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Changes Afoot!
Good Friday brought a bit of a health scare. In the subsequent two months things, though perhaps more troublesome, have come more or less fully under control as best anyone can tell. Hence there are only a few wee absolute constraints on my daily routine. Nonetheless, the "event" was a wake-up call to pay more attention to the cumulative impact of a schedule and level of continuous intensity, since 1974, that buggers the imagination. (George Clooney's character in "Up in the Air" is a piker by comparison.)
It was a wake-up call that, with much and often rude urging from friends and associates and family and docs, I've decided to tend to. Which in turn alters "the business case" and priorities list at tompeters.com and elsewhere in my personal and professional life. Hence you can expect forthcoming announcements of changes to be made with some dispatch.
I underscore that it's in no way professional "sayonara." I am "open for business"—but not as much business. I had an absolutely lovely time giving the Olin lecture at Cornell this past weekend. It was my first speech in two months—my longest hiatus in about 35 years. I realized how much I still love what I do, and just how much more I can appreciate it when the stress of continuous travel and frantic preparation has been dramatically reduced.
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Comments
Tom, Glad things are stabilized on the health front. Very often, it takes a 3-alarm fire to wake us from our "iron man" hubris, and see that we can be as creative and engaged using the tools at our command.
A new "operating plan" may just prove to also open new doors to creativity and communication of fresh ideas!
All the best!
Posted by Randy Bosch at June 14, 2010 10:25 AM
It occurs to me that even those that call for re-imagining get to practice it once in awhile. Just take care of yourself! Change, even induced by forces we wouldn't choose, is always interesting and often rewarding.
Posted by mike Neiss at June 14, 2010 10:38 AM
Tom, Glad to hear that you are back up and about. A wee scare can be the best thing to allow us to reset our priorities and cull the non-essential stuff that we choose to do.
The best of health to you,
Adrian
Posted by Adrian Swinscoe at June 14, 2010 10:52 AM
Good to hear you're listening to your body. Take care Tom!
In an egotistic note I'll mention that we'd rather have "less Tom" "more time" :-)
Posted by Joaquin at June 14, 2010 10:53 AM
Tom, Stay well. You've been the voice inside my head for a good many years now - and I'm not ready for us to quit.
Posted by Dexter Schassberger at June 14, 2010 11:06 AM
Tom. Sorry to hear of the scare, but delighted to see you back online. Do take care of yourself. You've been an inspiration to me throughout my career and, purely selfishly, I haven't finished yet either! (;-))
Cheers, Graham.
Posted by Graham Wilson at June 14, 2010 11:31 AM
Good luck Tom - You will make the RIGHT decisions and will have our support.
Posted by Trevor Gay at June 14, 2010 11:36 AM
Tom - Glad to hear you're feeling better, and taking care of the most important business.
Take care of yourself.
Posted by Tom Maloney at June 14, 2010 11:53 AM
Best of luck, Tom; get better sooner! :)
Regards,
Aditya
Posted by Aditya at June 14, 2010 11:57 AM
I remember reading those tweets from Good Friday, Tom.
You've always been a real champion of change and it sounds like you'll be embracing more changes yourself. I hadn't noted that your schedule had reduced these last couple of months but I had enjoyed seeing more of you on Twitter. If that's the upside of a changed work life Tom, then delighted to follow your tweets and 'riff' back and forth with Twitter debates on everything from BP to the meaning of life.
However you 'reinvent' yourself (whether voluntarily or involuntarily) I look forward to consuming Tom version 2010 in all your respective 'platforms': books, videos, blog posts, tweets, whatever (because of course, it's all about the content...)
Take care Tom
Posted by Ian Sanders at June 14, 2010 11:57 AM
Woah there....
I love the post up there from Joaquin. It's great that you obviously are 'listening to your body'.
To be honest, I'd tuned-out TP for a while until Twitter made re-aquaint myself with the TP wisdom and, I have to say, I can't get enough.
Keep tweeting Tom. You're hugely entertaining and informative to a whole new consistuency out there in tweet-land. If it means slowing down a tad, then good for you. You deserve it, both all the past contributions and the wonderful pearls that keep coming day by day in 2010.
keep on rockin'
Posted by David Atkinson at June 14, 2010 11:57 AM
Stay well Tom.
Posted by Noah Fleming at June 14, 2010 1:02 PM
Nothing like a reality check to bring focus to how we take our health and ourselves for granted. Glad to hear you are taking steps to do what you need to.
Keep Re-Imagining yourself and how you can use all of the new tools to keep the rest of us carrying on the work that you continue to inspire us to do.
I'll second that "keep on rockin' " sentiment. Just remember that at some point, we all have to pace ourselves a bit.
Posted by Kirk Varner at June 14, 2010 1:06 PM
Tom,
You have been my Lone Ranger since '86. Please do all you need to do to stay tall in the saddle. More important, enjoy every day as you want to enjoy it.
Posted by Jack Dillon at June 14, 2010 2:07 PM
Glad to hear that you're listening to the "taps with a feather" rather than waiting for the hit from the 2×4!
As those above have amply put, we want you around for a long time to come.
Stay well...
Posted by Gayle at June 14, 2010 2:08 PM
Tom,
I am so glad to hear that you are recognizing the need for change. I have learned that you can change the frequency without losing the passion and intensity -- a lesson that was there waiting for me to learn it.
Welcome to the less frequent flyer club -- think you will like it here. ..
Be well, because without that, nothing else really works...
Posted by Kat Tansey at June 14, 2010 2:44 PM
Little symptoms can herald big issues but little changes to your lifestyle can make a big difference. Listen to your body and stay well.
BTW: what's a "piker" - not a word you hear round my parts?
Posted by Mark JF at June 14, 2010 4:26 PM
On your last day, nobody is going to ask why you didn't spend more time traveling and speaking and blogging....your legacy is already in cement......start taking care of yourself and those around you first.....life is best lived one day at a time....
Take care......
Posted by Todd Spare at June 14, 2010 4:50 PM
Take care of yourself, Tom. I always wondered how you could keep up such a frenetic pace. Looks like it's time to slow down and listen to your body.
Two decades ago you were my inspiration to get into writing and public speaking, and over the last 3 or 4 years alone I have delivered speeches, seminars and masterclasses in over 50 countries. I swear that every time I'm crawling out of bed at some unearthly hour in a hotel somewhere to prepare for the big day, I tell myself "If Tom can keep doing this at 67, you can do it at 47." That's the honest truth. You got me going and you keep me going. Not sure I'd know what to tell myself at 4 am in Moscow or Mumbai if you stopped carrying the Olympic speaking torch - but your health comes first. Period.
Anyway, Tom, just want you to know how much you mean to so many of us, in so many ways. Whatever happens from here on, nobody could have pumped more energy and enthusiasm and enlightenment into this business. There is and always will be only one Thomas J. Peters. You're the greatest.
Posted by Rowan Gibson at June 14, 2010 6:03 PM
Samuel Johnson's admonition is perhaps apt: "To preserve health is a moral and religious duty, for health is the basis of all social virtues."
Also, a paraphrase of Churchill comes to mind: rarely does one person's contribution mean so much to so many....
It's great to know you're applying your management wisdom to your own remarkable, high performance.
With today's evolving communication tools, that you use so well, there may be additional ways that the many of us whom you inspire can help transmit your message and values.
Posted by Jim Strock at June 14, 2010 6:53 PM
Less can be more. Change c a n be good, but better is always a change.
Posted by Eric Lapp at June 14, 2010 7:33 PM
I have always believed that a man who has achieved greatness is a man who lives his life on his own time and on his own terms. Passion and appreciation for what you do is the very thing that will enable you to adapt to the curve that life has thrown you. Stay well and stay "angry"...in a quasi-rhetorical and non stressful way of course!
Posted by Dave Wheeler at June 14, 2010 8:11 PM
There's a reason you've got a farm in Vermont. The chickens need you and you need them. I do some of my best thinking in the garden. You can do yours cutting brush or whatever else relaxes you. Time to PLAY more so you can think even better.
Posted by Bill Williams at June 14, 2010 9:18 PM
"The first wealth is health." Emerson
Take good care Tom - we're not going anywhere - I bet (hope and trust) you find that less is more!
God bless.
Posted by Stephen Wayhart at June 14, 2010 9:44 PM
Tom;
Simply a good decision.
My father lived his life by these words, they may not suit you but they are if nothing useful for perspective...
cheapest canadian viagraJust wealth enough to give and spare
Just health enough to banish care
Just friends enough sincere and true
What more want we
What more want you
From a friend, keep the balance
Patrick
Posted by Patrick at June 15, 2010 1:52 AM
Tom,
From "Maryland Tom" ... to "California Tom" ... to ... Right now, you may be changing into another new persona, but we know you will continue to share -- simply because you've so often seen YOUR VOICE translate into OUR ACTIONS.
Pradeep
Posted by Pradeep Henry at June 15, 2010 4:59 AM
Tom, Some great comments here, which I think just goes to prove how much you and your work are appreciated.
Look after yourself!
Posted by PaulH at June 15, 2010 5:56 AM
Thank you Tom for being uniquely you!
Posted by Tom Asacker at June 15, 2010 7:54 AM
Patrick, here's to your old man!
Posted by tom peters at June 15, 2010 8:03 AM
Tom,
Thank you for the years of inspiration. As a somewhat contempoary...age, military, MBA and being actually there on...."August 6, 1966 where it all began"...I have a stong connection with your thinking.
Jerry Garcias quote really fits....
"You do not merely want to be the best of the best....
You want to be considered the only ones who do what you do."
I think that really applies to your work over the years.
Continue to be the only one....only at a different pace.
Jim Baker
Posted by Jim Baker at June 15, 2010 12:22 PM
Tom.
You mean so much to so many people. You have shared great insight to those who really seek their individual road to success.
At 67 I am going through my own struggles, however I cannot quit. I do however understand how you feel.
Stay well and enjoy the bonus days we are given.
Posted by Michael J. Stefonick at June 16, 2010 2:29 AM
Tom, In 2005 I had a health scare on Good Friday as well. That straw that broke the camel's back, allowed me to re-acess what I had been doing, step back, and change my way of handling my life, both professionally and personally.It has been 6 years now, and I couldn't be happier with the choice I made. I have been following you, listening to what you have had to say, and trying as best i could to continue to implement those words of wisdom you have so generously shared with all of us. Take good care of you and know that there are those of us out here who care about you as well. Gary G
Posted by Gary Guidetti at June 16, 2010 6:41 AM
Tom; thanks, my old man (Harold) would be humble and grateful for those kind words as indeed am I, enjoy doing things differently. Patrick
Posted by Patrick at June 16, 2010 10:41 AM
Gratitude— is not the mention
Of a Tenderness,
But it's still appreciation
Out of Plumb of Speech.
When the Sea return no Answer
By the Line and Lead
Prove it there's no Sea, or rather
A remoter Bed?
--Emily Dickinson (circa, 1865)
Posted by Judith Ellis at June 16, 2010 11:10 AM