Little BIG Video #63
Strategy:
Pay Attention to Boomers

The latest video at YouTube is #63 in The Little BIG Things Video Series. Though young people are important to marketers in these times, Tom argues, marketers had better keep an eye on boomers, also.

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 52 seconds] You can also download a PDF transcript of the video's content: Strategy: Pay Attention to Boomers.

Hanley Wood Housing Leadership Summit 2011, 23 May

Hanley Wood Business Media is the #1 multi-media company serving the construction industry. Tom spoke yesterday to their Housing Leadership Summit 2011. Homebuilding is still taking it on the chin, to be sure. "Keynoting this event will, indeed, be a unique challenge," Tom said. "On the other hand, battered or not, the relentless pursuit of Excellence is a heady and worthwhile challenge."

Hanley Wood Housing Leadership Summit 2011

Hanley Wood Leadership Summit, Long

New Audio: Tom Reads The Little BIG Things

The latest addition to the audio version of The Little BIG Things is the Special Section The Top 50 "Have-Yous." This has been available as a PDF for a while, but this is your chance to hear Tom present these questions/challenges. And, of course, he rewrote extensively before it was included in TLBT:

Special Section: The Top 50 "Have-Yous"

Collect all the audio files, and when we've finished uploading them, you'll have the entire book in mp3 form.

Little BIG Video #62
Brand You:
Two Decisions a Year Define You

We present video #62 from The Little BIG Things Video Series. In this video at YouTube, Tom insists that your legacy is defined by the people you leave behind—those you promote into strategic positions—so he asks you to choose wisely.

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 12 seconds] You can also download a PDF transcript of the video's content: Brand You: 2 Decisions a Year Define You.

New Audio: Tom's Reading The Little BIG Things

The presentation of the audio version of The Little BIG Things continues with the section titled "ENTERPRISE":

140. An Organization Is "People Serving People." (Period!)

141. The PSF Mandate: "Work Worth Paying For."

142. Don't Let the "Enemy" Rule Your Life.

143. Love Your Competitors.

Collect all the audio files, and when we're finished, you'll have the entire book in mp3 form.

TMPAA Conference 10 May 2011

Tom is in Boston today ("For once, working at home," he says.) He is speaking to the Target Markets Program Administrators Association. These are the mostly independent administrators/quarterbacks for specialty insurance products—for school districts, construction companies, etc. As he says, "I'm in hog heaven—I believe wholeheartedly in the power of modest-sized specialists to dominate their niche. The Great German Export Engine, the 'Mittelstand,' which I have studied in depth, consists of excellent mid-sized specialists, described by one expert as 'agile creatures darting between the legs of multi-national monsters.' "

Excellence. Always. TMPAA Conference, Boston, 10 May 2011

You can also follow TMPAA on Twitter @TMPAA.

Little BIG Video #61
Strategy:
Brand Equals Talent

This week we add number 61 from The Little BIG Things Video Series. In this video at YouTube, Tom reminds us that branding efforts go only so far unless accompanied by an emphasis on people, i.e., the talent.

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 55 seconds] You can also download a PDF transcript of the video's content: Strategy: Brand Equals Talent.

New Audio Files: Tom Reads The Little BIG Things

The latest additions of 2 May make up the section of the book titled "GRUNGE":

135. The Enemy Within—Or: There Is No Cost Higher Than the Cost of Rigidity.

136. Become a Decentralization Dervish!

137. Play the ... Great Grunge Removal Game!

138. The 1 Percent Drill: Clearing Away a World of "Slop" in Just 45 Minutes.

139. Goal: To Make "Common Sense" More Common.

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

The EXCELLENCE 25: Master the Basics

[This photo and the one at the end of this post were both taken by Tom at his farm in VT. Signs of spring are literally cherished after a long winter in northern climes.--SD]

Tripped over this list—and, frankly, liked it. (After a few edits.) Here it is—FYI. (Download the PowerPoint version here.)

1. Read.


2. Write.


3. Talk.


4. LISTEN.


5. Appreciate.


6. Kind.


7. Walk.


8. Work.


9. EXECUTE.


10. EXECUTE.


11. Relentless.


12. Enthuse.


13. WOW!


14. PEOPLE.


15. Frontline.


16. ACT.


17. Anger.


18. Band.


19. Apologize.


20. Weird-out.


21. Why?


22. Network I.


23. Network II.


24. Wired.


25. EXCELLENCE.

The EXCELLENCE 25/Expanded

1. Read. (Out study 'em. Read wide. Read deep.)


2. Write. (Clear. Concise. Compelling. Powerful.)


3. Talk. (Presentation MASTERY. Study. Practice-PRACTICE-Practice. Storytelling, mastery of.)


4. LISTEN. (Study. Practice-PRACTICE-Practice. Understand enormous-MATCHLESS power thereof.)


5. Appreciate. (Engaged. Compassionate. Appreciative always. "Thank you" rules.)


6. Kind. (Pays off big-time. K =R =P/Kindness = Repeat business = Profit.)


7. Walk. (MBWA/Managing By Wandering Around. "In touch" as fetish. Practice!)


8. Work. (Work harder than the next person.)


9. EXECUTE. (SWEAT THE DETAILS WITH MANIACAL PASSION.)


10. EXECUTE. (SWEAT THE DETAILS WITH MANIACAL PASSION.)


11. Relentless. (Keep on keepin' on. "Know when to fold 'em": NO!! Master of "Plan B.")


12. Enthuse. (Enthusiasm begets Enthusiasm. Enthusiasm moves mountains.)


13. WOW! (Knock-your-socks-off standard for positively everything.)


14. PEOPLE. (People 1st. People 2nd. People 3rd ... Great-engaged people>>Great strategy. Best bosses = Best people developers. Your people are your #1 customers.)


15. Frontline. (First-line supervisors, quality of, determine just about everything.)


16. ACT. (Most tries wins! READY. FIRE! AIM. "Blame no one. Expect nothing. Do something." "You miss 100% of the shots you never take.")


17. Anger. (Impatience. Constantly question the status quo.)


18. Band. (Small, passionate, relentless bands of people change the world!)


19. Apologize. ("I'm sorry," enormous-STAGGERING power thereof.)


20. Weird-out. (Multiple, unusual sources of information and feedback. You are who you hang out with. PERIOD.)


21. Why? (Curiosity power! Always/repeatedly ask and ask and ask: "Why?")


22. Network I. (Work like a demon on wider-deeper relationships. Think R.O.I.R./Return On Investment in Relationships. NEVER WASTE A LUNCH.)


23. Network II. ("Suck down" for success. "Real work" happens 2-3 levels "down"—master the "working underbelly" of your own/customer/etc. organizations.)


24. Wired. (Use every trick in the Internet/Co-create/Social Media book.)


25. EXCELLENCE. (The only standard. Always capitalize all letters.)

EXCELLENCE. Always.
If not EXCELLENCE, what?
If not EXCELLENCE now, when?