dispatches from the new world of work

A Penny for Your Thoughts!
A Penny for Your Custom!

How horrid! Recommending that someone buy one's book/s! I avoid self-recommendation like the plague. But, alas, I'm going to make an exception.

While trapped at home during a 2-foot, 2.5-day VT snowstorm and doing an intense winter cleanup, my "brand you" book reared its dust-covered self from underneath a bed. It was part of our 1999 3-book set published under the rubric of "Re-inventing Work":

The Project50: Fifty Ways to Transform Every "Task" into a Project That Matters!

The Brand You50: Fifty Ways to Transform Yourself from an "Employee" into a Brand That Shouts Distinction, Commitment, and Passion!

The Professional Service Firm50: Fifty Ways to Transform Your "Department" into a Professional Service Firm Whose Trademarks are Passion and Innovation!

The idea, as the Age of Outsourcing descended in the late '90s, was that the best & sole defense against a global labor market was: Do Great Work!

That is:

(1) Turn every task into a project of distinction worth bragging about 5 years from now—if not 10. ("Wow Project" was our moniker—and Steve Jobs' "insanely great" was the benchmark.)

(2) Turn your run-of-the-mine "department" into an indispensable, value-adding superstar professional services firm in the tradition of IDEO, Chiat Day, or McKinsey. ("Gamechanging PSF" was our shorthand here.)

(3) Turn yourself into a businesswoman sporting a project portfolio to die for. ("Brand You" was the tag line.)

Fact is, as The Deep Recession deepens by the day, these ideas are more, not less, timely than a decade ago. While nothing will make the current rocky road smooth, the fact is that Truly Inspired Work—the basics and innovation alike—is the best defense and the best offense in very tough times.

So in a departure from tradition, I recommend these three books; and in the name of modesty, I can report that each one is available used at Amazon.com for One Cent!

Tom Peters posted this on 12/22/08.

Comments

Bought the set new last century. Still refer to all three volumes now that I run HR, performance excellence and project management for my company. It worked at a $100M company and it is working at a $1.7B one. A tribute to your vision that they still hold up after all these years.

Posted by David Porter at December 22, 2008 7:12 PM

Tom, greetings from the coast of Maine! The cosmic forces must hard at work in northern New England: Just yesterday, my wife had me searcing for a Christmas present that she had hidden several months ago. During the search, I found not only the gift, but a dog-eared, marked-up copy of Brand You 50 that I read several years ago. Re-read it, and it's every bit as relevant now as it was when you wrote it last century!
By the way, we also had 2 feet here on the coast - great storm, eh?!

Happy Holidays!

Posted by Jim Watson at December 22, 2008 11:52 PM

"The PSF50" list is still posted at the front of my organiser, and perused regularly, along with a a summary of Drucker's "What Makes an Effective Executive?" and Bossidy's "Execution."

Happy Xmas and best wishes for 2009 to Tom, all at TP.com and all fellow readers of the site.

Posted by Mark JF at December 23, 2008 3:11 AM

I too am re-reading my 'originals' in light of the current climate. Tom's books age well, there's a wine analogy in here somewhere, and like Charles Handy - what came across as a little too much then is absolutely front and centre now. Branded Chefs - anyone?

Posted by Jeremy King at December 23, 2008 4:48 AM

Tom,

I LOVE! these three books and am touting them in the halls of my small religious organization. I bought a copy of PSF50 for my co-workers to inspire them as we cut staff and have to re-think (I quote you saying "re-imagine") how we do things around here.

All of your books stir me to action. Thanks!!!

Posted by Keith at December 23, 2008 1:40 PM

I snatched up these three books when they first came out and they transformed my career. No hyperbole. Those books are on my desk right now, and the inside cover of The Project50 (A WOWProject is...)has been posted in every office/cube I've worked. I've bought numerous copies of the set for co-workers and friends. I grab them regularly for quick inspiration and get-to-it ideas. Whether 1 cent or full price, they're priceless.

Posted by Dave at December 23, 2008 4:48 PM

Perfect Tom - we have you at $1 per book or so & in 2009 you should charge $1 per talk - travel covered 1st class of course - & then you are a true neoliberal capitalist - meanwhile our real estate keeps going south & your family business may become a .org by 2010 - last one to leave VT - lights out please! :>)

Posted by Contraire at December 24, 2008 7:22 PM