Tom Peters’Tom Peters’

Excellence.Excellence.Always.Always.

a “Six-step a “Six-step Program.”Program.”

All You need to know. All You need to know. (More or less.)(More or less.)

Shanghai/25-27 April 2009Shanghai/25-27 April 2009

NOTENOTE:: To appreciateTo appreciate this presentation this presentation [and ensure [and ensure

that it is not a that it is not a messmess],], you need you need Microsoft fonts:Microsoft fonts:

“Showcard Gothic,”“Showcard Gothic,” “Ravie,”“Ravie,” “Chiller”“Chiller”

andand “Verdana”“Verdana”

#1/Aspiration.#1/Aspiration.

Why in Why in the the World did World did youyou go to go to SiberiaSiberia??

EnterpriseEnterprise* ** (*at its best):* ** (*at its best): An An emotionalemotional, , vitalvital, , innovativeinnovative, , joyfuljoyful, , creativecreative, , entrepreneurialentrepreneurial endeavor that endeavor that elicits maximum elicits maximum

concerted human concerted human potential potential in the in the wholeheartedwholehearted serviceservice of othersof others.****Employees, Customers, Suppliers, Communities, Owners, Temporary **Employees, Customers, Suppliers, Communities, Owners, Temporary partnerspartners

#2/Listen.#2/Listen.

““The doctor The doctor interruptsinterrupts after …*after …*

*Source: Jerome Groupman, *Source: Jerome Groupman, How Doctors ThinkHow Doctors Think

18 18 secondsseconds

*Listening is of the*Listening is of the

utmost … utmost … strategicstrategic

importance! importance!*Listening is …*Listening is …

trainabletrainable !!(** (** “Strategic listening”“Strategic listening” will be a will be a corecore coursecourse in TP’s in TP’s MBA/GTD curriculum!) MBA/GTD curriculum!)

#3/Ask.#3/Ask.

““The The fourfour most most importantimportant wordswords in in any organization any organization

are …are …

The four most important words in any organizationThe four most important words in any organization

are …are … “What “What do do youyou think?”think?”

Source: courtesy Dave Wheeler, posted at tompeters.comSource: courtesy Dave Wheeler, posted at tompeters.com

#4/Fail.#4/Fail.

““In business, you In business, you rewardreward people for taking people for taking risksrisks. .

When it When it doesn’tdoesn’t workwork outout you pyou promoteromote them-because them-because they were willing to try new they were willing to try new

things. If people tell me things. If people tell me they skied all day and never they skied all day and never fell down, I tell them to tryfell down, I tell them to try

a different mountain.” a different mountain.” —Michael Bloomberg (—Michael Bloomberg (BWBW/0625.07)/0625.07)

““We made mistakes, of course. Most of them were We made mistakes, of course. Most of them were omissions we didn’t think of when we initially wrote the omissions we didn’t think of when we initially wrote the

software. software. We fixed them by doing it over and over, We fixed them by doing it over and over, again and again.again and again. We do the same today. While our We do the same today. While our competitors are still sucking their thumbs trying to competitors are still sucking their thumbs trying to

make the design perfect, we’re already on prototype make the design perfect, we’re already on prototype

versionversion ##55.. By the time our rivals areBy the time our rivals are

ready with wires and screws, we are on versionready with wires and screws, we are on version

##1010.. It gets back to It gets back to

planning versus actingplanning versus acting: : We act We act from day onefrom day one; ; others plan how others plan how toto planplan——for monthsfor months.”.” —Bloomberg by —Bloomberg by

BloombergBloomberg

““Fail .Fail . Forward. Forward.

Fast.”Fast.”High Tech CEO, Pennsylvania

““FAIL, FAIL FAIL, FAIL AGAIN. FAIL AGAIN. FAIL BETTER.”BETTER.”

—Samuel Beckett

““Fail faster. Fail faster. Succeed Succeed Sooner.”Sooner.”

David Kelley/IDEO

Read This!

Richard Farson & Ralph Keyes:

Whoever Makes Whoever Makes the Most Mistakes the Most Mistakes Wins: The Paradox Wins: The Paradox

of Innovationof Innovation

#5/Life #5/Life Success.Success.

““We are a We are a ‘Life ‘Life

Success’ Success’ Company.”Company.”

Dave Liniger, founder, RE/MAX

NOTENOTE:: To appreciateTo appreciate this presentation this presentation [and ensure [and ensure

that it is not a that it is not a messmess],], you need you need Microsoft fonts:Microsoft fonts:

“Showcard Gothic,”“Showcard Gothic,” “Ravie,”“Ravie,” “Chiller”“Chiller”

andand “Verdana”“Verdana”

#6/Excellence.#6/Excellence.

““Strive for Strive for Excellence. Excellence.

Ignore Ignore success.”success.” —Bill Young, race

car driver (courtesy Andrew Sullivan)

““Excellence can be obtained if you:Excellence can be obtained if you:

... care more than others think... care more than others think is wise;is wise; ... risk more than others think ... risk more than others think is safe;is safe; ... dream more than others think ... dream more than others think is practical;is practical; ... expect more than others think ... expect more than others think is possible.”is possible.”

Source: Anon.Source: Anon. (Posted @ tompeters.com by (Posted @ tompeters.com by K.Sriram, November 27, 2006 1:17 AM)K.Sriram, November 27, 2006 1:17 AM)

Excellence. Always.Excellence. Always.If not Excellence, If not Excellence,

what?what?If not Excellence If not Excellence

now, when?now, when?