dispatches from the new world of work

100 Ways to Succeed #165:

Excellence.
The "Six-step Program."
Circa 2009.

Tom's Six-step Program:

**Pursue a "non-negotiable" aspiration for growth and greatness that stretches us to the breaking point and perhaps beyond: ... an emotional, vital, innovative, joyful, creative, entrepreneurial endeavor that elicits maximum concerted human potential in the wholehearted service of others—e.g., Employees, Customers, Suppliers, Communities, Owners, Temporary partners.
**Listen like maniacs. Consciously pursue Excellence in Strategic Listening. 100% "Listening Blackbelts." Listening per se is at the Heart of Competitive Advantage.
**Ask and ask and ask again and again and again: "What do you think?" Engage everyone as Rockstar Participant in a Bold Adventure in Personal and Organizational Growth and Excellence.
**Celebrate failure. Yes, damn it, CELEBRATE. Try and fail and adjust and try and fail and adjust, then try and fail and adjust. Repeat. Forever. At the speed of light. To paraphrase my friend Richard Farson: "Whoever makes the most mistakes wins."
**Total and unwavering focus on creating "100% life success sagas" among our staff and customers and vendors and other members of our extended family.
**Excellence. Always. If not Excellence, what? If not Excellence now, when?

[Above: Crabapples arriving!]

Tom Peters posted this on 05/05/09.

Comments

Left me darn near speechless at the profundity.

Posted by Dan Gunter at May 5, 2009 12:28 PM

Tom,
It's still so relevant 20 years later; Excellence I mean. Just as you insisted it was to my Epsilon colleagues and me in Watsonville many years ago. At every stop along the way I continue to demand (and admittedly sometimes beg for) Excellence. Thanks Tom and continued good health and success.

Posted by Brian at May 5, 2009 1:05 PM

**Celebrate failure. Yes, damn it, CELEBRATE. Try and fail and adjust and try and fail and adjust, then try and fail and adjust. Repeat. Forever. At the speed of light. To paraphrase my friend Richard Farson: "Whoever makes the most mistakes wins."

The whole post is wonderful! I particularly appreciate the above. The "at the speed of light" is so important as well as not repeating the same failures over and over again.

Speaking of Excellence, Liberation Management JUST arrived on my doorstep. I had ordered it three weeks ago, but there had been a mix-up. I emailed the bookseller. He responded immediately apologizing for the delay and telling me that for my patience he had sent me a hardcopy in great condition with TP's signature. Cool! All was forgiven.

The book looks pretty intense. 751 pages! Flipping through the first time, my eyes feel on Chapter 25: The Quest for Metaphors IV: The Imagery of Dynamics and Connectedness. Sounds fantastic, especially considering a recent discussion here.

Looking forward to the read!

Posted by Judith Ellis at May 5, 2009 1:35 PM

I love the photo! Thanks!

Posted by Judith Ellis at May 5, 2009 1:35 PM

"Chapter 25: The Quest for Metaphors IV: The Imagery of Dynamics and Connectedness."

Holy smoke, Judith. I'd forgotten that--good heavens, from 1992!

Posted by tom peters at May 5, 2009 2:11 PM

Yep, TP! You probably have written more than you could ever remember. The topics you've covered cease to amaze me indeed!

Posted by Judith Ellis at May 5, 2009 4:56 PM

‘Crab apples arriving’ – that is sheer excellence. How I love spring. The colour in our recently planted bedding plants has begun to show, the buds of our beautiful rhododendrons are peeping through and the azaleas are looking marvellous … Ahhhhh Spring indeed sums up ‘excellence’ very well Tom.

Posted by Trevor Gay at May 5, 2009 5:43 PM

Excellence is more than indispensable.

Posted by Andres Agostini at May 7, 2009 4:04 AM

Andres,

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Isn't it sad however that most people act as though it's "optional?"

I guess it is. But then again, so are food, water, and oxygen for humans. We can freely choose to live or die. And we can do the same for our organizations, businesses, products, services...

I don't see Excellence as an option. To consider it such would be the equivalent of saying "I just want to exist long enough for someone who really gives a damn to take over. Being obsolete before my time is fine with me." I cringe at the very thought.

Posted by Dan Gunter at May 7, 2009 9:38 AM