Comments

Tom - I agree that anything world-wide corporate/small business, and especially USA consumers can do to move up the value chain in environmental matters is paramount.

The USA consumes the most hybrid vehicles - hydrogen power and electric can be much more efficient and eco-friendly than oil and coal use.

Marketers should marry the lovemark brand concepts with environmentally friendly endeavors - products and services - profits are there it seems.

Taking care of mother earth is WAY UP the value chain in my book.

Posted by Sean at May 23, 2005 11:05 AM

'Blatant self-interest' - is that the only way we're ever going to get anything done?

Posted by Matt at May 23, 2005 11:23 AM

I came across one of Tom's quotes recently that I like.

So yes ... I think sometimes blatant self interest is the best way to get things done.

Tom's quote?...

'Nearly 100% of innovation – from business to politics – is inspired not by ‘market analysis’ but by people who are supremely pissed off by the way things are.'

Posted by Trevor Gay at May 23, 2005 12:06 PM

Does that include people who are pissed off about the way other people (and the planet) are treated? Is that blatant self-interest, or is that collective interest - interest in the greater good?

In the case of cars, why would someone spend more money on hybrid, environmentally friendlier technology when they can do the same job for less cash by buying old tech? Consumers are strange and complex creatures. Sometimes (increasingly) they buck the trend and willingly make what others perceive as sacrifices (financial or otherwise) to do what's right. That, in itself, becomes the trend.

By the way Trevor, Tom's observation is hardly original ('Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man' - G B Shaw) and certainly shouldn't be interpreted as a call to arms by self-serving egomaniacs.

I want to see and hear Mr. Peters dump his 20th century rhetoric and start addressing the really big issues. Reimagine your message for the 21st century, Mr Peters!

Posted by Matt at May 23, 2005 12:56 PM

I think it's great if they do it and it works. If they make money, that's great too.

Speaking of alternative energy sources, has anyone on the forum heard of the father and son engineers in Paris who invented cars that run on compressed air (zero pollution) and drive them around as taxis?

Posted by Noel Guinane at May 23, 2005 4:14 PM

Speaking of market forces - I'd love to see gas prices here hit about $6 a gallon. That may be the only thing that gets us off the dime on developing alternative energies. Would force us Americans to look up and around (and maybe get out of the monster SUVs...speaking of which, folks, if you're going to buy 'em...at least learn how to drive 'em, including turning and parking.)

Posted by Mary Schmidt at May 23, 2005 7:25 PM

"Taking care of mother earth is WAY UP the value chain in my book."

Great Sean, but shouldn't it be "the" value chain, and anything less than caring for it is a "whoops we slipped up" scenario?

Consider the consequences people, the world is in dire straits... environment should be the one big thing we pin our selves on... From David Suzuki to you and me and all the darn people and bits in between.

Example I had a heck of a time trying to tell the designer of our new house that a north facing house (We're in the southern hemisphere) was a good idea... "Yeah but it will get too hot!" but Mr designer "The sun is up high in the summer months and the overhanging eaves shadow out the hot sun, its in the winter when the sun sends in its energy saving rays to warm our concrete slab..."

Then there are the farmers complaining about wind generators, "They make the landscape look like crap" granted this may be the view of some, but sizzling and frying ourselves in uv rays through a hole in the ozone layer is an even worse look!

Think environment - then find cooperative ways to work with it - milk these ways for all they are worth - the key sustainability - the connection, innovation people.

Every house and business with an active solar collector, passive solar design, double glazing, extreme insulation, all sounds good to me.

Tom shout it from the roof tops some more please.

Posted by Steve Gray at May 23, 2005 9:18 PM

Let's hope more people in positions of influence find reasons to act like Jeff! (Lee's great-great-granchildren will be ashamed of him)

Posted by Steve Yastrow at May 24, 2005 12:11 AM

I remember Tom launching a major rant last year about Healthcare. Thinking about that, I'm struck by how much that could be applied to looking after our bodies also applies to looking after our own mental health - another subject we've touched on recently - and to looking after this planet we're all sailing on. (TP as some kind of holistic life-style guru anyone?!) "The bottom line in the bottom line" and the bottom line here is that oil will not last forever. We need to start developig the mental and commercial mindset needed to move ourselves out of an oil-based world into something more sustainable.

Posted by Mark JF at May 24, 2005 6:05 AM

Hi Matt

I am familiar with the work of George Bernard Shaw - I use that quote a lot

I was not suggesting Tom's quote was original – it’s just that I find Tom's language easy to understand! Short; to the point; and umambiguous

On the subject of George Bernard Shaw he came up with the most fabulous quote I ever saw when I worked as a communications manager in healthcare here in the UK ...this says it all about communication for me.

'The problem with communication ...is the ILLUSION that it has been accomplished" cheapest online viagra

Regarding your point about Tom re-imagining the message for the 21st century that is fine but what about the 90% of organisations that are still not implementing his ideas of the last 30 years! – they are already a century behind!

Great banter :-)

Posted by Trevor Gay at May 24, 2005 10:29 AM

Trevor, your GBS quote is a month-maker!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by tom peters at May 24, 2005 5:51 PM

Seems to me our goal is to make money and make nice!

Posted by Sharon Drew Morgen at May 25, 2005 11:28 AM

And in my experience Tom, the GBS quote is so so true!! - whether at work or in life. :-)

Posted by Trevor Gay at May 25, 2005 12:19 PM