dispatches from the new world of work

Walk! Talk!

Bologna. Northern Italy. The glory of centuries past incredibly well preserved. The walking, and I know this is not the first time I've said it, doesn't get much better than this—made my first foray upon arriving from Berlin, a bit after midnight. Streets still lively.

As I pursue an intellectual endeavor here (preparing a talk), I'm humbled by the lurking shadows from the nearby University of Bologna, perhaps the world's oldest. Begun in 1088 (a few years before Harvard, I believe), its "top alumni" list includes the likes of Petrarch, Dante, and Copernicus. Vaguely humbling, eh? Of course, I've got PowerPoint, and they didn't.

My seminar is to SMEs, small- and medium-sized enterprises. So what you'll see in the attached is aimed at them.

[You can get the attached slides here.—CM]

Tom Peters posted this on 10/21/05.

Comments

Good luck with the small folks Tom - I am a fully signed up member of the club 'small is beautiful' and I came across this lovely extract from 'Economics as if People Mattered' by E. F. Schumacher. It may be a little dated but very powerful nevertheless and sooooooo true!

"The most striking thing about modern industry is that it requires so much and accomplishes so little. Modern industry seems to be inefficient to a degree that surpasses one's ordinary powers of imagination. Its inefficiency therefore remains unnoticed."

Posted by Trevor Gay at October 21, 2005 7:36 AM

What a great presentation, Tom! Wish I'd been there to enjoy the energy and spirit indicated in the slides! I hope you will visit my blog, even if it is mostly in Norwegian. (http://janaage.blogg.no/) You have been a great inspiration for many years now. Please keep going!

Posted by Jan Aage RÃ¸tnes at October 21, 2005 8:30 AM

Enjoy your walks, Tom!
Personally I have to wait 12 weeks to walk again after fracturing my heel bone. Crutches help of course, but not quite the same. It's been quite an experience and now I fully understand what other people go thru...
GS

Posted by Gabriel Salcido at October 21, 2005 11:45 AM

I love the historical musings, Tom. Interesting question as to the oldest university in the world. Assuming we mean continuously-operating-up-to-now, Al-Azhar in Cairo (975 A.D.) makes the loudest claim to the oldest, but a case can be made that al-Qarawiyyin in Fez, Morrocco goes back to at least 956. (Pope Sylvester II was one of its distinguished alumni, who introduced zero and Arabic numerals to the West!) Yes, UB is the oldest in Europe and Oxford is the oldest English speaking U. (1249) with a few alums to brag about also (Hobbes, Locke, Shelley, Swift, Huxley, TS Elliot, Adam Smith). But the US colleges have cool mascots.

Posted by John O'Leary at October 21, 2005 12:05 PM

John--And real football teams, too.

The venerable School of Hard Knocks is definitely the oldest, and also claims the most alumni.

Posted by Mike at October 21, 2005 12:13 PM

Actually, I think it's a favorable thing that Petrarch, Dante, and Copernicus did NOT have Powerpoint.

I can imagine that Dante would have created text-heavy slides that he would read to the audience...the 10th circle of hell.

Posted by Chris Houchens at October 21, 2005 1:25 PM

I was to "Palamalaguti" in Bologna 21/22 october.
I lived 2 fantastic days whit MIND CONSULTING (i am costumer) and you.
Tank you for jour ENERGIE and jour determination to change the way to make bussines.
After to have read one your book I changed a lot of thing in my small bussines (frozen e general food for food-market and bar/pub, 6,6 million euro).
After the meeting in Bologna I think of change still, to make to become my sole bussines.
Thank you for all!
Pederiva Roberto

Posted by Pederiva Roberto at October 22, 2005 7:16 AM

Tom,

Make sure to stop by the Ducati factory!

They have a fantastic tour and an incredible museum, all staffed by Ducati fanatics. Marketing at its best.

And... don't miss the tortellini at Trattoria Gianni. Bologna is my favorite city in Italy.

Posted by Diego at October 22, 2005 10:22 AM

Ciao Tom

thanks a lot for Your show in Bologna, I'm working in Mind Consulting and Your crazy point of view are incredible for us in order to help our customer to re-invent their firms, Paolo, our Guru, is enthusiastics about You and we too;
But above all I wish thank you for empaty and good feeling that You're been able to have with people in Palamalaguti; You're great.

In theese days we have made the story, and I'm happy for this!

mauro

Posted by mauro baricca at October 23, 2005 6:01 AM

cheapest viagra online without prescription Gabriel, many years ago, before lightweight casts, I severed my Achilles tendon in a car accident and had it surgically repaired. I lived in downtown (& very hilly) San Francisco, and was in a big cast for 2 or 3 months. I fondly remember how thoughtful strangers were to me, even in a big city. Cabs would pull over at the drop of a hat and offer a ride. Nine of 10 bus drivers were solicitous. Maybe it was SF, but for whatever reason it was very heartening.

Posted by tom peters at October 25, 2005 6:39 AM

Dear Mr. Peters,

I'm the more crazy manager of Mind Consulting Italia.

I'd like to say you THANKS, THANKS, THANKS becouse on last 21 oct. in Palamalaguti - Bologna - Italy - you have lighted the way of my life.

You are the unique reference point of my business.

Many thanks.

Posted by Vincenzo Capuana at October 27, 2005 6:37 AM