobic
dislike of turning back
and retracing his steps.
peculiarity of his character:
If he
set out for somewhere, he would get there somehow, whatever the
difficulties that lay in his way. This idiosyncrasy would turn out to be one
the factors that made him such a formidable general. Grant would always,
always press on—turning back was not an option for him.”
—Michael Korda, Ulysses Grant
“It is no use saying
‘We are doing our
best.’ You have got
to succeed in doing
what is necessary.”
—WSC
"The reasonable man adapts
himself to the world. The
unreasonable one persists in
trying to adapt the world to
himself. Therefore, all
progress depends upon the
unreasonable man.” —GB Shaw,
Man and Superman: The Revolutionists' Handbook.
“Success seems to be
largely a matter
of hanging on
after others have
let go.”
—William Feather, author
“The most
successful people
are those who
are good at plan B.”
—James Yorke, mathematician, on chaos
theory, in The New Scientist
"Life is not a journey to the
grave with the intention of
arriving safely in one pretty
and well preserved piece, but
to skid across the line
broadside, thoroughly used
up, worn out, leaking oil,
shouting ‘GERONIMO!’ ”
—Bill McKenna, professional motorcycle racer (Cycle magazine)
PURPOSE.
PASSION.
Potential.
Presence.
Personal.
PERSISTENCE.
PEOPLE.
Potent.
Positive.
‘do’
“Leaders
people.
Period.”
—Anon.
PURPOSE.
PASSION.
Potential.
Presence.
Personal.
PERSISTENCE.
PEOPLE.
Potent.
Positive.
“Beware of the tyranny
of making Small Changes
to Small Things. Rather,
make Big Changes to
Big Things.”
—Roger Enrico, former Chairman, PepsiCo
Kevin Roberts’ Credo
1. Ready. Fire! Aim.
2. If it ain’t broke ... Break it!
3. Hire crazies.
4. Ask dumb questions.
5. Pursue failure.
6. Lead, follow ... or get out of the way!
7. Spread confusion.
8. Ditch your office.
9. Read odd stuff.
10.
Avoid moderation!
PURPOSE.
PASSION.
Potential.
Presence.
Personal.
PERSISTENCE.
PEOPLE.
Potent.
Positive.
“[other]
admirals more
frightened of
losing than
anxious to win”
On NELSON:
The greatest danger
for most of us
is not that our aim is
too high
and we miss it,
but that it is
too low
and we reach it.
Michelangelo
PURPOSE.
PASSION.
Potential.
Presence.
Personal.
PERSISTENCE.
PEOPLE.
Potent.
Positive.
“Excellence can be obtained if you:
... care more than others think is wise;
... risk more than others think is safe;
... dream more than others think
is practical;
... expect more than others think
is possible.”
Source: Anon. (Posted @ tompeters.com by
K.Sriram, November 27, 2006 1:17 AM)
EXCELLENCE.
THE LEADERSHIP23.
Leadership23/ML
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Enthusiasm. Energy. Exuberance.
Action. Execution.
Tempo. Metabolism.
Relentless.
Master of Plan B.
Accountability.
Meritocracy.
Leaders “do” people. Mentor. (“Success
creation business.”)
9. Women. Diversity.
10. Integrity. Credibility. Humanity. Grace.
11. Realism.
12. Cause. Adventures. Quests.
Leadership23/ML
13. Legacy.
14. Best story wins.
15. On the edge. (“Wildest chimera of a
moonstruck mind.”)
16. “Reward excellent failures. Punish
mediocre successes.”
17. Different > Better. (“Only ones who do
what we do.”)
18. MBWA. Customer MBWA.
19. Laughs.
20. Repot. Curiosity. Why?
21. You = Calendar. “To Don’t.” Two.
22. Excellence. Always.
23. Nelsonian! (“Other admirals more afraid
of losing than anxious to win.”)
Enthusiasm
Energy
Exuberance
Voracious Curiosity
Irritability/Dis-satisfaction
Relentlessness
Self-reliance
“Closer” (Execution)
excellence
EXCELLE
ALWAYS
EXCELLENCE.
ALWAYS.
Lists.
The Irreducible209+
One Word+
The Cup Challenge
The Sales122
60TIBs
Tom-A-to,Tom-ah-to
The Irreducible209
A frustrated participant at a seminar for investment bankers in
Mauritius listened impatiently to my explanation of differences of
opinion among me, Mike Porter, Gary Hamel, Jim Collins, etc. Finally,
“What, if
anything,” he asked,
“do you believe ‘for
sure’?”
he’d had enough.
I mumbled something, but his query started
rumbling around in my mind. Three days later, wandering on a
Sunday in London, the idea of “the irreducibles” occurred to
me—and I started jotting down notes on stuff I do indeed believe “for
sure.” Before I knew it, a few days later, the list had grown to
209
items. Hence “The Irreducible209” that follows.
Tom Peters
1.
2.
3.
4.
Hare 1, Tortoise 0. (Hare-y times.)
Tempo. (O.O.D.A.)
MBWA.
Appreciation. (“Motivator” #1.)
(Can’t be faked. Good.)
5. Decency.
6. Hurry.
7. Time out.
8. One matters.
9. Big change. Short time. (Alt not work.)
10. Excellence. Always.
11. Passion. Energy. Hustle. Enthusiasm.
Exuberance. (Move mountains. No alt.)
12. You must care.
13. Emotion.
14. Hard is soft. (Soft is hard.)
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
Men. Women. Different. Contend. Connect.
Women. Buy. All. (RU listening?)
Quality. (“Mind-blowing.” Beyond 6-Sigma.)
Re-invent. Re-pot. (Required.)
Jaywalk.
Big change. Small # of people. (Always.)
Experiment. Now.
Failure. Normal.
Most failures, most success.
(Fail. Forward. Fast.)
24. “Reward excellent failures. Punish
mediocre successes.”
25. Women leaders. (Altered times.)
26. Extremism. (Good business. Bad politics.)
27. Innovation source. Only. Extreme irritation.
28. Smile.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
You must care.
Mentor. (Highest ROI.)
Best “roster” wins.
Wow. (Okay in biz.)
We all have customers. (Biz. Personal.)
All contacts = Experiences.
Cirque du Soleil. (Peerless.)
Leaders create space for growth.
Quests. (Only.)
High aspirations, “high” results.
(Self-fulfilling prophecy.)
39. Attitude 1, Skills 0. (Mostly.)
(Attitude 1, Skill 0.3?)
40. Sometimes: Skill 1, Attitude 0.1.
41. Must “love,” not “like.”
42. Wegmans.” (No excuses. “Mere” groceries.)
43. Less than your best. Cheating.
44.
45.
46.
47.
48.
49.
50.
51.
52.
53.
54.
55.
Brand You. (No alt.)
Self-sufficiency. (Biggest LT turn-on.)
In the moment.
The moment wins.
Tomorrow = Never.
Action 1, Plan 0.1.
“Execution” can be a “system.”
Realism.
Own up. Move on.
Accountability.
Work hard > Work smart. (Mostly.)
Feedback. Necessary. Fast. (R.F.A. in
“RFA times.”)
56. Customers. Listen. Lead. (Paradox.)
57. “On stage.” Always. (GW, FDR, RG =
Supreme actors.)
58.
59.
60.
61.
62.
63.
64.
65.
66.
Master statistical analysis.
Excellence = Set the table.
Legacy. (Will it have mattered?)
“Great.” (Why not?)
Radicals rule. (Think … Olympics.)
!!! = Good.
Red 1, Brown 0. (Red times.)
Talk. Listen. (“Big 2.” Master.)
Politics. (Normal-inevitable state
of affairs. Master.)
67. Student. Forever.
68. “Why?” (Question #1.)
69. Don’t belittle.
70. Respect.
71. All we have: this moment.
(“Moments matter most”?)
72. Now. (Procrastination. Death.)
73.
74.
75.
76.
Exercise.
Paint. (Leader. Portraits of Excellence.)
Best story wins.
“You must be the change you wish
to see in the world.”
77. Two “big ones.” Max. (Priorities.)
78. No “I” in Team. (“I” in Win.)
79. “I” in Win. (No “I” in Team.)
80. Different 1, Better 0. (Better = 0.1)
81. Imitation = Mistake. (Learn, from who?)
82. Choose/battle the “right” competitor.
83. Schools. Creativity. Entrepreneurship.
(Not.)
84. MBAs. Creativity. Entrepreneurship.
Leadership. (Not.)
85. Design. Under-rated. Wildly.
(Still.) (Everything.)
86.
87.
88.
89.
You = Calendar. (Calendar. Never. Lies.)
Laugh.
Handshake. (Quantity. Quality.)
Don’t fold your hands in front of your
chest. Ever. (Never.)
90. Grace. (“Works” in biz.)
91. Weird. Wins. (Weird times.)
92. Crazy times. Crazy orgs.
93. Internet. All.
94. Women. Boomers-Geezers. Market. All.
95. Passion.
(Repeat. So what?)
96. Energy.
(Repeat. So what?)
97. Hustle.
(Repeat. So what?)
98. Enthusiasm. (Repeat. So what?)
99. Exuberance. (Repeat. So what?)
100. Smile.
(Repeat. So what?)
101. Care.
(Repeat. So what?)
102. Simplicity. Redundancy. Resilience. Bloodymindedness. Visible optimism. (Success.)
103. Act. (Repeat. So what?)
104. Appreciate. (Repeat. So what?)
105. Fun. (Biz. Why not?)
106. Joy. (Biz. Why not?)
107. Sales = Life.
108. Marketing = Life.
109. Long-term. “Top line.” c.r.o.
110. Great company = Creates the most
individual success stories. (RE/MAX)
111. Talent first, performance byproduct.
112. Sustained Wow* 1, “Shareholder
value,” 0.2 (*Product, People.)
113. Commitment. by invitation only.
114. Creativity. by invitation only.
115. HR = #1. (Ought to.)
116. Face-to-face. (5K miles, 5 minutes.) 117.
Negotiation. Make all winners.
(Save face.)
118. Grace makes enemies friends.
119. Network.
120. Invest in relationships. (Think ROIR.
Return On Investment in Relationships.)
118. Relationship investment. Forethought.
Calendar item. Intensity.
119. Innovation. Easy. (Hang out
with weird.)
120. Weird = Win. (Weird times.)
121. “The bottleneck is at the top
of the bottle.”
122. Good Board = Weird Board.
(At least, surprising.)
123. No contention, no progress.
R.O.I.R.*
*Return On Investment In Relationships
124. “Crucial conversations.” “Crucial
confrontations.” (Study. Learn. Do.)
125. Honest feedback.
126. Gaspworthy. Yes.
127. “Insanely great.”
128. “Astonish me.”
129. “Make it immortal.”
130. “Will you remember it in 20 years?”
131. No small opportunities. (Reframe.)
132. One playmate, one playpen = Enough.
133. End run. Sensible.
134. Allies are there for the finding.
135. Find successes. Build on successes.
(Pos > Neg. Encourage > Fix.)
136. Somebody’s doing it today. Find ’em.
137. Someone is living 2016 in 2006.
(Find ’em. Study ’em.)
138. Don’t “benchmark.” “futuremark.”
139. “PMA.” It works. (Positive. Mental.
Attitude.)
140. There are no experts. (You are the expert.)
141. Life is short.
142. “Sustained success.” Fat chance.
Make today matter. (“Sustained.” Ha.)
143. Collaborate. (Networked world.)
144. Go solo. (Individual. Unit of
Intellectual Capital.)
145. There are no “perfect” plans. (Do. Wins.)
146. Plans motivate. (Right or wrong.
Sense of purpose.)
147. Never rest.
148. Get some sleep.
149. Winning = Embracing paradox.
150. Ambiguity = Opportunity.
151. Resilience.
152. Relentless-ness.
153. None. Above. Comeuppance.
No. “ultimate.” “business model.”
(GM. Sears. U.S. Steel. DEC.)
154. Be yourself. Period.
155. Never work with jerks. Including
customers. (Life. Too short.)
156. Under-promise, over-deliver.
157. Talent. (Powerful word.)
158. “Customer = Anyone whose actions
affect your results.”
159. Competition stinks. (Seek the soft
spots where you can dominate.)
160. K.I.S.S./Keep It Simple, Stupid.
161. Beauty. (Good biz word.)
162. “See the beauty in a hamburger bun.”
(Go. Ray.)
163.
164.
165.
166.
Own up. Quick. ( Denial. Cancer.)
Celebrate. Often.
78 people = 78 approaches. (Each. Unique.)
Weed. Ceaselessly. (Prune. Stupid.
Rules. Non-stop.)
167. Get out of the way. (You = The problem.)
168. Smile. Sunny. Optimism. (If it kills you.)
169. Flowers. (Cheery workplace.)
170. Enjoy. (Or get the hell.)
171. Be intolerant of “sour.” (1 = Major pollution)
172. No “quick trigger” on promotion.
(Too important.)
173. Evaluation = Lots of study-time.
174. Evaluation = “Life or death” to evaluee.
175. “360” evaluation. No fad.
176. Exit when you’re done. (Done.
Sooner than you think.)
177. Today. Now. My Project. Am. Is. I. Period.
178. “Beautiful” systems. (Good biz phrase.
Not oxymoron.)
179. Build on strengths > Fix weaknesses.
180. “To don’t” = “To do.” (“To don’t” >
“To do” ?)
181. Leaders “Do” People. (Period.)
182. Leaders enjoy leading.
183. Serious leadership training = Serious.
184. Priorities. Obvious. (Or else.)
185. 5 “Priorities” = 0 Priorities.
(3 “Priorities” = 0 Priorities?)
186. People. First. Last. Always.
187. It. Is. Always. The. People.
188. Handshake. (Quantity. Quality.)
189. Don’t fold your hands in front of
your chest. Ever. (Never.)
190. Simplicity. Redundancy. Resilience.
Bloody-mindedness. Visible
optimism. (Success.) (Repeat.)
191. Employee Entrance = Guest
Entrance.
192. Put the customer … SECOND.
(Thanks, Hal.)
193. Flowers. (Or did I say that before?
No matter if I did.)
194. Big Mergers don’t work. Small
acquisitions can/do work—if you
don’t screw with their energy.
195. Instinctively “head for the front
line.” (In all contexts.)
196. Success = DDMMPR/"D-squared,
M-squared, PR” = DramDiff +
Money-Financial Acumen + Good
“Marketing” Instincts + Stellar People
+ Resilience (The “fab five”: What.
Every. Small. Biz. Needs.) (Big too.)
197. Core Mechanism (“Game-changing
Solutions”): PSF (Professional Service
Firm “model”) + Wow! Projects
(“Different” vs “Better”) + Brand You
(“Distinct” or “Extinct”)
198. 2011/2016 has already happened.
Find it.
199. Kids “know” kids. Oldies “know” oldies.
Women “know” women. (Staff accordingly.)
200. Everybody is my customer.
201. Cosset “vendors.”
202. I want to run a Housekeeping department.
(And you?)
203. The military doesn’t follow the “military
model.” (Initiative = Excellence.)
204. No such thing as “going to absurd lengths”
to serve the Customer. (HSM & Lefties.)
205. Forget the “customer.” All = “Clients.”
206. It takes decades to get over “sleights.”
(So don’t sleight.)
207. Don’t “dumb down.” Ever.
208.
209.
NO LESS THAN
EXCELLENCE.
EVER.
EXCELLENCE.
ALWAYS.
Work In Progress
XXX. One size fits. One. Only. (Evaluations. Period.)
XXX. Teaching. Individualized. Only. (6 billion people =
6 billion learning trajectories.) (Montessori.)
XXX. First impression. Matters. Shapes all that comes.
Hard to overcome. (Understatement.)
XXX. Jerks. Don’t work with. (Life = Too short.)
XXX. Manage [the hell out of] first impressions.
XXX. Last impression. Matters. Dominates memory.
Hard to overcome. (Understatement.)
XXX. Manage [the hell out of] last impressions.
XXX. Plain English.
XXX. K.I.S.S. (450/8.)
XXX. $798. $55,000,000,000. 3,000,000,000.
7AM-7PM. 6:15AM.
XXX. Donnelly Weatherstrip rules.
XXX. Managers do things right. Leaders do the
right thing. NOT.
ONE WORD+
ONE WORD+
Drill more wells
R.F.A.
Accountability
Realism
Decentralization
Execution
Action bias
Most mistakes wins
6:15am
Energy
Enthusiasm
Do>Plan
Act>Think
Behavior>Attitude
Passion
ONE WORD+
5 min/5,000 miles
Women
Decency
Grace
Innovate or Die
Re-imagine
Fight irrelevance
Just Do It
Care (You Must)
Flowers (Say It With)
I’m sorry
Thank You
Insanely Great
Silence
2-cent candy
ONE WORD+
Emotion
Intuition
Sell
O.O.D.A.
Integrity
Weird
Appreciate
Celebrate
Respect
Listen
Wander
Calendar rules
Calendar doesn’t lie
“To don’t
Max priorities = 3
ONE WORD+
Gasp-worthy
Insanely great
Different>better
Impact>longevity
Dramatic Difference
Only ones do what we do
Smile
$798
7-7-7
Design rules
Beautiful Systems
450/8
VP S.O.U.B.
Women buy all
Women lead better
ONE WORD+
MBWA
Why?
PSF
Wow!
! (red)
Buy a Mirror
Know thyself
Invite
Quest
Adventure
Talent
Brand You
Lovemark
Experience
Dreamketing
ONE WORD+
Boomers-geezers own all
2.6/21
25
25
3,000,000,000
(900,000,000)
26 minutes
43 hours
Perception Is All There Is
Enthusiasm: The Ultimate Virus
For Starbucks …
The Cup
Challenge*
Tom Peters/1107.2006
*Potential Quotes for Cups
Enthusiasm!
The Ultimate
Virus!
Re-imagine!
Re-do!
Re-vise!
Re-vo-lu-tion!
“Passion!”
“Energy!”
“Enthusiasm!”
“Passion! Energy! Enthusiasm!”
"Enthusiasm! Enthusiasm! Enthusiasm!"
"Enthusiasm Moves Mountains!"
"Nothing Matches Enthusiasm as a 'Motivator'!"
“Technicolor Times Demand Technicolor Actions”
“Technicolor Times Demand Technicolor People”
“Wow. Now.”
“Re-imagine!”
“Re-imagine! Re-do! Re-vise! Re-vo-lu-tion!”
Excellence.
Always.
“No Less
Than
Excellence.
Ever.”
No Excellence.
no excuse.
"Respect!"
“Leaders ‘Do’ People. Period.”
“Credibility. Asset No. 1.”
“Tell the Truth.”
“Truth Wins.”
“Challenge. Challenge. Challenge.”
“Two Big Goals. Tops.”
“Focus. Your Calendar Never Lies”
“Good Story. Good Leader.”
“Best Story Wins.”
“Live the Story.”
“Change the World. Accept Nothing Less.”
"Dream!"
“Dream. The Only Worthwhile Reality.”
“Beware Those Who Agree With You”
“Seek Dissidents. Nurture Dissidents. Cherish Dissidents”
Do.
Do.
Do.
Do.
Do.
Do.
Do.
Do.
Do.
Do.
try it. Try it. Try it
ry it. Try it. Try it. Tr
t. Try it. Try it. Try it
ry it. Try it. Try it. Tr
t. Try it. Try it. try it
ry it. Try it. try it. Tr
t. Try it. Try it. Try it
iMplementation
… The “last 98%”
Do it.
Now.
start.
Now.
Most.
Relentless.
wins.
“Excellence!”
“Demand Excellence!”
“Demand Excellence. The Greatest
Gift.”
“Excellence, Life’s Gold Standard”
“Stop Talking! Start Doing!”
“Execute. Execute. Execute.”
“‘Good Execution’ Beats ‘Good
Strategy’”
“Agility Trumps Size”
"Women make the best bosses!"
“Women Rule. Believe It.”
"You must care!"
“Listen.”
“Ask. ‘Why?’”
distinct.
Or …
Extinct.
2007.
Self-reliance.
No option.
2007.
Excellence.
No option.
Excellence.
Not optional.
it’s a …
“brand you”
world.
“‘Me Too’ =
‘Me Dead’”
“‘Different’ beats ‘Better.’”
“‘Distinct’ or ‘Extinct.’”
“Innovate or Die”
“‘Me Too’ = ‘Me Dead’”
“Talent Time!”
“Best Talent Wins.”
“Best Roster Wins.
“Moderation Fails in Immoderate Times”
“Moderation
Fails in
Immoderate
Times”
“freaks win in
freaky times.”
Seek Dissidents.
Nurture Dissidents.
Cherish Dissidents.
“best
talent
wins.”
women = best leaders.
Women = biggest
market.
Women = control
wealth.
Women = rule.
Roir/return on
investment in
relationships
Respect =
magic.
“thank
you” =
magic.
“thank you”
= magic
potion #1.
GE
(more or less)
:
The Sales122:
122 Ridiculously
Obvious Thoughts
About Selling Stuff
Tom Peters/0402.2006
This list was first prepared for GE Energy
sales & marketing people in January. It
started with a half-dozen items, and grew
like Topsy. Possibly, given its origins, it’s a
little tilted toward complex, engineeringbased sales. In any event, it makes a perfect
companion to “The Irreducibles209.” This,
too, is effectively a list of “irreducibles.”
Tom Peters
1. “Strategy” overrated, simply “doin’ stuff” underrated. See
Kelleher and Bossidy: “We have a ‘strategic plan,’ it’s called
doing things.”—Herb Kelleher. “Execution is a systematic
process of rigorously discussing hows and whats, tenaciously
following through, and ensuring accountability.” —Larry
Bossidy & Ram Charan/ Execution: The Discipline of Getting
Things Done. Action has its own logic—ask Genghis Khan,
Rommel, COL John Boyd, U.S. Grant, Patton, W.T. Sherman.
2. What are you personally great at? (Key word: “great.”) Play
to strengths! “Distinct or Extinct.” You should aim to be
“outrageously good”/B.I.W. at a niche area (or more).
3. Are you a “personality,” a de facto “brand” in the industry?
The Dr Phil of ...
4. Opportunism (with a little forethought) mostly wins.
(“Successful people are the ones who are good at Plan B.”)
5. Little starts can lead to big wins. Most true winners—think
search & Google—start as something small. Many big deals—
Disney & Pixar—could have been done as little-er deals if you’d
had the guts to jump before the value became obvious.
“Everyone lives
by selling
something.”
—Robert Louis Stevenson
6. Non-obvious targets have great potential. Among many
other things, everybody goes after the obvious ones. Also,
the “non-obvious” are often good Partners for technology
experiments.
7. The best relationships are often (usually?) not “top to
top”! (Often the best: hungry division GMs eager to make a
mark.)
8. IT’S RELATIONSHIPS, STUPID—DEEP AND FROM MULTIPLE
FUNCTIONS.
9. In any public-sector business, you must become an avid
student of “the politics,” the incentives and constraints,
mostly non-economic, facing all of the players. Politicians are
usually incredibly logical—if you (deeply!) understand the
matrix in which they exist.
10. Relationships from within our firm are as important—
often more important—as those from outside—again broad is
as important as deep. Allies—avid supporters!—within and
from non-obvious places may be more important than
relationships at the Client organization. Goal: an “insanely
unfair ‘market share’” of insiders’ time devoted to your
projects!
C(I)>C(X)
11. Interesting outsiders are essential to innovative proposal
and sales teams. An “exciting” sales-proposal team is as
important as a prestigious one.
12. Is the proposal-sales team weird enough—weirdos come
up with the most interesting, game-changer ideas. Period.
13. Lunch with at least one weirdo per month. (Goal: always
on the prowl for interesting new stuff.)
14. Gratuitous comment: Lunches with good friends are
typically a waste of (professional) time.
15. Don’t short-change (time, money, depth) the proposal
process. Miss one tiny nuance, one potential incentive that
“makes my day” for a key Client player—and watch the whole
gig be torpedoed.
16. “Sticking with it” sometimes pays, sometimes not—it
takes a lot of tries to forge the best path in. Sometimes you
never do, after a literal lifetime. (Ah, life.)
17. WOMEN ARE SIMPLY BETTER AT RELATIONSHIPS—don’t
get hung up—particularly in tech firms—on what industriescountries “women can’t do.” (Or some such bullshit.)
18. Work incessantly on your “story”—most economic value
springs from a good story (think Perrier)! In sensitive public
or quasi-public negotiations, a compelling story is of immense
value—politics is about the tension among competing stories.
(If you don’t believe me, ask Karl Rove or James Carville.)
(“Storytelling is the core of culture.” —Branded Nation: The
Marketing of Megachurch, College Inc., and Museumworld,
James Twitchell)
19. Call this 18A, or 18 repeat: Become a first-rate
Storyteller! (“A key – perhaps the key – to leadership is the
effective communication of a story.”—Howard Gardner,
Leading Minds: An Anatomy of Leadership)
20. Risk Assessment & Risk Management is more about
stories than advanced math—i.e., brilliant scenario
construction.
21. Good listeners are good sales people. Period.
22. Lousy listeners are lousy sales people. Period.
23. GREAT LISTENERS ARE GREAT SALES PEOPLE. (Listening
“skills” are hard to learn and subject to immense effort in
pursuit of Mastery. A virtuoso “listener” is as rare as a
virtuoso cello player.) (“If you don’t listen, you don’t sell
anything.”—Carolyn Marland/MD/Guardian Group)
24. Things that are funny to me (American) are often-mostly not
funny to those in other cultures. (Humor is as fine-edged as it
gets, and rarely travels.)
25. You don’t know Jack Squat about other peoples’ cultures—
especially if you are a typically myopic American. (Like me.)
26. Are you a great interviewer? It’s a make or break skill.
(Think Barbara Walters’ skill at extracting unwanted truths from
pros in persona-protection ... in front of 10s of millions of
people.
27. Are you a great (not merely “good”) presenter? Mastering
presentation skills is a life’s work—with stupendous payoff.
28. Work like hell on the Big 2: LISTENING/INTERVIEWING,
PRESENTING. These are “the essence of [sales] life”—and
usually picked-up in an amateurish fashion. Mistake! (Become a
“professional student” of these two areas, achieve Mastery.)
29. Are you good at flowers? Think: FLOWER POWER! (see Harvey
Mackay’s “Mackay 66”—what you should know about a Client;
e.g., birthdays & anniversaries.) (My “flowers budget” is out of
control. Hooray for me.)
30. You can’t do it all—be clear at what you are good at, bad at,
indifferent at. Hubris sucks.
FLOWER
POWER
31. The point is not to “prove yourself.” (That’s ego-talk.) Let
the best person present to the Client—perhaps a “lower level”
geek. (“Control freaks” get their just desserts in the long haul—
or sooner.)
32. The numbers will more or less take care of themselves over
the long haul—if the relationship/s is/are solid gold.
33. The Gold Standard in selling: INDISPENSABLE to the Client.
No other goal is worthy.
34. Never stop growing-broadening-deepening the relationship.
The key to “indispensability” is to get the Client more and more
… and more … and then more … imbedded in “our” web. Hence
the so-called “selling process” is only the first step!
35. USE THE WORD “WE” … CONSTANTLY & RELIGIOUSLY!
(E.g.: “We”—the Client & me—“are going to change the world
with this service.”)
36. Don’t waste your time on jerks—it’ll rarely work out in the
mid- to long-term.
37. Genius is walking away from lousy “scores” (deals)—and
accepting the attendant heat. Big Business is the premier home
to Big Egos overpaying by a factor of 2 to 22 with billion$$$$ at
stake. (Think Jerry Levin and AOL Time Warner.)
“If you don’t
listen,
you don’t sell
anything.”
—Carolyn Marland/
Managing Director/
Guardian Group
38. You haven’t a clue as to how this situation will actually play
out—be prepared to move fast in a different direction.
39. Keep your word.
40. KEEP YOUR WORD.
41. Underpromise (i.e., don’t over-promise; i.e., cut yourself a
little slack) even if it costs you business—winning is a long-term
affair. Over-promising is Sign #1 of a lack of integrity. You will
pay the piper.
42. There is such a thing as a “good loss”—if you’ve tested
something new and developed good relationships. A half-dozen
honorable, ingenious losses over a two-year period can pave the
way for a Big Victory in a New Space in year 3.
43. It’s a competitive world out there. New, innovative products
are harder to sell than old stand-bys. Nonetheless, you will be a
long-term star to the extent that you are willing to push the
harder-to-sell-at-the-moment Innovative Products that cement
long-term Client success (Indispensability!) —even if it means a
#s hit this quarter. PART OF YOUR JOB: TAKE CLIENTS ON AN
ADVENTURE THAT PUTS THEM AHEAD OF THE GAME CALLED
(GAMECHANGING—hopefully) COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE!
“You can make more
friends in two months by
becoming interested in
other people than you can
in two years by trying to
get other people
interested in you.”
—Dale Carnegie
44. Think “legacy”—what the hell is all this really about for you
and the world? (“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one
wild and precious life?”
—Mary Oliver)
45. THERE ARE NO “MODERATES” IN THE HISTORY BOOKS!
46. Keep it simple! (Damn it!) No matter how “sophisticated” the
product. If you can’t explain it in a phrase, a page, or to your 14year-old ... you haven’t got it right yet.
47. Know more than the next guy. Homework pays. (of course
it’s obvious—but in my work it is too often honored in the
breach.)
48. Regardless of project size, winning or losing invariably
hinges on a raft of “little stuff.” Little stuff is and always has
been everything!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!—or, “one man’s little stuff is
another man’s 7.6 Richter deal-breaker.”
49. In public settings in particular, face saving is all. When
something changes, allow the other guy to come out looking like
a winner, especially if he has lost. (Even if you must accept the
egg on your face—he will always remember you!)
50. Don’t hold grudges. (It is the ultimate in small mindedness—
and incredibly wasteful and ineffective. There’s always
tomorrow.)
51. IT’S ALWAYS “THE POLITICS”—wee private-sector deal or
giant public sector deal. (Every player, small or large, is angling
for something. Master the calculus of advantage.)
52. To beat the “turnover problem” in key Client posts amidst
long negotiations, invest outrageous amounts of time building a
wide & deep set of relationships with mid-level (& lower!!)
“plodding” “careerists.” The invisible careerists are the
bedrock upon which repeated success is built! (My “Capitol Hill
Axiom”: It’s the 24-year-old LA who in the end briefs the
Senator right before she goes to the Floor to vote.)
53. Speaking of “she”: Gender differences are Enormous—
dealing with a woman and dealing with a man are different
kettles of fish—you must become an A+ student of gender
differences. (E.g.: Men are typically more interested in the
short-term “score.” Women are more interested in the longterm consequences.)
54. “LITTLE PEOPLE” OFTEN HAVE BIG FRIENDS.
55. This is not war, damn it. All parties can win (or not lose,
anyway). And losing bidders can walk away from a deal with
increased respect for you and your team.
56. Never, ever dump on a competitor—the Tom Watson IBM
glory-days mantra.
57. Never forget the “Law of Cousins!” In developing nations
in particular, power brokers at all levels are at least cousins!
Consideration for a second cousin can pay off big time.
58. Speaking of “favors,” jail sucks.
59. Work hard beats work smart. (Mostly.)
60. REPEAT: HE/SHE WHO HAS THE MOST-BEST
RELATIONSHIPS WINS. RELATIONSHIPS ARE THE ESSENCE OF
THE WORK OF THE SALESPERSON. THE HARD ... AND LONG ...
WORK OF THE SALESPERSON.
61. Mano v mano “hardball” is seldom the answer—end runs
based and patient multi-level relationship building via deeperwider networks win.
62. If the deal is wired from below, truly wired, than the socalled “big negotiations” are essentially irrelevant.
63. If every quarter is a “little better” than the prior quarter—
then you are not taking any serious risks.
64. Phones beat email.
“Nothing is so
contagious as
enthusiasm.”
—Samuel Taylor Coleridge
65. A THREE-MINUTE CALL TODAY CAN AVOID A GAME-LOSER
OF A FIASCO NEXT MONTH. There was always a time when a
little thing could have been addressed that headed off a
subsequent big thing. As to avoiding that call, didn’t someone
say, “Pride goeth before the fall”?
66. Be hyper-organized about relationship management—you
are in the anthropology business. Study the great pols! Brilliant
NRM (network relationship management) is not accidental! It is
not catch-as-catch can. (Football analogies are cute—but deep
political understanding pays the private-school tuition.)
67. Obsess on ROIR (Return On Investment In Relationships).
68. “THANK YOU” NOTES: World’s highest-return investment!!
69. The way to anyone’s heart: Doing a nice thing for their kid.
(But, gawd, does this take a gentle touch.)
70. Scoring off other people is stupid. Winners are always in the
business of creating the maximum # of winners—among
adversaries at least as much as among “partners.”
71. Your colleagues’ successes are your successes. Period.
(Trust me, my greatest personal success—financially as well as
artistically—has been creating a bigger pond in which everyone
wins, even if my “market share” is down.)
72. Lend a helping hand, especially when you don’t have the
time. E.g. share relationships—the more you give away the
more you get in return (just like they say in church).
73. Listen up: “It was much later that I realized Dad’s
secret. He gained respect by giving it. He talked and listened
to the fourth-grade kids in Spring Valley who shined shoes
the same way he talked and listened to a bishop or a college
president. He was seriously interested in who you were and
what you had to say.” —Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot, Respect.
(I.e., Respect is Cool.)
74. Mentoring is a thrill—and the practical payoff is
enormous. The best mentors have the whole world working
its buns off for them!
75. Hire for enthusiasm. Promote for enthusiasm. Cherish
enthusiasm. REMOVE NON-ENTHUSIASTS—THEY ARE
CANCERS. (“Nothing is so contagious as enthusiasm.”—
Samuel Taylor Coleridge. “A man without a smiling face
must not open a shop.”—Chinese Proverb.)
76. IT’S ALWAYS YOUR PROBLEM—you sold it to them.
77. It’s never over: While there may be an excellent service
activity in your company, the “relationship” belongs to You!
Hence the “aftersales” “moments of truth” are at least as—if
not more than*--important to the Continuing Relationship as
the sale “transaction” itself. (*I vote for “more than.”) You’ll
get your biggest “points” with the Client for being an effective
after-the-fact go-between with your company.
78. Don’t get too hung up on “systems integration”—first &
foremost, the individual bits have got to work.
79. For God’s sake don’t over promise on “systems
integration”—it’s nigh on impossible to deliver.
80. On the other hand … winners clamber Up the Value-added
Ladder, and offer ever so much more than “mere” product. ALL
SUCCESSFUL SALES PEOPLE ARE IN THE “SOLUTIONS
BUSINESS”—no matter how jargony that may sound.
81. “Systems” / “Solutions” selling means grappling directly
with “culture change” in Client organizations. (“The business of
selling is not just about matching viable solutions to the
customers that require them. It’s equally about managing the
change process the customer will need to go through to
implement the solution and achieve the value promised by the
solution”—Jeff Thull, The Prime Solution: Close the Value Gap,
Increase Margins, and Win the Complex Sale)
82. Shit happens. That’s what they pay you for.
83. This is not a “GE” or “Ben & Jerry’s” sale—it is a Joe
Jones/Jane Jones sale. YOU ARE THE “BRAND” THE CLIENT
BUYS—especially over the long haul.
84. Duh: You make money, the company makes money—on
repeat business.
85. Master—yes, you—the “PR” Game. “Word of Mouth” is not
accidental! You want Word of Mouth? Make it happen!
86. GOAL #1: MAKE YOUR CLIENT A HERO—YOU ARE NOT THERE
TO GET CREDIT. (“Taking credit” is for egomaniacs. And losers.)
87. “Decent margins,” over the mid- to long-term, are a product
of better relationships, not better “negotiating skill.” (Mostly.)
“You can’t behave
in a calm, rational
manner. You’ve got
to be out there on
the lunatic fringe.”
—Jack Welch
88. In the immortal words of ex-GE Vice Chairman Larry
Bossidy, more or less, “Realism rocks.” (“Bullshit artist” and
“great salesperson,” contrary to conventional wisdom, are
Diametric Opposites. “Truthteller” and Great Salesperson is
more like it.)
89. Be the first to tell the Client bad news (e.g., slipped
delivery); his intelligence sources will tell him fast—you want to
be there first with your story and to enhance your rep as
Truthteller!
90. Work like hell to get a reputation as a valued industry
expert, to become an industry resource.
91. Work the Trade Association angle for all its worth—it may
take a decade to pay off—e.g., when you become an officer or
are on an important panel or testify Before Congress.
92. PAY YOUR DUES IN THE CLIENT ORG AND IN YOUR OWN
ORG!
93. It’s all bloody tactics.
94. You must ... LOVE .... the product! (Period.)
95. YOU MUST LOVE THE PRODUCT!
96. Don’t over-schedule. “Running late” is inexcusable at any
level of seniority; it is the ultimate mark of self-importance
mixed with contempt.
97. Women are better salespeople. (See Addendum.)
98. Women alone understand Women.
99. Actually, Women by and large understand Men better than
Men understand Men.
100.Women purchasers buy Stories and recommendations.
101. Women take longer to become Loyal purchasers, but then
stay Loyal.
102. Men buy Stats.
103. Men decide fast, but are fickle.
104. Men & Women are … VERY, VERY … Different.
105. Women buy most things. Consumer. Increasingly,
professional goods and services.
106. Women’s Market is Opportunity #1.
107. Boomers. Many, many. Lots & lots & lots of … $$$.
108. Boomers-Geezers are very different purchasers than those
in other categories.
Women Rock … as Salespersons (From Item #97.)
And the answers are?
“TAKE THIS QUICK QUIZ: Who manages more things at
once? Who puts more effort into their appearance?
Who usually takes care of the details? Who finds it
easier to meet new people? Who asks more questions
in a conversation? Who is a better listener? Who has
more interest in communication skills? Who is more
inclined to get involved? Who encourages harmony and
agreement? Who has better intuition? Who works
with a longer ‘to do’ list? Who enjoys a recap to the
day’s events? Who is better at keeping in touch with
others?”
Source: Selling Is a Woman’s Game: 15 Powerful Reasons Why
Women Can Outsell Men, Nicki Joy & Susan Kane-Benson
109. It takes time to get to know people. (DUH.)
110. The very idea of “efficiency” in relationship
development is ... STUPID.
111. MBWA (still) rules.
112. “Preparing the soil” is the “first 98 percent.” (Or
more.)
113. WORK THE PHONES!
114. Rule 5K-5M: 5K miles for a 5-Minute meeting often
makes sense. (Yes, often.) (Even with constrained travel
budgets.) (Thanks, super-agent Mark McCormack.)
115. Become a student! Study great salespeople!
(Including Presidents.) (“Natural” is a little bit true—but
then Naturals are always the ones who study hardest—
e.g., Jerry Rice.)
116. Become a student! Yes, you can study Relationship
Building. So, study …
117. Beware complexifiers and complicators. (Truly
“smart people” ... Simplify things.)
118. The smartest guy in the room rarely wins—alas,
he usually is aware he’s the smartest guy. (And
needn’t waste his time on that “soft relationship
crap.”)
119. Be kind. It works.
120. Be especially kind when there are screw-ups.
(There’s plenty of time later to Play the Great
Accountability Game.)
121. Presidents never tire of being treated like
Presidents.
122.
Luck matters.
Good luck!
Tom’s
60TIBs*
*TIB = This I Believe
Sixty for Sixty: Tom’s 60TIBs
The architect Bill Caudill was a contrarian. He pioneered the
idea of working intimately with clients to create spaces that
met their needs; this flew in the face of conventional wisdom,
which held that the architect was pure artist, barely
deigning to make client contact. Caudill’s approach was
wildly successful—so much so that today it’s become
conventional wisdom.
Over the years Bill jotted notes on this and that, and began to
organize them for his children. The title of his musings: This I
Believe. After Caudill’s death, his colleagues collected the
notes and published them. That is, The TIBs of Bill Caudill.
A sixtieth birthday is a monumental occasion, and I chose,
among other things, to give myself a present to mark the/my
date in November 2002. I sat on a hill overlooking my farm
in Vermont, and scribbled down 60 thoughts, one for each
year, that seemed to capture my professional and, to
some extent, my personal journey. Those thoughts—Tom’s
60TIBs—herewith.
1. TECHNICOLOR RULES!
(Passion Moves Mountains!)
2. Audacity Matters!
3. Revolution Now!
4. Question Authority! (& Hire
Disrespectful People.)
5. Disorganization Wins! (LOVE
THE MESS!)
6. Think 3M: Markets Matter Most. ONLY EXTREME
COMPETITION STAVES OFF STALENESS. (You can
take the boy out of Silicon Valley, but you can’t take
Silicon Valley out of the boy!)
7. Three Hearty Cheers for Weirdos. (Bill Gates, Steve
Jobs, Larry Ellison, Scott McNealy, Craig Venter
et al.)
8. Message 2003: Technology Change (Info-sciences,
Biosciences) Is in Its Infancy! (WE AIN’T SEEN
NOTHIN’ YET!)
9. Everything Is Up For Grabs! Volatility Is Thy Name!
(Forever & Ever. Amen.) RE-INVENT … OR DIE!
10. Big Sucks. (Mostly.) (VERY Mostly.)
11. “Permanence” Is a Snare & a Delusion.
(Forget “Built to Last.” It’s Yesterday’s
Idea.)
12. Kaizen” (Continuous Improvement) Is …
Dangerous.
13. DESTRUCTION RULES!
14. Forget It! (“Learning” = Easy. “Forgetting” =
Nigh on Impossible.)
15. Innovation Is Easy: Hang Out with Freaks.
(Employees, Board Members, Customers,
Suppliers, Alliance Partners, Consultants.)
16. Boring Begets Boring. (Cool Begets Cool.)
17. Think “Portfolio.” (We’re All V.C.s.)
18. Perception Is All There Is. (“Insiders” …
ALWAYS … overestimate the Radicalism of
What They’re Up To.)
19. Action … ALWAYS … Takes Precedence.
Think: R.F!A./Ready. Fire! Aim. (REWARD
SUCCESS. REWARD FAILURE. PUNISH …
INACTION.)
20. He Who Makes & Tests the Quickest &
Coolest Prototypes Reigns!
21. Haste Makes Waste. (SO GO WASTE!)
22. Screw-ups are … the … Mark of Excellence.
(“Do It Right the First Time” Is a Very Stupid
Idea.)
23. Play Hard! Play Now! (Cherish Play!)
24. TALENT TIME! (He/She Who Has the Best
“Roster” Rules!)
25. Re-do Education. Totally. (FOSTER
CREATIVITY … NOT UNIFORMITY.) (THE
NOISIEST CLASSROOM WINS.)
26. Diversity’s Hour Is Now!
27. SHE … Is the Best Leader!
28. MARKETING MANTRA: Embrace the “BIG THREE”
Demographics. (1) SHE … is the Customer. (For
everything.) (2) Rapidly Aging Boomers Have …
ALL THE MONEY. (3) Green … Matters.
(TRILLIONS OF $$$$$ Are at Stake.) (NOBODY …
Gets It.) (Mere “Programs” Will Not Suffice.)
29. Re-boot Healthcare. (UNDERSTATEMENT.)
30. WHAT ARE WE SELLING? “Experiences” &
“Solutions” > “Quality” & “Satisfaction.” (The
Traditional Value-added Equation Is Being Set on
Its Ear.)
31. DESIGN = New Seat of the Soul.
32. Branding Is for … EVERYONE. He Who Has
the … BEST STORY … Takes Home the
Marbles.
33. DRAMATIC DIFFERENCE = Only Difference.
34. WORDS/Language Matters … a Lot. (E.g.:
Three Hearty Cheers for “Wow”!)
35. WHAT MATTERS IS STUFF THAT MATTERS.
(Query #1: “Are You Proud of It?”)
36. eALL. (IS/IT: Half-way = No Way.)
37. DREAM … Big! DREAM … Enormous.
DREAM … Gargantuan. (These Are XXXL
Times.)
38. THINK MIKE! (Michelangelo: “The greatest
danger for most of us is not that our aim is
too high and we miss it, but that it is too low
and we reach it.”)
39. There Is Only … ONE BIG ISSUE. Crossfunctional Communication.
40. Stop Doing Dumb Shit. (SYSTEMATIZE THE
PROCESS OF “UN-DUMBING.”)
41. Beautiful Systems Are … BEAUTIFUL.
42. The … WHITE-COLLAR REVOLUTION … Will
Devour Everything in Its Path.
43. Take Charge of Your Destiny! BrandYou
Moment! DISTINCT … OR EXTINCT!
44. “Powerlessness” Is a State of Mind! Think:
King. Gandhi. De Gaulle.
45. Pursue Adventure … in Every Task.
46. EXCELLENCE … Is a State of Mind.
(Excellence Takes a Minute.) (No Bull.)
47. SHOW UP! (If You Care, You’re There.)
48. YOUR CALENDAR KNOWS ALL. (You =
Calendar.) (Mind Your “TO DON’T” List.)
49. LIFE IS SALES. (The Rest Is Details.)
50. Boss Mantra #1: “I DON’T KNOW.” (“I Don’t
Know” = Permission to Explore.)
51. Management Role 1: GET OUT OF THE WAY.
(Clear the Way.) (“Manager” = Hurdle
Removal Professional.)
52. Epitaph from Hell: “He Woulda Done Some
Truly Cool Stuff … But His Boss Wouldn’t
Let Him.”
53. Change Takes However Long You Think It
Takes. (Eschew … “Incrementalism.”)
54. Respect! (Rule 1: Don’t Belittle!)
55. “Thank You” Trumps All!
56. Integrity Matters! Integrity = Credibility.
(Dennis K. Is a Jerk.)
57. SOFT IS HARD. HARD IS SOFT. (Numbers
Are Soft. People Are Not.)
58. Try Sunny! (Sunny Begets Sunny.
Gloomy Begets Gloomy.)
59. DISPENSE ENTHUSIASM!
60. FUN …Is Not a 4-Letter Word. So, too …
JOY. (And … GRACE.)
Tom Peters’
to-mA-to
to-mah-to
New Delhi. Thirteen September 2004. I awoke,
jetlagged and sweaty, at 3A.M. I’d had a
nightmare. Stark realism. I was, as usual,
accused of overstatement and a few (or more)
too many exclamation marks (!!!!!). Only this
time I’d acceded to “They.” The “They” who
believe in “The Plan” and “Built to Last” and
“Continuous Improvement” and “Quiet,
Humble Leaders.” No! No! I had failed, in my
dream, to live up to my Fervent Beliefs! This
must not pass! In a sweat, fearful that the time
would not come ‘round again, I turned on the
light, picked up a pad of paper, and began to
scribble frantically. Herewith the result.
Tom’s Re-imagine Manifesto!
They say … my (Tom) language is extreme.
I say … the times are extreme.
They say I’m extreme.
I say I’m a realist.
They say I demand too much.
I say they accept mediocrity & continuous improvement
too readily.
They say “We can’t handle this much change.”
I say “Your job and career are in jeopardy; what other
options do you have?”
They say Brand You is not for everyone.
I say the alternative is unemployment.
They say “What’s wrong with a ‘good product’?”
I say Wal*Mart or China or both are about to eat your
lunch. Why can’t you provide instead a Fabulous
Experience?
Tom’s Re-imagine Manifesto!
They say “Take a deep breath. Be calm.”
I say “Tell it to Wal*Mart. Tell it to China. Tell it
to India. Tell it to Dell. Tell it to Microsoft.”
They say the Web is a “useful tool.”
I say the Web changes everything. Now.
They say “We need an Initiative.”
I say “We need a Dream. And Dreamers.”
They say Great Design is “nice.”
I say Great Design is “necessary.”
They say I “overplay” the “women’s thing.”
I say the share of Women in Senior Leadership
Positions is a Waste and a Disgrace and a
Strategic Marketing Error.
Tom’s Re-imagine Manifesto!
They say the Women’s Market Opportunity I harp on is “doubtless
important.”
I say 9 out of 10, make that 99 out of 100, companies aren’t
within striking distance of accurately estimating the potential
of the Women’s Market … let alone exploiting it.
They say the boomer-geezer market is also “doubtless important.”
I say the boomer-geezer market amounts to a Redefining
Moment.
They say we need a “project” to exploit the women-boomer-geezer market.
I say we need Total Strategic Realignment to exploit the
Women-Boomer-Geezer Opportunity.
They say “Wow” is “typical Tom.”
I say “WOW” is a Minimum Survival Requirement.
They say “effective governance” is important.
I say bold-brash Boards that are representative of the market
served—more than a token woman or two and an empty seat
for the “forthcoming Hispanic”—are an Imperative. Now.
They say
“Better.”
I say
“Different!”
Tom’s Re-imagine Manifesto!
They say “Plan it.”
I say “DO IT.”
They say “We need more steady, loyal employees.”
I say “WE NEED MORE FREAKS WHO ROUTINELY TELL
THOSE ‘IN CHARGE’ TO TAKE A FLYING LEAP …
BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE.”
They say “We need Good People.”
I say “We need Quirky Talent.”
They say “We like people who, with steely determination, say,
“I can make it better.’”
I say “I love people who, with a certain maniacal gleam
in their eye, perhaps even a giggle, say, ‘I can turn
the world upside down. Watch me!’”
They say “We must speed things up.”
I say “We must Radically change the Corporate
Metabolism until Insane Urgency becomes
a Sacrament.”
Tom’s Re-imagine Manifesto!
They say, “Sure, we need ‘Change.’”
I say we need “REVOLUTION NOW.”
They say (acknowledge), “Okay, we need revolution.”
I say,
“REVOLUTION.”
They say “fast follower.”
I say “battered and bruised leader.”
They say “Conglomerate & Imitate!”
I say “Create & Innovate!”
They say “Market share.”
I say “Market CREATION.”
They say “Improve & Maintain.”
I say “DESTROY & RE-IMAGINE.”
Tom’s Re-imagine Manifesto!
They say “We like words such as ‘calm’ … ‘certainty’ … ‘is.’”
I say “I like words/phrases such as ‘turbulent’
‘opportunity’ … ‘might be’.”
They vote for Republicans and Democrats.
I vote for Independents and Libertarians.
They say “Normal.”
I say “Weird.”
They say “Happy balance.”
I say “Creative Tension.”
They say they favor a “team” that works & lives in “harmony.”
I say “give me a raucous brawl among the most
creative people imaginable.”
They say “Peace, brother.”
I say “Bruise my feelings. Flatten my ego.
SAVE MY JOB.”
Tom’s Re-imagine Manifesto!
They say “Vanilla.”
I say “Cherry Garcia.”
They say “Basic Black.”
I say “TECHNICOLOR RULES!”
They say “Branding is for the likes of Nike.”
I say “Branding is for Everyone & Anyone with the
Passion & Tenacity to foist their Wonderful & Weird
Point of View on the world … and the New World’s
(read: Web’s) power allows-encourages such “silly”
(until recently) visions-of-ubiquity to become reality,
perhaps overnight.”
They say we need “happy customers.”
I say “Give me pushy, needy, nasty, provocative
customers who will drag me down Innovation
Boulevard.”
They say they want to partner with “best of breed.”
I say “Give me Coolest of Breed.”
Tom’s Re-imagine Manifesto!
They say we need “supply chain harmony.”
I say we need “supply chain Innovation.”
They say “We seek Harvard MBAs.”
I say I seek Certificate-free “PhDs” from the School
of Hard Knocks.
They say they want recruits with a “spotless records.”
I say “the Spots are what matter most.”
They say “Integrity is important.”
I say “Tell the Unvarnished Truth, All the Time …
or take a Long Hike.”
They read Jim Collins and grok on “quiet, humble leaders.”
I say “Give me the Bold, the Brash, the Brassy, the
Egocentric Dreamers who, like Steve Jobs,
‘Dent the Universe.’”
They say
“Improve.”
I say
“Re-imagine!”
Tom’s Re-imagine Manifesto!
They say they need a “vision” born of McKinsey.
I say we need a “Grandiose Dream” born of a Passionate
& Intemperate Belief that the world can be a different,
better place.
They say healthcare, our biggest industry, is “a mess.”
I say our hospitals, which kill over 100,000 patients a
year, are part of a system that is “a disgrace.”
They say “obesity is a problem” … “lose some weight.”
I say Re-imagine the entire healthcare system …
NOW … to focus on Prevention & Wellness.
They say “no child left behind.”
I say “education” is leaving ALL our children behind,
as it is totally mis-aligned to deal with tomorrow’s
(this afternoon’s) uncertain, ambiguous, creativitydriven economy.
Tom’s Re-imagine Manifesto!
They say, “Of course we believe in marketing.”
I say “Is the CMO [Chief Marketing Officer] on the Board
of Directors?”
They say “Of course we believe in marketing.”
I say “Has your customer data base won numerous major industry awards?”
They say “Of course we believe in marketing.”
I say “Is your Web site Sooooo Cool, Sooooo Fresh, Sooooo
Friendly to Use that it gives you goose pimples just to e-visit,
even though you’ve seen it 1000 times?”
They say “Of course we believe in marketing.”
I say “How many in-depth customer visits did the CEO make
last month?”
They say “Yes, the ‘Women’s thing’ is important.”
I say “Do women hold at least 1/3rd of your Board seats?”
They say “We’re coming around on the design bit.”
I say “Is, as at Braun, your Chief Design Officer on the Board
of Directors?”
Tom’ Re-imagine Manifesto!
They say “Of course we think the ‘experiences thing’ is
important.”
I say “Is there an ‘EVP Experiences’?”
They say “Of course innovation is important.”
I say “Is your percentage of revenue devoted to R&D
at least 1.5 (2.0? 2.5?) times the industry average?”
They say “Of course we believe in IS/IT.”
I say “Is the CIO on the Board of Directors?” (Only 5% of
Fortune500 CIOs are on the Board. One example:
Wal*Mart.)
They say “Of course we believe in IS/IT.”
I say “How many members of your Board are under 35
years old?”
They say “We believe in having a ‘flat organization.’”
I say “Is your headquarters in a Tower?”
Tom’s Re-imagine Manifesto!
They say we need to “bring effectiveness to the supply chain.”
I say we need an IS/IT/Best Sourcing revolution based
on nothing less than an Entirely Original Vision of what
organizations are and how they interact.
They say “Globalization is a bumpy road.”
I say India and China and Asia in general are within two
decades of running the show: Get ready or get
trounced.
They say “defense” and “consolidation” are musts for a global
game.
I say encourage Offense, nurture a Generation (or 10) of
Entrepreneurs, cherish Creativity & Risk-taking from
primary school onwards … and don’t expect to be
saved by a bunch of bulky, retro behemoth commanded
by a phalanx of Old White Guys who think 30 minutes a
day on the corporate treadmill and 27 holes on the
links are a fit defense against Revolution.
Tom’s Re-imagine Manifesto!
They say “Get an MBA.”
I say “Get an MFA.”
They say “If it can’t be precisely measured then it isn’t real.” (And I
suppose if it can be measured it is real? Think Enron? Adelphia?
WorldCom?)
I say “If it can be precisely measured it isn’t real.” (Think
Age of Intangibles & Relationships.) (Think: “He knew
the price of everything and the value of nothing.”)
They say “Rationality is the Bedrock of Modern Society.”
I say “Irrationality [irrational exuberance?] is the Mother
of all True Entrepreneurial Pilgrimages.”
They say “Order is the necessary precursor to measured,
sustainable success.”
I say “Dis-order is the precursor to Opportunistic Sorties,
Market Creation, Quantum Leaps, and Entrepreneurial
Adventure.
Tom’s Re-imagine Manifesto!
They say “To get anywhere, you have to know exactly where the
hell you’re headed.”
I say “If you know precisely where you’re headed and
exactly how you’re gonna get there, then you clearly
suffer from Advanced Shrivelus Imaginationus.”
(This disease is fatal.)
They say “Employees need Well-defined Structure.”
I say “Talent should be encouraged to embark on Quests
to the Unknown.”
They say “I’m here to maximize shareholder value.”
I say “I’m here to inflame each & every member of my
Awesome Staff to embark with Vigor & Determination
& Passion & Enthusiasm on a Quest of Monumental
Consequence.” (And if I come even close to succeeding,
it will, in fact, dramatically up the odds of Thriving
Amidst Today’s Chaos—and creating untold shareholder
value in the process.)
Tom’s Re-imagine Manifesto!
They say “men.”
I say “WOMEN.”
They say Diversity is a “good thing.”
I say Diversity is a Fresh Breath of Creative Air … Absolutely
Necessary for Economic Salvation in perilous times.
They say “Wait your turn, honor those who have marched these corridors
before you.”
I say Get Off Your Butt & Go for the Gold … TODAY … or sign
the transfer papers willing your job in perpetuity to a
Chinese or Indian who Gives a Shit and Gets Up
(VERY) Early and works Saturdays & Sundays.
They say “offshoring” is a “blight.”
I say the Earth proved not to be the center of the Solar
System … and the USA is not the epicenter-in-perpetuity
of the Earth … and that we had best learn … NOW … to
prosper and take pleasure in a dynamic, exciting, creative,
multi-polar economic environment. (Damn it.)
Tom’s Re-imagine Manifesto!
They say “It’s a fright.”
I say “It’s a Helluva Ride.”
They say it’s “daunting.”
I say it’s “a bronco-bustin’ day at the rodeo.”
They say “Life is a marathon; husband your strength.”
I say “Life is a sprint. Begin planning your World-beating
Me Inc. start-up … TODAY.”
They say lifetime employment was a boon.
I say lifetime employment was Indentured Servitude,
modern-day Slavery.
They say “safety net.”
I say “I am my safety net; give me some version of the
‘Ownership Society.’”
They say “zero defects.”
I say “A day without a screw-up or two is a day pissed
away.”
Tom’s Re-imagine Manifesto!
They say “Think about it.”
I say “Try it.”
They say “Plan it.”
I say “Test it.”
They say “continuous improvement.”
I say “Bold Leaps.”
They say “Keep on Improvin’.”
I say “Keep on Leapin’.”
They say “Built to last.”
I say “Built to Soar. We’re all dead in the long run …
live your Insane Fantasy. Devil take the hindmost.”
They (Jim Collins) say “Walgreens is Cool.”
I say “I love Larry Ellison.” (Oracle rules … at least
for the next ten minutes.)
Tom’s Re-imagine Manifesto!
They say “Play the odds.”
I say “Reward excellent failures. Punish mediocre
successes.” (Thanks, Phil Daniels.)
They say “Eighty-hour weeks will kill you.”
I say “Work 35-hour weeks, and the Chinese will
kill you.”
They say “Install cost controls with teeth.”
I say “Ha. Ha. Ha. Blow Up the existing enterprise and
start with a Clean Sheet of Paper.”
They say “Install cost controls with teeth.”
I say “Grow the Top Line.”
They say “Radical change takes a decade.”
I say “Radical change takes a Minute.” (See AA.)
They say “Times are changing.”
I say “Everything has already changed. Tomorrow is the
First Day of Your Revolution … or you’re Toast.”
Tom’s Re-imagine Manifesto!
They say “We can’t all be Anita Roddick or Maxine Clark or Stan
Shih or Les Wexner or Jerry Yang.”
I say “Why not?”
They say “We can’t all be Revolutionaries.”
I say “Why not?”
They say “We can’t all be a Brand.”
I say “Why not?”
They say “Beware the Hype.”
I say “Been to China lately? Visited Infosys in
Bangalore lately?”
They say this is just a Rant.
I say this is just Reality.
They say “The man is not nice.”
I say “The times are not forgiving.”
EXCELLE
ALWAYS