Comments

oh u look cute in the photo...
keep posting more photos.. me enjoy'em!

Posted by shohra at July 5, 2006 1:09 PM

With missiles flying in N. Korea, it is a great reminder of what you and thousands of others were fighting to protect.

Posted by David Porter at July 5, 2006 1:31 PM

North Korea - Iran - Iraq - Islam-Fascism embedded in Europe - NOW still seems better than THEN - BUSY effective talent wins the day

Posted by Sean at July 5, 2006 1:53 PM

Let me try to draw a leadership lesson out of this. In that picture, Tom is probably 23 and probably got to make some important decisions about things like bridges. At about the same time I was a 19 year old Marine sergeant, making decisions of a magnitude that I wouldn't make for a decade or more in the business world.

It seems to me that one thing we can learn from the military is that if you have young people who are well-trained and well-led you can trust them with enormously responsible tasks.

Posted by Wally Bock at July 6, 2006 10:36 AM

CHINESE - interesting how lazy and low IQ they are in the FACE of this north korea missile challenge - not surprising since CHINA is 3rd class as world citizens at BEST.

Posted by Sean at July 7, 2006 8:22 AM

Tom, what a moving photograph. It deserves to be in a frame...just to remember the time, for you personally and for us as a nation.

Thank you for your service.

Posted by Joe Ely at July 7, 2006 8:32 AM

"It seems to me that one thing we can learn from the military is that if you have young people who are well-trained and well-led you can trust them with enormously responsible tasks."

Wally, and it is amazing what responsibility and maturity can be risen to at 23, or 19. Part of it is the young man's arrogance--"Immortality is mine, I can do anything." But part of it is a truer understanding of responsibility to one's mates than is ever again matched. My ex-father-in-law was an enlisted artilleryman in WW II. (Farmboy from western Missouri.) It's not that he was particularly heroic, but that that experience of "living in the moment" (as the Buddists would say) and simultaneous self- AND other-responsibility would never be matched.

Would that we could-would apply that with our "troops" in the world of enterprise. If you've had people shooting at you you;ll never use bullshit words like "empowermwent." Can you imagine me saying to my intrepid surveyors as we were trying to figure out a thorny construction problem amidst semi-constant sniper fire, and instantly implanted road mines, "I hereby EMPOWER you guys to think for yourself and think on your feet [or belly]"?

You rely instead--life and death consequences--on their training and native ability and tribal sense of survival and purposefulness to do the job and do the right thing. Your [23-year-old leader] principal role is to (1) lead VISIBLY from the FRONT ["Lead" = Be there! Share the harm to which you subject others]; (2) make it damn clear that the job NEEDS doing [if not, in my case, the Marines are screwed]; (3) be determined to GET THE DAMN JOB DONE; and (4) demonstrate good sense toward the safety of your guys while also getting thae job done." Tom to troops, having attended corporate traing course: "Hey, we should take some measured risks"--no shit Sherlock.

Posted by tom peters at July 7, 2006 11:19 AM

All matters of leadership and management disappear into insignifcance when we remember today the tragedy of a year ago when 52 innocent people going about their everyday lives were murdered in London tube stations and a London Bus. For more poignant pictures go here
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_pictures/5157308.stm

Posted by Trevor Gay at July 7, 2006 11:44 AM

Tom,

Would you consider taking some pictures of your library/study at home and sharing a bit about your writing/research/note taking process? It could be kind of a Book TV in depth via your web site.

Best,

Dave

Posted by Dave Moore at July 7, 2006 2:50 PM

Tom,

I just read that this is the second anniversary of your "2004 Summer of Soul!" I would love to send you my latest book which looks at Solomon's pursuit of purpose and meaning in life.

Best,

Dave

Posted by Dave Moore at July 7, 2006 4:09 PM

Trevor, lots of coverage in the States about the 7/7 anniversary. Must have been an amazing day in the UK. Our best to all.

Posted by Jeff at July 7, 2006 9:51 PM

Trevor, re Jeff's comment ... ditto.

Posted by tom peters at July 8, 2006 8:48 AM

Same Trevor - USA loves UK people - NYC Holland tunnel Islam-fascist strike just thwarted - intel talent rules.

Posted by Sean at July 8, 2006 11:48 AM

Tom - the photo reminds me of you telling the story in one of your seminars on tape about motivating the troops building Quonset type huts. As I recall, you had to motivate outside the system with beer and days off. I think your truss makers were building them faster than the buildings could be put together. It's a basic management lesson that has stuck with me.

Posted by Bruce at July 10, 2006 11:04 AM

Bruce, you got it all except for the Really Hot/Boiling Water I got into for giving my guys an abnormal day off. (i was mortified but secretly pleased at the same time.)

Posted by tom peters at July 10, 2006 1:25 PM

Thanks Jeff, Tom and Sean - it was an emotional day

Posted by Trevor Gay at July 11, 2006 4:06 AM

women viagra australia Dave Moore: Maybe; it's such a pigsty. My excuse is "writer's room"--but that's pretty lame. You'd not confuse it with Rick Wagoner's office at GM.

Posted by tom peters at July 11, 2006 2:44 PM

Tom,

I interviewed William F. Buckley for a PBS special and you should see his study! Genius many times finds its home in such "pigstys."

Best, safe generic viagra

Dave

Posted by Dave Moore at July 11, 2006 4:27 PM