Tom Peters’ Excellence.Always. a “Six-step Program.” All You need to know. (More or less.) Shanghai/25-27 April 2009

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#1/Aspiration.

Why in the World did you go to Siberia? go to Siberia?

Enterprise* ** (*at its best): An emotional, vital, innovative, joyful, creative, entrepreneurial endeavor that elicits maximum concerted human potential concerted human potential in the wholehearted service of others **Employees, Customers, Suppliers, Communities, Owners, Temporary partners of others.** **Employees, Customers, Suppliers, Communities, Owners, Temporary partners

#2/Listen.

“The doctor interrupts after …* after …* *Source: Jerome Groupman, How Doctors Think

18 seconds

*Listening is of the utmost … strategic importance! *Listening is … trainable ! (** “Strategic listening” will be a core course in TP’s MBA/GTD curriculum!)

#3/Ask.

“The four most important words in any organization are …

The four most important words in any organization are … “What do you think?” are … “What do you think?” Source: courtesy Dave Wheeler, posted at tompeters.com

#4/Fail.

“In business, you reward people for taking risks. When it doesn’t work out you promote them-because they were willing to try new things. If people tell me they skied all day and never fell down, I tell them to try a different mountain.” —Michael Bloomberg (BW/ )

“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 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 # 10. It gets back to planning versus acting: We act from day one; others plan how to plan— for months.” —Bloomberg by Bloomberg

“Fail. Forward. Fast.” “Fail. Forward. Fast.” High Tech CEO, Pennsylvania

“FAIL, FAIL AGAIN. FAIL BETTER.” “FAIL, FAIL AGAIN. FAIL BETTER.” —Samuel Beckett

“Fail faster. Succeed Sooner.” “Fail faster. Succeed Sooner.” David Kelley/IDEO

Whoever Makes the Most Mistakes Wins: The Paradox of Innovation Read This! Richard Farson & Ralph Keyes: Whoever Makes the Most Mistakes Wins: The Paradox of Innovation

#5/Life Success.

“We are a ‘Life Success’ Company.” “We are a ‘Life Success’ Company.” Dave Liniger, founder, RE/MAX

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#6/Excellence.

“Strive for Excellence. Ignore success.” “Strive for Excellence. Ignore success.” —Bill Young, race car driver (courtesy Andrew Sullivan)

“Excellence can be obtained if you:... care more than others think... care more than others think is wise;... risk more than others think is wise;... risk more than others think is safe;... dream more than others think is safe;... dream more than others think is practical;... expect more than others think is practical;... expect more than others think is possible.” is possible.” Source: Anon. tompeters.com by K.Sriram, November 27, :17 AM)

Excellence. Always. If not Excellence, what? If not Excellence now, when?