Free Stuff

Tweetbook

Wed, 15 Jun 2011 09:16:13 -0500

Tom embraced the new media web conversation at Twitter—with extreme enthusiasm! As he does everything. So, he has a lengthy collection of past tweets to share. Expect frequent updates to this, his Tweetbook (currently 15 June 2011). Thanks to the folks at www.tweetbook.in for making it easy for Tom to collect his Twitter postings so that we can offer it here to readers of tompeters.com. If you'd like the Twitter stream directly, to experience the immediacy of the conversation, follow Tom @tom_peters.

A Brief History of the 7-S ("McKinsey 7-S") Model

Wed, 11 May 2011 12:25:34 -0500

Revisiting his early career and a highlight from In Search of Excellence (the 7-S Model actually predates its publication), Tom describes the origins of the McKinsey 7-S Model. Still in use and relevant to this day, the 7-S Model contains the beginnings of many ideas Tom has expanded on since its inception. For example, "Hard is soft. Soft is hard," can be traced back to the 7-S framework.

The Memories That Matter

Wed, 06 Oct 2010 07:33:40 -0500

Tom:
"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. When you look back at 'what really matters'—it's rarely 'the numbers.' What follows is then, '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."

X2: REALLY First Things Before First Things

Mon, 20 Sep 2010 14:14:09 -0500

X2 or The Excellence TWO. They encompass two notions of ... Surpassing Strategic Importance.

Two notions we all "care about"—but two notions that we frequently fail to ... OBSESS ... on. And it is precisely ... OBSESSION ... that is called for.

The X2:

EXCELLENCE in Cross-functional Communication and Integration.
EXCELLENCE in 1st-line management.

Independent Retailer Edge

Mon, 13 Sep 2010 10:22:34 -0500

Following a seminar Tom gave, aboard the "Seabourn Spirit" and "aimed at independent retailers under attack from their 'big box' brethren," he drafted "The Independent Retailer Edge." It's benefits are not limited to the retail industry.

Excellence Oath and Credo

Mon, 07 Jun 2010 09:30:33 -0500

Tom has been developing this Credo for a time. He blogged about it, included a version in The Little BIG Things, and has now added the Oath of Office for Managers/Servant Leaders. According to Tom "It is a set of ideas ("Principles for doing business well and profitably"? "Elements of Excellence"?) worthy of attention and emulation." With a focus on the development of your team's talent and considering leadership a sacred trust, Tom encourages you to be "explorer-adventurers proceeding toward individual and collective growth.". He puts it this way, "Our job as leaders—the alpha and the omega and everything in between—is abetting the sustained growth and success and engagement and enthusiasm and commitment to Excellence of those, one at a time, who directly or indirectly serve the ultimate customer."

Joy Stauber worked her magic on the design of this piece.

ChangeThis: Enterprise At Its Best

Thu, 08 Apr 2010 12:39:00 -0500

A complete section of Tom's book The Little BIG Things was published at ChangeThis as a manifesto titled "Enterprise* (*at its best)." Within its pages, Tom describes enterprise as a "vital, innovative, joyful, creative, entrepreneurial endeavor" in service to employees and customers. He goes on to explain his every-department-a-PSF theory and why you shouldn't let your competition rule your life, but at the same time never denigrate them. If this seems contradictory, you might want to download the PDF!

Thanks to Joy Stauber for the beautiful design of this manifesto.

Recession 46

Fri, 14 Aug 2009 09:43:01 -0500

This is what Tom calls "Recession46: Forty-six 'Secrets' and 'Clever Strategies' For Dealing with the Recession of 2008-XXXX." It's part of a collection titled "Tom Peters' Thoughts About Getting Things Done, in Good Times and Bad," and we offer it to you here as a stand-alone. At only two pages long, it is a tidy, handy list of counterintuitive thoughts on handling the current financial downturn.

Quality 136

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 11:49:59 -0500

A speech in New Delhi co-sponsored by the American Society for Quality led me to concoct this list. I have always had a broad view of "quality," and decided to let my mind and keyboard go where they would. Resulting in "Quality & Excellence: The Quality 136—One Hundred Thirty-six Random Thoughts on Quality, Emphasizing the Elements That Are Often Missing in Conventional Quality Programs."

Heart of Strategy

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 09:10:35 -0500

We usually think of business strategy as some sort of aspirational market positioning statement. Doubtless that's part of it. But I believe that the number one "strategic strength" is excellence in execution and systemic relationships (i.e., with everyone we come in contact with). Hence I offer 48 [now 56! 01 April 2009] pieces of advice for creating a winning strategy that is inherently sustainable.

Innovation Tactics

Thu, 08 Jan 2009 05:11:25 -0500

Recession or no recession, deep recession or not, the challenge to add more and more value grows, and the importance of innovation, and a culture of innovation, grows exponentially. A "culture of innovation" covers "everything." There is no half way. There of course are "first principles." Or are there? I started a list of "stuff" that's imperative to creating an innovative enterprise. The list of 10 or so grew to 25, than 45, and at the moment includes no less than 121 "tactics." Of course you can't do all of them. Or must you? Well, you can't do all 121, or maybe even half that number, or less, but the absence of any one or two or three or six weakens and perhaps even imperils the entire structure; that is, we are talking overall about an abiding "culture of innovation," and it takes a thousand signals roughly aligned to establish it and, especially, keep it in place.

Real People

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 11:35:43 -0500

"Real People" is the shorthand title for what Tom calls "Excellence for the Rest of Us: A Book for Real People, Working in the Real World in 2008." In this manifesto, Tom contrasts the thinking of gurus (like him!) to the thinking of the rest of us ... those who toil in more conventional settings. In Search of Excellence introduces this idea when Tom and Bob Waterman write, "Hard is Soft. Soft is Hard." By that phrase, they are referring to the people things, the soft stuff that's more difficult than the numbers game of business. Tom revisits and expands on this thinking in "Real People."

Cookie Lessons, 24 December 2007

Mon, 24 Dec 2007 11:55:40 -0500

We're re-issuing this column as a holiday offering from tompeters.com. Tom wrote it once upon a time for his column syndicated by the Chicago Tribune, but we think its lessons are timeless. And, what better way for us to recognize the holiday season than to post this article—"Lessons About Life & Enterprise from Baking Christmas Cookies."

XF 50

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 17:11:43 -0500

Tom introduced this collection as his effort to get you to pay "'strategic' attention to what has always been Issue #1 in organizational effectiveness ... from Napoleon to the man in the moon." Namely, cross-functional effectiveness, which will help you "'Deliver Speed,' 'Service Excellence,' and 'Value-added Customer Solutions.'"

"Top 50" "Have-Yous"

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 12:12:39 -0500

The Top 50 Have You [done these things in the last week, day, hour?] list is Tom's reaction to the phrase "Mapping Your Competitive Position." He contends that you should, instead, put some effort to the tasks on his list. In his estimation, they're important to the short- and long-term health of any enterprise, big or small. If so, the mapping will become a secondary issue.