dispatches from the new world of work

A.W.L.

That is, Absent With Leave. I'm finishing up a book, due two weeks ago. It's based on, but more than, the Success Tips. Title: The Little Big Things: 179 Ways to Be Excellent, from HarperStudio, due out more or less January 2010. Fact is, writing for me allows ABSOLUTELY NO DISTRACTIONS. (Except for a speech in SF on Thursday.) "Absolutely" means exactly that. I have only so much writing energy—it is the most intense thing I do. If I post, it not only absorbs time, but I get engaged—normally a good thing, in this case, an AWFUL thing. Sorry about that—see you in mid-August, maybe a little before! (And on top of all that, it's summer in VERMONT, the shortest, sweetest, loveliest of times. No excuses needed for being a "summer slacker" in VT!!) (And Susan just broke her leg and will be on crutches for about 6 weeks—you'd know that if you were reading my Tweets; I can occasionally manage 140 characters.)

[Note from Cathy: But the success tips are written already, you say? Not so. Tom wants to look at them again, add, delete, rearrange, edit, emend, clarify, and otherwise put them through a wringer before he'll allow them to be published as a book under his name. And, publishing dates are unpredictable, depending, as they do, on authors. So, we apologize for not announcing sooner why Tom is not blogging much these days. We hope you understand why we held back from saying, "Expect a book from Tom soon."]

Tom Peters posted this on 07/21/09.

Comments

All is now clear! Except 179?? Have a good summer.

Posted by RobCH at July 21, 2009 1:49 PM

Looking forward to the book, TP! Godspeed to Susan.

Posted by Judith Ellis at July 21, 2009 2:02 PM

write quickly, I miss your insight.

Posted by Chip Headley at July 21, 2009 2:07 PM

I commented on Tom's Facebook page asking if we were good and didn't disturb him could we get him to sign copies? So I'm tiptoeing around the room and I've got the speakers turned down. Even now, I'm whispering so he won't be disturbed. Maybe he won't even see this little note. Scribble, Tom, scribble. Edit. Revise. I'm ready for some more good reading. Oh, sorry. Ssssshhhhhh....

Posted by Dan Gunter at July 21, 2009 3:48 PM

I´ve been missing your comments, just keep in touch!

Posted by Berta Serrano at July 21, 2009 4:05 PM

We are trying to keep the conversation going boss.

Posted by Mike Neiss at July 21, 2009 5:08 PM

"Boss?" Mike, anybody ever point out to you that "boss" is double-S O B spelled backwards?

LOL. Life is predominantly a collection of useless facts and worthless information at times, isn't it?

Posted by Dan Gunter at July 21, 2009 8:38 PM

Excellent news! Cathy, Mike, get to posting...

Posted by David Porter at July 21, 2009 8:58 PM

May I please please please have a review copy? : )

Posted by Chris Brogan... at July 21, 2009 9:39 PM

Thank you Tom for letting us know about your new book. Please inform us when it is ready. My latest Tom Peters book was the full version of REIMAGINE.

You speak and teach a great deal about leadership and management. Very late last night I was almost 5 minutes into sleeping when I got an "inner" call. I then wanted to put together how the LINKAGE between Leadership, Management, Strategist, Scenarist, Risk Management, and Professional Futurology (along with "strategic planning") operates.

I got into a rare in-flow writing and assemble it in some downloadable slides. You, Tom, gives a great deal. You perhaps might find it intriguing. So I respectfully would like to share this with you and the wise community of this great forum at http://www.docstoc.com/docs/8777027/10-EASY-BUT-NON-CANONICAL-STEPS-FROM-BUSINESS-ANARCHY-TO-GRANDIOSE-PREVALENCE!-By-?-Copyright-Andres-Agostini-Andy-in-Arlington-Virginia-USA--}-}

--Andy

Posted by Andres Agostini (Andy) at July 21, 2009 9:44 PM

A.W.O.L.

This is a Tom Peters blog, isn't it?

I expect C Love to write the foreward!

Good luck and don't forget to Kindle your Twitter

Posted by The Joker at July 21, 2009 10:33 PM

Good to hear a new TP book is around the corner. Whatever the nuggets of wisdom and inspiration on this blog, in all the powerpoints, on Twitter et al, there is something very satisfying about seeing that captured in black and white on the pages of a book (hey, i'm still a fan of 'old media'. you can't beat a good book); a book you can stick in your pocket, annotate, read, re-read, highlight and share.

I look forward to seing it.

Posted by Ian Sanders at July 22, 2009 1:12 AM

Chris - I'm sure that can be arranged. Thanks for asking!

Posted by Shelley Dolley at July 22, 2009 8:18 AM

As someone who constantly rewrites even shopping lists, I can relate, Tom. And there's nothing worse for a writer than a hard deadline. Except, of course, no deadline.

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Thank you Ian for your thoughtful and relevant, as well as constructive posting.

Posted by Andres Agostini (Andy) at July 22, 2009 11:14 PM

Good Luck with the book Tom and I can't wait to read it. I sincerely hope that you include some of the key topics that we discussed in Sink, Float, or Swim. As we present, to experience excellence without Sustainable High Performance habits is merely luck. Real high performers make a choice and follow it up with design of their habits. Knowing your commitment to energetic, resilient and passionate leaders I'm sure your book will have some great tips.

Posted by Scott Peltin at July 24, 2009 12:56 AM

Susan, have a speedy and complete recovery. Tom, if you write the script on a Mac, please, consider using Scrivener (Mac only). Writing myself a book, I have found this program immensely useful. Research, ideas, notes and script writing all in one programme. Highly recommended.
http://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener.html

Posted by Chris Schreuders at August 2, 2009 12:00 PM