Little BIG Video #45
Innovation:
Angry People Make Change

In video number 45 from The Little BIG Things Video Series, Tom tells us the single source of innovation is angry people. Their anger allows them to penetrate the resistance they encounter.

You can find the video in the right column of the front page of tompeters.com or you can watch the video on YouTube. [Time: 2 minutes, 57 seconds] You can also download a PDF transcript of the video's content: Innovation: Angry People Make Change.

Mickey Drexler/J.Crew

I could teach an entire MBA course using as source material the 20 September 2010 New Yorker profile of J.Crew CEO Mickey Drexler—titled "The Merchant: It's All About the Eye—And the Numbers."

In shorthand form, I have extracted a list of some of the items that are central to Drexler's approach. I present them here, and as a PowerPoint slide.

• Bias for instant action/Towering impatience with in-action
• Impatient but not brutal
• Relentless/Speed-of-light experimentation; more ASAP if works, drop if not
• Vibrates with energy (literally)
• Always on the prowl—anywhere, everywhere—for ideas
• Lots of team-standing-around-making-instant-assessments-decisions—all contributing
• Likes working with women more than men because F more intuitive than M
• Dresses like the brand—at 66
• Offense, not defense
• Communicates all the time [removes fear from hearing "famous" CEO]. Everyone, including most junior, made part of the decision-making team
• Listens attentively regardless of age/seniority
• Obvious in his transparent respect for young employees
• Trusts intuition plus fanatic about the numbers
• Expects everyone to know their numbers cold from memory
• Always aware of "the business case"—as well fashion-master
• Aggressive pricing
• MBWA/Managing By Wandering Around
• Open with everyone, from youth to folks at Earnings Call
• Constant customer contact/Dialogues with customer/Reacts instantly to customer feedback
• Willing to act (experiment) based on one datapoint
• Engages with most junior people
• At 66, comfortably uses "hot" words like "Cool" "Wow"

There is no doubt that these notions are especially fit for retailers. Yet I will unequivocally assert that this list with little modification applies to any flavor of business.

(For what it's worth, I'm also attaching this in PowerPoint.)

The Global Detective

Tom's good friend Alan Webber has a new ebook out called The Global Detective: My search for clues, cues, and views in the lands of tall blonde people. Alan went on quite a journey to discover what's happening with entrepreneurs the world over, and this is the first in a series. As the cofounder of Fast Company, he has a particularly unique perspective. (And we believe he wore a fedora.)

Surprise!

Tom's all about giving things away for free. So we have a treat for you today. Our friends at Vook have given us a limited number of free iPhone and iPad versions of Tom's The Little BIG Things apps that we can give away. To get one, we're asking you to share a story with us. What kind of story? A two-center.

If you haven't already, read Tom's story of the Two-Cent Candy. What's your or your organization's Two-Cent Candy? Experienced a particularly Excellent one? Please share the story with us, including how it changed your or your customers' perception/reality.

Details: By 9pm GMT (5pm EDT) today, email the story to tom@tompeters.com with the subject line: Little BIG Thing. If you're succinct in nature, tweet the story (or link to your blog post that tells the story) using the hashtag #littleBIGthing. The stories will be judged by our completely non-objective panel, and we'll share some of the winners' stories here at tompeters.com.

Thanks and Good Luck!

The Little BIG Things
Synopsis Series
#13 Work
#14 Initiative

It's time for two new sections in The Little BIG Things Synopsis Series. The next two sections in The Little BIG Things: 163 Ways to Pursue Excellence are titled "Work" and "Initiative." Tom talks about what being a professional really means, suggests some counter-intuitive personal strategies for success, and advocates for making an Insane Public Effort.

You can download free pdfs of those sections from The Little BIG Things Synopsis Series* by clicking below:

#13 Work
#14 Initiative

*The Synopsis Series is an adaptation that gives you a taste of the BIG idea in each of the 163 Little BIG Things. More information on the book can be found on this page. The Synopsis Series as released thus far can be found here.

Riyadh

Tom is speaking in Riyadh for his old friends at the Institute for International Research. This is about his 10th visit to KSA/the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. (He reports that he missed the 40C+ weather in Riyadh last week—and survived nicely at 30C to 35C.) (He also reports a construction/high rise boom that rivals "the old days" in Dubai.)

Excellence. Always. Riyadh. Final Version.

Excellence. Always. Riyadh. Long Version.

Cool Friend #152
Sally Helgesen (No.3)

Sally's back! She's recently coauthored a book with Julie Johnson called The Female Vision. Sally discusses with Erik Hansen the evolution of the role of women in the workplace in the late twentieth century. Sally sees a major shift starting and explains the signs. She also explains that women have to push past their comfort zones in order to make their organization a place where their vision is valued, and is specific about how.

Read the interview and be sure to visit Sally's site.

Little BIG Video #44
Strategy:
12 x 20 = 240

In video number 44 from The Little BIG Things Video Series, Tom does the math for you. It all comes down to lunch. Never Waste a Lunch!

You can find the video in the right column of the front page of tompeters.com or you can watch the video on YouTube. [Time: 2 minutes, 18 seconds] You can also download a PDF transcript of the video's content: Strategy: 12 x 20 = 240.

The Little BIG Things
Synopsis Series
#11 Attitude
#12 Performance

It's time for two new sections in The Little BIG Things Synopsis Series. The next two sections in The Little BIG Things: 163 Ways to Pursue Excellence are titled "Attitude" and "Performance." They're a reminder to turn on your eye sparkle. After all, it's Showtime! All the time!

You can download free pdfs of those sections from The Little BIG Things Synopsis Series* by clicking below:

#11 Attitude
#12 Performance

*The Synopsis Series is an adaptation that gives you a taste of the BIG idea in each of the 163 Little BIG Things. More information on the book can be found on this page. The Synopsis Series as released thus far can be found here.

MasterCard/Vienna

Tom is in Vienna, addressing the global MasterCard Sales Leadership Meeting.

You can download the PowerPoint slides here:

Excellence. Always. Innovate. Or Die.
MasterCard, Vienna, Final Version

Excellence. Always. Innovate. Or Die.
MasterCard, Vienna, Long Version

New Audio: Tom Reads The Little BIG Things

This week's additions to the audio files on the book page are in the section titled "PASSION":

#84. I Second That Emotion.

#85. One Rule! Much Gold!

#86. Seize the Moments.

Collect them all, and when we're finished, you'll have an audio version of the entire book.

Comerica

Tom is speaking in Dallas and Houston to clients (SMEs) of Comerica. With $59 billion in assets, it is the largest bank headquartered in Texas. Through reasonably conservative practices, it has weathered the Great Recession as well as could be imagined.

Excellence: The 6H "Theory of Everything." Final Version, Houston.

Excellence: The 6H "Theory of Everything." Final Version, Dallas.

Excellence, Always. Long Version.

World Business Forum 2010
#wbf10

Our longtime friends at HSM put on their annual World Business Forum in New York last week. Tom has spoken at this event in the past and this year they invited us to attend via the Blogger's Hub, a special section monitoring the event.

The roster of speakers was impressive, to say the least. To name but a few: Al Gore, Jack Welch, A.G. Lafley, Joseph Stiglitz, Steve Levitt, Jim Collins, James Cameron, and Charlene Li. The presentations ran the gamut from economics to innovation, but there was no lack of commonality of message with what Tom has been espousing for decades. So what were the major themes and takeaways of the event?

Talent
The first day of the event seemed to have an underlying theme of talent. Jim Collins, author of Good to Great, asked, "How many key seats are on your bus? How many have you filled with the right people?" Carlos Brito, CEO of Anheuser-Busch InBev, offered the equation, "Great people = Great companies." He advocated for creating a culture of owners, avoiding the "don't be gentle, it's a rental" mindset (you'd do things in a rental car you wouldn't dream of in one you own). Jack Welch, former CEO of GE, put it simply and definitively: "You get the best players, you win."

[read more]

Little BIG Video #43
Brand You:
GTHOOTO

In video number 43 from The Little BIG Things Video Series, Tom simplifies the Managing By Wandering Around strategy. If you're a leader, you need to do it now.

You can find the video in the right column of the front page of tompeters.com or you can watch the video on YouTube. [Time: 1 minute, 40 seconds] You can also download a PDF transcript of the video's content: Brand You: GTHOOTO.

Iowa Goes for the Gold ...

Tom is speaking in Des Moines at
Iowa's Advanced Manufacturing Conference: Manufacturing in the Global Economy.

You can download his PowerPoint presentations here:

Excellence, Always. Final version.
Excellence, Always. Long version.

What Matters?

What follows was drafted as I prepared for my seminar in Zurich on 03 October. (You'll also find it in both PDF and PowerPoint formats.)

The Memories That Matter

In a month, as I write, I'll be 68. No matter how hard one tries to be forward focused, at that age there is a frequent urge to "sum things up." As one does look back, there is a certain class of memories that stand out. I know my own story—and I've talked to many others. When you look back at "what really matters"—it's rarely "the numbers." Make no mistake, as you soldier on, your tiny or huge enterprise must be profitable to survive. Wanna do great things? Well, check out the "cash flow" statement first. True, but still "the summing up statement" is far more about the basics of human behavior and character than about the angle of incline of a market share graph. What follows is then, in a fashion, "the memories that matter"—or will matter. Why point this out? Because to get the tally right on this one at age 68, the sorts of things enumerated here must have been "top of mind" throughout your career—i.e., yesterday and this morning.

The "memories that matter":

The people you developed who went on to stellar accomplishments inside or outside the company. (A reputation as "a peerless people developer.")

The (no more than) two or three people you developed who went on to create stellar institutions of their own.

The long shots (people with "a certain something") you bet on who surprised themselves—and your peers.

The people of all stripes who 2/5/10/20 years later say, "You made a difference in my life," "Your belief in me changed everything."

The sort of/character of people you hired in general. (And the bad apples you chucked out despite some stellar traits.)

A handful of projects (a half dozen at most) you doggedly pursued that still make you smile and which fundamentally changed the way things are done inside or outside the company/industry.

The supercharged camaraderie of a handful of Great Teams aiming to "change the world."

Belly laughs at some of the stupid-insane things you and your mates tried.

Less than a closet full of "I should have ..."

A frighteningly consistent record of having invariably said, "Go for it!"

Not intervening in the face of considerable loss—recognizing that to develop top talent means tolerating failures and allowing the person who screwed up to work their own way through and out of their self-created mess.

Dealing with one or more crises with particular/ memorable aplomb.

Demanding ... CIVILITY ... regardless of circumstances.

Turning around one or two or so truly dreadful situations—and watching almost everyone involved rise to the occasion (often to their own surprise) and acquire a renewed sense of purpose in the process.

Leaving something behind of demonstrable-lasting worth. (On short as well as long assignments.)

Having almost always (99 percent of the time) put "Quality" and "Excellence" ahead of "Quantity." (At times an unpopular approach.)

A few "critical" instances where you stopped short and could have "done more"—but to have done so would have compromised your and your team's character and integrity.

A sense of time well and honorably spent.

The expression of "simple" human kindness and consideration—no matter how harried you may be/may have been.

Understood that your demeanor/expression of character always sets the tone—especially in difficult situations.

Never (rarely) letting your external expression of enthusiasm/determination flag—the rougher the times, the more your expressed energy and bedrock optimism and sense of humor showed.

The respect of your peers.

A stoic unwillingness to badmouth others—even in private.

An invariant creed: When something goes amiss, "The buck stops with me"; when something goes right, it was their doing, not yours.

A Mandela-like "naïve" belief that others will rise to the occasion if given the opportunity.

A reputation for eschewing the "trappings of power." (Strong self-management of tendencies toward arrogance or dismissiveness.)

Intense, even "driven" ... but not to the point of being careless of others in the process of forging ahead.

Willing time and again to be surprised by ways of doing things that are inconsistent with your "certain hypotheses."

Humility in the face of others, at every level, who know more than you about "the way things really are."

Having bitten your tongue on a thousand occasions—and listened, really really listened. (And been constantly delighted when, as a result, you invariably learned something new and invariably increased your connection with the speaker.)

Unalloyed pleasure in being informed of the fallaciousness of your beliefs by someone 15 years your junior and several rungs below you on the hierarchical ladder.

Selflessness. (A sterling reputation as "a guy always willing to help out with alacrity despite personal cost.")

As thoughtful and respectful, or more so, toward thine "enemies" as toward friends and supporters.

Always and relentlessly put at the top of your list/any list being first and foremost "of service" to your internal and external constituents. (Employees/Peers/ Customers/Vendors/Community.)

Having treated the term "servant leadership" as holy writ. (And "preached" "servant leadership" to others—new "non-managerial" hire or old pro, age 18 or 48.)

Having created the sort of workplaces you'd like your kids to inhabit. (Explicitly conscious of this "Would I want my kids to work here?" litmus test.)

A "certifiable" "nut" about quality and safety and integrity. (More or less regardless of any costs.)

A notable few circumstances where you resigned rather than compromise your bedrock beliefs.

Perfectionism just short of the paralyzing variety.

A self- and relentlessly enforced group standard of "EXCELLENCE-in-all-we-do"/"EXCELLENCE in our behavior toward one another."

The Little BIG Things
Synopsis Series
#9 Others
#10 Connection

It's time for two new sections in The Little BIG Things Synopsis Series. The next two sections in The Little BIG Things: 163 Ways to Pursue Excellence are titled "Others" and "Connection." They both focus on "Deliberate Acts of Relationship Enhancement."

You can download free pdfs of those sections from The Little BIG Things Synopsis Series* by clicking below:

#9 Others
#10 Connection

*The Synopsis Series is an adaptation that gives you a taste of the BIG idea in each of the 163 Little BIG Things. More information on the book can be found on this page. The Synopsis Series as released thus far can be found here.

Excellence Always, Zurich

Tom is on his way home from Zurich, where he keynoted the Cabot Corporation's annual executive conference. Boston-based Cabot is a leader in specialty chemicals such as carbon black, which, among other things, performs an essential function in automobile tires and printer toner.

Download the event PowerPoint slides here:
Cabot, Final Version

Cabot, Long Version

New Audio: Tom Reads The Little BIG Things

New Audio: Tom Reads The Little BIG Things

This week's addition to the audio files on the book page is the section titled "SPECIAL SECTION: YOU, ME, AND CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR":

SPECIAL SECTION: YOU, ME, AND CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR

Collect them all, and when we're finished, you'll have an audio version of the entire book.