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I'm Not Making This Up!

Doubtless, despite the passage of 67 years, I'm still naïve. That's what I decided as I dove into Eamon Javers' Broker, Trader, Lawyer, Spy: The Secret World of Corporate Espionage.

Of course I know about private security firms. Among other things, one of my Cornell classmates was Jules Kroll, founder of Kroll Associates. His shop, since sold, was perhaps the most powerful in a now enormous industry.

But on the second page of the prologue I found the following, which I literally read with my mouth agape:

"Day and his employees [at Diligence] had run a months-long covert undercover operation designed to penetrate the offices of KPMG, the global accounting giant. They'd done it on behalf of a Washington lobbying firm that was in turn working for a company controlled by one of Russia's most powerful oligarchs. And they'd gotten caught."

(A KPMG employee that Diligence "turned," after painstaking research, by appealing to his patriotism, regularly used the likes of dead drops and other accoutrements of the espionage trade. And there are all the bits about tag team efforts to follow someone, and of course follower v. follower, that equal Le Carré's world of Smiley.)

I've only advanced to page 16, thanks to that rarity among rarities, an on-time doctor's appointment. The book is a no-baloney "page turner," and I (VERY) highly recommend it for fun or to stoke your mind.

(Above: Cow. Vermont. I loved the pose so much that I risked life and limb to take the photo.)

Tom Peters posted this on 04/16/10.

Comments

This story is a variant on the, "How many seconds does it take before the doctor interrupts you?" question. In this case, the question is, "How far can you get into a book before the doctor interrupts your wait?"

[There's probably a correlation between the wait and how interesting the book is. If you pick up a typical waiting room magazine, you've time to go cover-to-cover, then stare at the wall, pick it up again and correct someone else's half-baked attempt at the crossword. But if it's a good book... Moral: take a good book every time and be seen on time!]

Posted by Mark JF at April 16, 2010 11:47 AM

Absolutely beautiful photo, TP. Love it! Thanks for the book recommendation. I'll check it out. Wishing you all the best in health. (By the way, the Little Big Things is super! Gems galore. I adore the short story, "Just Say Yes!--Or: A Lesson from My Mother in Law." It has impact. Isn't it amazing what a rut we sometimes get in by simply saying "no" and how negative we can become? My mother advised us often that those words that we told ourselves were as important as those we told others. Most times before we speak negatively we already believe that it is not possible. She used to say repeatedly, "All things are possible." I love your mother-in-law’s ability to "just do it" and her friend Sharon's beautiful example. Thanks you.)

Posted by Judith Ellis at April 16, 2010 12:40 PM

Tom- As I am pouring though Little Big Things via Audible (dot) com, just listened to rant #60 on the Art of Apology. Fired-up my computer to find this astute apology from airport wifi company Boingo Wireless (you may be familiar as you’re logging miles)…

Sent via email (16 April 2010) ** Let me start this off with a big, fat apology. We’re deeply sorry (and more than a little embarrassed) about any email you received over the weekend that included a database dump in the beginning and a message that your Unlimited account has been canceled and converted to AsYouGo status.

Please be assured that there’s been no change to your account. The email was meant for internal testing only; the system basically decided otherwise and erroneously sent the test template to a large pool of our customers.

WOW! what a great example of humility, customer service recovery… Many companies may have suffered though the gaff, rather than respectfully saying, Ooops, we screwed-up. Enjoy the weekend. GREAT BOOK! Cheers from the great state of Michigan. Go Army, Beat Navy!
E.Levos (1SG Retired, Airborne -Infantry)

Posted by Eric Levos at April 16, 2010 2:00 PM

Strange - "appealing to his patriotism" ???

Was that KPMG employee a Russian? If the employee was an American then Diligence must have used a really devious ruse!

Posted by Mike L. at April 17, 2010 10:51 PM

Dear Brother Elos, will I live long enough to see another Army win? The Goat rules, the mule reels. (Sorry, irresistable.)

Yes I got the same Boingo communication, and agree with you!

(And I'm thrilled you got the book. Have you read the one about my 2 Vietnam COs, "Day" & "Night"?)

Posted by tom peters at April 18, 2010 5:58 AM

Strange - "appealing to his patriotism" ???

Mike, I know this buggers the imagination, but the guys who talked the KPMG guy into helping them posed as MI-5 guys!

Posted by tom peters at April 18, 2010 5:59 AM

Tom - Regarding two CO's (Day and Night), I did listen to your compelling account of the two leaders and my last command sgt maj was (CSM Jay Brimstin) he was / is truly one of the most facinating leaders, and he was my "Day."

Upon assignment to lead a Basic Training Company (circa - 2004) here was his guidance."1SG, these solders need field discipline NOT drill & ceremonies, and shining boots. That will not save their lives. Disciple can be learned via cleaning a rifle or focusing on their sectors of fire." Regarding administrative reports - the solders performance wrote the reports. One drill sgt once called the admin report, the "monthly hype & spin."

One note to Blog readers: While reading Tom's book is great. Can I suggest "listening" to a book by Tom provides a different perspective. Emphasis on words and inflection in his voice can be very powerful.

Cheers!

Posted by Eric Levos at April 19, 2010 2:38 PM

Thank you, Tom, I do value this comment. I am familiar with that company.

Unfortunately, the rate of change and the embedded "caveat" forces us to go to great lengths.

For a number of years, most prominent global corporations, including those with a headquarter domicile in Europe, seek the assitance of the "reputable" national agencies. The "due deligence" work gets beyond staggering.

On "change" and the "caveat" you can see what I mean on my book at http://Future-Elicitation-Book.blogspot.com

Posted by Andres Agostini at April 30, 2010 2:37 AM

"You can conquer almost any fear if you will only make up your mind to do so. For remember, fear doesn't exist anywhere except in the mind." ...Hope this book will help you perfectly

Posted by Lino Plainy at May 14, 2010 7:26 PM