Comments

Boyd Clarke was a brilliant thinker, a great leader, and a wonderful person. He was a real "mensch," a person of great integrity, sincerity, honesty and values. He helped me numerous times, and inspired me many other times. I will miss him.

Posted by Steve Yastrow at June 27, 2005 8:17 AM

Boyd´s personal style and commitment with work and family can be recognized in his book "The Leader's Voice." I suppose you feel very sad at the Tom Peters family.

Posted by felix gerena at June 27, 2005 8:30 AM

Thank you Tom,

Having worked with Boyd as a member of the Tom Peters Company team for 6 Years I will miss him as well.
Boyd was the most generous human being I have ever worked with. During tough business times I watched him sacrifice his personal finances to take care of his employees. Although during Boyd's tenure as CEO of TPC, Tom's name represented the company's brand - Boyd represented the heart and soul of the company. He exuded love and compassion. He embodied WOW in everything he did - with all of his relationships with customers, with employees, with friends and with family. He was an example of leadership - he acknowledged everyone for all of their contributions, he was a great listener. Everyone that he touched loved and admired him. He was involved in all aspects of the business and all of his employees lives. He was enthusiastic about life, and passionate about everything he did.

We will all miss Boyd. I consider myself to have been fortunate to have been able to partner with this giant of a man.
Ilene Fischer

Posted by Ilene Fischer at June 27, 2005 8:41 AM

Well said, Ilene!

Posted by tom peters at June 27, 2005 8:49 AM

Looks like my comment is the first from someone who didn't know Boyd. But I love reading puffs and eulogies like this, written by people who don't have any ulterior motive besides showing appreciation to someone of high quality. And this post screams INTEGRITY all over it: walk your talk, never deceive anyone, be the same person in private as you are in public. While I don't think it's necessary to try to become a Boyd Clarke II - copycats rarely become tigers - he sounds like someone whom I'd look up to. Such as Ronald Reagan for his communication abilities, H. R. Haldeman for his fairness and level-headed thinking as Nixon's chief of staff, Dave Roever for using his life-threatening burn injury in Vietnam to encourage others to not give up, and Jesus Christ (who is, of course, in another category altogether!). Add Boyd Clarke to that list.

Posted by Ron at June 27, 2005 9:01 AM

Tom mentioned Boyd's devotion to family; I would also add that Boyd was dedicated to building families. At tompeterscompany! we were truly a virtual family with members spread out geographically. Boyd brought us together and gave me new family members, many of whom are still together at tpc! I was one who benefitted from Boyd's concern when we changed our structure (and pay) at the then tompeterscompany! He wanted to make sure that I was able to take care of my family and offered personal assistance if necessary. Boyd knew how to get me going ... we didn't see eye to eye politically and he had a great time getting me jazzed up! He was a great guy. I loved him. I remember telling him once he was the man my mother wishes I had grown up to be. I meant it.

Posted by Michael Neiss at June 27, 2005 9:21 AM

Thank You, Tom, as well.

I met Boyd in November of 2003. In that short hour-long meeting I too came to admire and have deep respect for the man I sat next to. Among the many things he told me that day, one has always stuck. He said, "Richard, I have always believed that the purpose of the corporation is to be a blessing to the employees." Such a simple, yet profound statement spoke volumes about Boyd. He wasn't in it for himself, but saw and believed to his core that if you lift up and liberate - or as Goethe said, see in people what they can become and treat them as such, now - they will become it. He lived that daily. For those of you who wonder, "Well what about the customer, what did Boyd think about them?" We know the answer.

Though I only knew him a short time, we had an instant chemistry which I think was because of a common set of values, a common faith, and frankly, sometimes you just instantly like a guy - which I did Boyd.

When I heard of the cancer, and its severity, I called him up. I said to him, "Boyd, we have got to beat this thing, because among other things, the world will be worse off without you." I could hear him weep just a little and kind of stammer his next few words. He said something like, "Thank you, that's very kind, but I do not feel I live up to that." I had to protest

Ilene Fischer called him a giant of a man, and I second that. He was successful in business, but what everyone will remember him for is his heart. Even though he wrote books, gave great speeches, put on workshops, founded companies, created affiliates, etc., all of them top shelf, you remember Boyd Clarke for his heart, his compassion, his graciousness. He cared about people, about you, and you knew it. And it was sincere.

And so now, with so much left in his tank to give and experience, he is gone. My hope would be that all of us who knew him and felt his impact in any measure would strive to apply some of those noble characteristics he possessed in our own lives, in our own world. Then his legacy is crystal clear and palpable, for if the kernel that dies produces much fruit and many offspring, it indeed has truly lived.

Then I could not say, "See Boyd, I told you so. The world is worse off without you."

Rich Chiero

Posted by Rich Chiero at June 27, 2005 9:38 AM

ditto Rich...

Posted by Michael Neiss at June 27, 2005 9:57 AM

Another thing I liked about Boyd: He wrestled with things, perhaps due to his unique blend of hyper-realism and hyper-idealism. Whatever the antithesis of glib is, that was Boyd. He made you realize he was struggling along side you to deal with the conundrums you faced, hunting for useful answers that nonetheless encompassed a higher purpose. (By which I don't mean religious, but simply aspirations of authenticity and humanism.)

Posted by tom peters at June 27, 2005 11:36 AM

I send my condolences to everybody that knew Boyd and worked with him. He sounds like a very special man and a great gain to any environment.

Posted by andy skinstad at June 27, 2005 12:05 PM

Awesome tributes - well done to you all at a time of great sorrow for you.

He must have been a special man.

May I express my sympathy and best wishes to his family and his friends.

Posted by Trevor Gay at June 27, 2005 12:58 PM

I've met lots of folks who have the ability to make someone they’re talking to (or listening to) feel uniquely special, the center of their universe in that moment. But Boyd was the preeminent master of that.

Posted by John O'Leary at June 27, 2005 1:32 PM

I haven't had the privilege of meeting Boyd Clarke in person. I watched a video of his presentation on The Leader's Voice numerous times and immersed myself in the thoughts outlined in the great book he co-wrote. I admired the way he engaged audiences. He is an inspiration, and his presence will remain with us through his valuable life's work. My sincere condolences to his family, associates, and friends.

Bruna Martinuzzi

Posted by Bruna Martinuzzi at June 27, 2005 1:38 PM

Here is an excerpt from his obituary: A self-proclaimed compassionate capitalist, many of his employees often wondered how Boyd could offer kindness when it wasn’t earned and hope when success didn’t seem possible. The secret was in his faith. He took the admonition of Paul literally: “We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.”

Posted by Geoff Thatcher at June 27, 2005 4:29 PM

Boyd will be a sad loss to our network.

I remember many things about him as a colleague, many of which have already been mentioned. But I really appreciated his tolerance and respect of alternative points of view.

Leading a Professional Service Firm full of opinionated individuals is not easy! On more than one occasion we in the UK team found ourselves with different ideas about how to move forward. He was willing to tolerate and even foster that difference, and never forced us to join in with strategies we did not endorse. But on the other hand, we certainly respected the sincerity of all of his points of view. Everything he did was principled and reasoned.

I am glad his suffering is over, but we have lost a great human being.

Posted by Madeleine McGrath at June 27, 2005 4:42 PM

My sincere condolences to Boyd's family. My association with Boyd was only for a few years, but every conversation and meeting I had with him was very energizing. He was inspirational, and I will surely miss him.

Posted by Rajesh Setty at June 27, 2005 7:33 PM

I had the pleasure of meeting Boyd on his book tour, and he was such a genuine, caring person that he took the time to contact me several times afterwards. He was true to his message of honesty and integrity. I have read and re-read The Leader's Voice, and I give it to anyone I see as a leader in the making.

My thoughts are with his family, friends, and coworkers. This is truly a loss to all of us.

Posted by Jeannie Walters at June 28, 2005 1:44 PM

Tom,
Thank you for posting this eloquent and heartfelt message about Boyd. I remember him for his integrity, compassion, and keen intelligence. His passion for Leadership inspired many lesser mortals, including me, to stretch beyond their self-imposed limits.
Lynne

Posted by Lynne Parode at June 28, 2005 3:32 PM

Boyd Clarke was a master of relationships, partnerships, and friendships in business and beyond. We all know by now that the skill to build business alliances--and deal with the messes that often come along with them--is not a luxury but a requirement. I guess you could say that Boyd had that skill, but that's not really it. What he had was much deeper than "skill": he had a deep, unwavering love and compassion for his fellow human beings and that just naturally showed up in the way he did business (and everything else, for that matter). He was always willing to explore new partnerships and oftentimes was the first to suggest them. He just loved people and wanted to find ways in which we could help each other out. That's not to say he was pals with everyone he knew.

Shortly after I met Boyd in 1994 he confided in me that he didn't like working with a certain colleague. He said to me (and I'm pretty sure this is verbatim), "She's a nice person. She'll go to heaven. I just choose not to work with her." That was Boyd...no matter the circumstance or the occaisonal strife, he always saw all of us as candidates for heaven.

Posted by Steve Farber at June 28, 2005 9:54 PM

When I met Boyd, I was smitten by the depth of his intention - that all in his midst would feel a universal love. Those precious moments with him caused me to write him an unsent letter and reminded me of an old fable I had memorized many years ago.

"A wise man who was traveling in the mountains found a precious stone in a stream. The next day he met another traveler who was hungry, and the wise man opened his bag to share his food. The hungry traveler saw the precious stone and asked the man to give it to him. He did so without hesitation. The traveler left, rejoicing in his good fortune. He knew the stone was worth enough to give him security for a lifetime. But a few days later he came back to return the stone to the wise man.

"I've been thinking," he said, "I know how valuable the stone is, but I give it back in the hope that you can give me something even more precious. Give me what you have within you that enabled you to give me the stone."

No one else in my life has conjured up this story - it was him. With that memory I send my heartful thoughts to Ruth, his equal. She will champion his great leaders voice. Juli Ann

Posted by Juli Ann Reynolds at June 28, 2005 10:26 PM

So many eloquent tributes to a wonderful colleague, Boyd Clarke, and how appropriate to mark the lifetime contribution of our friend in such a way. Had Boyd lived in this part of London he would have been widely acclaimed as a "proper person." Everything about him was real. Amongst his many gifts was that rare ability to be able to disagree strongly without ever causing personal offence. I think that may be one reason he commanded the repect of so many people who are proud to say they knew him. I'm certainly one of them.

Posted by Richard King at June 29, 2005 6:09 AM

best price on viagra with prescription Yesterday was the Cincinnati celebration of Boyd's earthly journey. As you have read, it was truly an extraordinary journey, one which I was privileged to share for 15 years. In fact, Boyd and his friend and partner, Ron Crossland, gave me the opportunity to live my vision by becoming a part of theirs. Boyd treated everyone with respect, decency, and caring, all cornerstones of leadership. You could disagree with Boyd, but you could not dislike him. A line from a recent movie stated, "What we do in life echoes an eternity." Boyd now resides in another part of the universe, but his echo here will continue to inspire all who know him.

Posted by Steve Houchin at June 29, 2005 9:00 AM

How many wonderful things Mr. Clarke managed to reinforce on each one you who came across him...
This is to me the highest way of excelling: if one has all those marvelous qualities and doesn't share them with others and by doing so they can become bigger and stronger in the world, then probably we wouldn't have such things as excellence in this world at all. It looks like Mr. B Clark got this quite right and he did it beautifully! I wish he has trully inspired the best in you so you keep remembering it and showing it for long time, like you frequently do through this channel, for which BTW I am very grateful.
I'd like to give you my condolences on this challenging moments and especially to Mr. Clarke's family, to whom I wish force and the sweetest memories of him.

Posted by Omara at June 29, 2005 9:31 AM

"The bond that links family is not always one of blood but of respect, joy and love in each other's lives." purchase viagra from canada

Incredibly inspiring to read the words of Boyd's extended 'family' and how he affected them.

Posted by Greg at June 29, 2005 2:41 PM

Love in Action. Boyd Clarke. A CEO who early one morning went to the home of an employee whose basement had flooded and began pumping the water out. Who ALWAYS without fail told his employees that family came first. Who asked an employee who had just returned to work after being ill, "Should you really be here at work today - if it's the money we can help with that." Who tried to give his employees an early quitting time one day - but when he was told they still had work to do, he responded, "What needs to be done? Let me help so you can go home early." Who dared to pray with his employees after 9/11. Who transparently fought his cancer with expressed gratefulness for all of the blessings he had been given in spite of his suffering. What a privilege to have worked for such a man.

Posted by Cheryl Boys at June 30, 2005 9:16 PM

Speaking as a casual observer from the UK, he sounds like a decent bloke! Celebrate his life! For those who knew him best, what do you suggest as an epitaph?

Posted by Annie at July 1, 2005 6:43 PM

Dear Tom

I had the good fortune to speak with Boyd Clark and even though we never got a chance to do business together in that short experience I found him to be a refreshing alternative to my many business interactions. After reading your comment about him I can understand how your company and your vision was enhanced by his presence. I envy your ability to attract such wonderful talent.

Posted by Lou Cataruzo at July 3, 2005 7:58 PM

I am deeply saddened to hear of Boyd's passing. Our world has lost a loving, compassionate, and brilliant human being.

I have two vivid memories of Boyd that I would like to communicate. Both took place on a business trip that we shared to Venezuela. In the first, he and I were co-leading a Leadership Challenge Workshop. I, doing my best to use Spanish, misspoke and accidentally referred to myself using a derogatory word for homosexual. The audience roared with laughter. They then clued us into why they were laughing. Both of us recovered and continued. Later that day at dinner, Boyd took me aside and apologized to me. When I asked why he was apologizing, he told me that as my employer, he felt that he had put me in an uncomfortable position. "I know you are a gay man," he said, "and I would never want you to feel uncomfortable, embarassed, or put-upon at work." He then told me that if I preferred not to return to continue leading the workshop, that he would understand. He truly meant it. Feeling fully empowered and grateful to share a podium with such a great man, I returned with him the following day to complete the workshop.

The second memory came on the walk back to the hotel from that same dinner. An impoverished street person was begging for money in the streets of Caracas. As we walked by, Boyd stopped, opened his wallet, and gave the begger a $100 bill. I said to him, "That was very generous." He responded to me saying, "It will make a bigger difference to him than to me."

I am a better person today for having known Boyd Clark. The world is a better place because he inhabited it.

Posted by Paul Sherman at July 5, 2005 1:12 PM

Boyd was a good person, in every imaginable way: good heart, good work, good will, good family man, good spirit. The world is slightly diminished without him. Though I saw him rarely, I am among the long list of people who will miss him.

Posted by cathy at July 6, 2005 4:59 PM

Boyd was my boss for 9 years. Working with him was never like work in the conventional sense. Instead it was an adventure, an exciting mission, a journey to achieve great things for the clients we served.

Paul Sherman related earlier in this thread about Boyd's generosity, I witnessed the same in San Francisco when Boyd gave $100 to a young homeless woman. He engaged in a lengthy conversation with her and even offered to set her up with a job.

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I have many, many fond memories of Boyd and will miss him greatly.

Posted by David Parks at July 6, 2005 7:08 PM

Boyd was the best leader I have ever witnessed. He was an authentically wonderful human being who inspired me at a time when I really needed it. Heaven is much better off for his arrival there and when my time comes I hope I will be blessed to see him again.

Posted by Dave Jones at July 8, 2005 11:33 AM

I met Boyd many years ago at a time in my career when I was impressionable and seeking a management style that I would feel comfortable with and would draw upon my natural talents. The few days I spent with Boyd changed my life forever. Boyd, you can not imagine the impact you had on me and thousands like me. Long before it was vogue, you spoke of integrity, values and personal mission statement. You were 100%. You showed and encouraged me it was OK to be someone who can show they care about the people they lead. I did, have and always will because of your influence. Thank you Boyd... and thank you Tom for discovering his talent.

Michael Glisson

Posted by Michael Glisson at July 11, 2005 7:54 PM

purchase generic viagra on line without a prescription It was an honor to work with Boyd from 1996 to 2002. So many people come in and out of our lives, yet there are few that have impact upon how we live or that leave a lasting impression. Boyd was one of those individuals. I learned a great deal from Boyd over the years and value the friendship we had. I have never known anyone else who always found the good in others. I am a better person, and certainly a better father because of Boyd. I will truly miss this great man.

Posted by Michael Evans at July 12, 2005 9:45 AM