Comments

Are you going to bite the hand that ....??

Posted by Ken McKuen at July 25, 2006 12:09 PM

Stay as only a HAND - mystery is paramount.

Posted by sean at July 25, 2006 12:23 PM

Erik shared the idea at the PSF event....sounds very cool. But even I didn't at first recognize the newly shorn, buffed up Erik. Wait a minute!!! Is he wearing the watch I lost!!!

Posted by Mike Neiss at July 25, 2006 12:50 PM

I remember you joking you would not write another book after 'Liberation Management' ... glad you did ... you have at least another 10 books in you yet Tom ... after all as you say '60 is the new 30' :-)

Mike - Erik has got my ring!!! .. Maybe we should alert the authorities?? ..just joking Erik ... don't panic :-)

Posted by Trevor Gay at July 25, 2006 1:33 PM

"Lost" is too kind Mike - AKA "Light-finger Erik" master thief man of mystery.

Posted by sean at July 25, 2006 2:28 PM

i'm with sean on this one. i hope i remain a hand only. i won't comment on the watch and ring, but i'm glad the yellow LiveStrong band made the cut.

Posted by Erik Hansen at July 25, 2006 2:45 PM

Hi Tom I'm not sure about this new book idea? I've been a fan of yours for many years and used your approach in setting up and growing a software company of 30 empowered people and tendering (OK unsuccessfully) for a mega contract here in the UK. In the 5 years since then I have been interested to reflect and to meditate on where we are all headed as a species – as a planet.

My concern is that the corporate world which has brought so much material wealth to us in the 20th Century is increasingly out of touch with the effects of its actions. I don’t want to go into a great list of these – but they are easy to find on the web. For me the most balanced view is in the movie “The Corporation” and its insightful accompanying book. In particular, the book sets out the legal position - that the directors must maximise profits for shareholders - and shows how this forces them to make decisions that they should not be proud of.

So I think that a new level of business thinking and leadership is now needed for new conditions in the 21st Century. It’s not that what we did last century is wrong, as many anti-corporate, anti-globalisation campaigners loudly shout. It’s just that conditions have moved on and companies have yet to respond to that – often because of the legal framework devised for them by corporate lawyers. There are some encouraging signs – Lord Browne of BP – John Mackey of Whole Foods Market – Ray Andersen of Interface and many more – especially in smaller companies. But the great bulk of large companies are still working in what I see as an old and planet unfriendly paradigm.

So, I think the biggest challenge for multi-nationals now is how to become human again – how to be able to point to everything they do with the pride of having done a great job – not just for the shareholder profits – but for humanity – and that’s not just humanity as an abstract whole – it’s all the people whose lives they touch – customer, factory workers, families of factory workers, people downstream of pollution - everyone.

And there’s no easy way forward. The current way of operating is enshrined in habit and also the law. Company people don’t want to change. “People got the runs for glory – nobody stop and scrutinise the plan” said Paul Simon ! And yet, more and more, the very companies that bring us the necessities ands the luxuries of life are under attack from their customers for the way they do business. I think this will continue to intensify.

So I would very much like to read a book that charts a new way forward for mainstream companies. Can I suggest a working title:

Business for a New Millenium
The Re-Imagining of Everything
By Tom Peters

How does that sound!

Cheers

Mike Bennett

Posted by Mike Bennett at July 26, 2006 6:24 AM

CARTOON character - the Erik BRAND should only be seen as "Simpsonesque" in appearance - PRIVACY must continue!!!!!!!

WATCH and RING - Mr. Trevor - just tip of iceburg - TP Inc apparently underpays to an extent that "associates" like Erik/Cathy must scramble and make ends meet anyway they CAN - the book IDEA was Actually MINE - Stolen I say!!!!!!! :>} :>} !!!!!!!

Posted by sean at July 26, 2006 8:25 AM

Tom,
Best news I've seen since you announced Re-Imagine!!!
Each book has gone back and revisited your 'Eternal Verities'.
They've also always brought about new paradigms for business and life.
Can't wait to see it, and the resulting revolutions it's likely to cause.

Posted by lemarmion at July 26, 2006 2:49 PM

Methinks Erik is the "Invisible Hand" who is clearly promoting the Public Good through his efforts on behalf of this Blog.

Posted by John OLeary at July 27, 2006 1:33 PM

Just had to join in this one. After 20 years of hurt, Maradona's "hand of God" goal has been displaced by Tom's "hand of Erik" book! Has anyone got any more examples of strategic use of the left hand?

Posted by Richard King at July 28, 2006 3:43 AM

The rest of Erik is even cuter.

Posted by Steve Yastrow at July 28, 2006 6:31 AM

OK Yastrow...I think my friend Erik is brilliant, quirky, an engima, but cute???? Heh Steve, are you in South Haven this summer?

MIke

Posted by Mike Neiss at July 28, 2006 7:06 PM

mike, thanks for bailing me out on that one. i was a little bit worried about that 'cute' handle. steve??

Posted by Erik Hansen at July 29, 2006 11:26 AM