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 "TALENT":

#92. Hiring: Do You Approach It with Unabashed Fanaticism?

#93. Promotion: Are You Building a "Two Per Year" Legacy?

#94. Development: Are You Finding and Cultivating First-Rate ("Godlike") First-Line Supervisors?

#95. People Who Lead People: You = Your Development Track Record.

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

The Little BIG Things
Synopsis Series
#22 Customers
#23 Action

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 "Customers" and "Action." In Customers, the message is the importance of communication - have you called a customer today? Action is, of course, all about doing. "She or he who tries the most stuff wins."

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

#22 Customers
#23 Action

*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.

Happy Thanksgiving!

When at home, Tom is the family's Designated Shopper. He photographed his shopping list a few years ago, and it evokes the Thanksgiving-in-Vermont image.

From all of us at tompeters.com, have a festive holiday!

Little BIG Video #48
Strategy:
Hold 'em and Fold 'em

Here's video number 48 from The Little BIG Things Video Series. Persistence. You've gotta have more than your share to succeed. There's plenty of advice out there about knowing when to give up. Tom's advice? Hold out longer than anyone thinks is wise.

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, 50 seconds] You can also download a PDF transcript of the video's content: Strategy: Hold 'em and Fold 'em.

The Little BIG Things
Synopsis Series
#20 Yes
#21 No

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 "Yes" and "No." In these sections, Tom reminds us that, "Time is your most precious resource." In Yes, the focus is on being intentional about having fun, and in No, the focus is on choosing what not to spend your time on.

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

#20 Yes
#21 No

*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.

Little BIG Video #47
Brand You:
TDY Finance

In video number 47 from The Little BIG Things Video Series, Tom advises you to take on a temporary duty assignment in the finance department. The relationships you build there will be priceless in getting things done.

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: Brand You: TDY Finance.

Goodbye to 2010

Today marks Tom's last speech/event of 2010 (download the slides below). He's addressing the National Association of Independent Life Brokerage Agencies at Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center, outside of Dallas in Grapevine, TX. He's been in the public presentation business/arena since 1977. In those 33 years, he figures he's walked on stage almost 3,000 times and logged about 5,000,000 miles in the process.

And as those who've seen him of late know, he loves the work as much or more than ever. Why keep going? His ready response: "There's a lot of unfinished business."

Excellence: The 8H "Theory of Everything" NAILBA, Dallas, TX, 18 November 2010

The "11H Theory of Everything"

I've been playing with "Hs." First it was 3Hs. Then 7Hs. Then 6, 5, etc. Here I want to share the Grand Finale. (For now.) That is, "The 11H Theory of Everything," a 368-slide show. Incidentally, I've included the original "3H Theory of Everything" as an Appendix.

Enjoy!

Cool Friend #153
Stephen Shapiro (No.2)

Cool Friend Steve Shapiro returns to tell us about his new book, Personality Poker: The Playing Card Tool for Driving High-Performance Teamwork and Innovation. He's created a game to help identify—so that you can diversify—the personality types within your organization. The more diverse the personality types, the more fertile the environment for innovation.

Read the interview with Erik Hansen and find out more about Steve at his site.

The Little BIG Things
Synopsis Series
#19 Equations

It's time for a new section in The Little BIG Things Synopsis Series. The next section in The Little BIG Things: 163 Ways to Pursue Excellence is a Special Section titled "The Equations: An Engineer's View of the Secrets of Effective Implementation." In it, Tom lists the things you can do to "boost your odds of success at implementing damn near anything."

You can download a free pdf of this section from The Little BIG Things Synopsis Series* by clicking below:

#19 Equations

*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.

Little BIG Video #46
Leadership:
The Squint Test

In video number 46 from The Little BIG Things Video Series, Tom explains that you don't have to be exact, but your project team should resemble the market it serves or something is very wrong.

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, 21 seconds] You can also download a PDF transcript of the video's content: Leadership: The Squint Test.

ExpoManagement Mexico

Tom, along with Colin Powell, Renee Mauborgne, Paul Krugman and others, is speaking for HSM in Mexico D.F. at ExpoManagement Mexico. You will find two very different versions of his presentation here; he will, for sure, give one or the other!

Excellence: The 8H "Theory of Everything" ExpoManagement Mexico, 10 November 2010

Excellence, Always. Innovate. Or Die. ExpoManagement Mexico, 10 November 2010

The Little BIG Things
Synopsis Series
#17 Networking
#18 Lunch

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 "Networking" and "Lunch." Your relationships are the key to success, on a project level or career level. Tom not only explains why but how to improve these all-important relationships.

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

#17 Networking
#18 Lunch

*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.

Drucker Centennial Day

The Drucker Institute has been celebrating Peter Drucker's legacy for a year. Today's event in Claremont, CA marks the grand finale. And Tom ("I'm honored beyond words") gives the keynote address.

Herewith, in truncated and longer formats.

Excellence: The 7H "Theory of Everything" Drucker Centennial, Final version.

Excellence: The 10H "Theory of Everything" Ducker Centennial, Long version.

Complaining with Style!

A friend recently went to Sante Fe and had a less than scintillating experience at the Inn and Spa at Loretto. I thought the online review he posted at tripadvisor.com was masterful. (I may copy some of his refined language the next time I have a crappy experience.)

Herewith, his review:

If you really enjoy being treated with contempt (I understand some people do), then the Inn and Spa at Loretto is the place for you. My wife and I had planned two days at this four-star inn as the culmination of a visit to the Southwest, but as soon as we saw our room, we decided to leave as early as possible the next day. No one at the desk asked us why we were checking out early. I'm sure they knew the reason; it's doubtful anyone has ever stayed more than one night in that room.

The room is on the first floor just down the hall from the public restrooms. It has no windows, just French doors opening directly onto the parking lot—I mean DIRECTLY: no lawn, flower border, or screening of any sort. You can step out of the door and bounce off the grill of a car—maybe your own car, which you can park there for an extra $18 a day. If you are particularly gregarious, you might enjoy relaxing in your room and exchanging cheery greetings with hotel staff members bustling by with their cleaning equipment or valets parking cars 12 feet from your bed. But if you have a more retiring nature, you'll feel compelled to draw the curtains, making the dark and gloomy room with its blood-red walls resemble a vampire's crypt.

A four-star hotel should give a four-star experience to every guest, not just those with the best rooms. We had a third-rate motel experience at three times the cost. When we left, we moved into a larger, more pleasant room at a Marriott Courtyard at a savings of $100. Admittedly, we could still see the parking lot (where we parked for free), but it was four floors below our balcony, and it was separated from the hotel by a lawn and trees. So we recommend the Marriott, where you will get a nice room for the price, and you won't feel either cheated or insulted.

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 "PRESENCE":

#87. Managing By Wandering Around-It's All Around You!

#88. All Senses! Or Nonsense!

#89. Leave Your Wallet (or Pocketbook) at Home.

#90. Get Down from Your Pedestal - and Beware the Sound of Laughter!

#91. Big Plan? No, Small Steps (Steps on the Ground).

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

App Giveaway

Last week we had a surprise giveaway of Tom's The Little BIG Things Vook iPhone and iPad apps. We ask people to submit their own Two-Cent Candy story.

We received some remarkable stories (even a winning tweet!). Among the winning stories were those of a fantastic "Director of First Impressions," an eBay vendor who included popcorn in a box of purchased DVDs, and a spectacularly sanitary little sweets shop in India.

Our favorite came from a gentleman named Stuart:

My daughter was flying from London Heathrow to Philadelphia to a friend's wedding and left her hat, the wedding present and her travel details on the bus which transferred her from the car park to the terminal.

Only realising what she had done minutes before check-in she was trying to "be brave" when through a throng of people came her "knight in (shining) dayglo," the bus driver, carrying her forgotten belongings.

He had no need to do it. And it can't have been easy delivering her things personally but he did it and made my daughter's day.

And those of you who enjoy parsimony of words will appreciate this tweet sent from Daryl of 360Construction:

"When 360 began, we'd jump at the chance to fix a rickety doorknob. Today, no matter client size, our people check/fix doors."

Congratulations to all the winners. And many thanks to all who participated, as well as our friends at Vook.

The Calm After the Storm?

[Our guest blogger is Madeleine McGrath, Managing Director of the Tom Peters Company.]

During summer 2010, we (Tom Peters Company) were sensing that among our clients that had survived the worst of the recession, the mood was becoming more buoyant. Our customer base tends to be more forward-thinking and adventurous than the norm, and is often a bellwether of new trends. We therefore decided to find out what this group was seeing ahead, and if there were lessons for other leaders.

Our recent survey involved a select group of clients located in 29 countries and 6 continents. Overall, we found they, particularly those in the private sector, are indeed ready to put the past behind them. One respondent summed it up this way: "We've been in survival mode and it has hurt our growth. We need to focus on the future and stop the survival mentality. But how?"

[read more]

The Little BIG Things
Synopsis Series
#15 Leadership
#16 Words

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 "Leadership" and "Words." Both sections focus on respect, with Leadership encouraging you to serve those who you lead, and Words emphasizing the power of simple phrases that can completely change a relationship.

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

#15 Leadership
#16 Words

*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.