This I Believe! by Tom Peters
I finished reading This I Believe! by Tom Peters and boy do I love it. I actually already ordered Re-Imagine!, after it having been suggested to me by Ingmar about a week back and after having read the manifesto. Read to to find out what I felt were the most touching points for me.
Audacity matters is point number 2, was actually already part of Built-To-Last, where BHAG was coined. Question authority is about hireing disrespectful people. _“No Assumption should go unchallenged!”_ and that _“Gold Stars for all who openly challenge the status quo — day after day after daunting day.”_ are Tom’s main points here and they really hit home. Disorganization wins , but not undiscipline is very close to trust and to what Semco does I find. _“They [good managers] know that what they know is small beer compared to what they don’t know.”_ Here he splits organization which is about executing the daily chores and progress, which _depends on counterintuitive leaps into the unknown_.
Three hearty cheers for weirdos is something that goes through the entire thing, making sure that you understand that different is good. I also agree 100% with his point 8, that technology change is but in its infancy. Everything is up for graps (9). _“It is the foremost rask — and responsibilty — of this generation to re-imagine all of our institutions, private and public.”_ is very similar to what Dee Hock said in Birth of the Chaordic Age:
_In times such as these, it is no failure to fall short of realizing all that we might dream — the failure is to fall short of dreaming all that we might realize. We must try. — Dee Hock_
In point 10, Tom argues that _Upstarts will indeed become Establishment_. His _money lies with the next generation(s) of Gateses and Waltons and Venters_. These companies shoudl really focus on temporary glory, things that may not last but the will change the world permanently.
Kaizen (Continuous Improvement) is something he says is dangerous. To some extent I agree, especially with his point that it perfection gets in the way of finding the next big thing if you only focus on it. A nice quote there comes from Nichalos Negroponte: _Incrementalism is innovation’s worst enemy_. If you are starting to get too comfortable, destruct! _A little (or more) boat burning would do many enterprises a world of good._
I really liked seeing Tom quote Dee Hock who said something very important (again): _The problem is never how to get new, innovative thoughts into your mind, but how to get the old ones out._
Boring begets boring … _If we force ourselves into constant contact with Cool … the odds are (sky) high that “cool” will rub off._ Cool :) He goes further though, which puts this a bit into perspective and makes it harder: _This [disagreeing] is so central to personal growth (mine, at least) that I deliberatly micro-manage my calendar to ensure sufficient contact with… people and groups that … terrify … me._ Now go out and do that. I put it on my calendar. :)
Another great point (ok, they all are, but one that I liked, maybe because I am like that ;)) Action … ALWAYS… takes precedence. […] _Do…NOW. Think…later. At the very least, you’ll have something to think about since you’ve just done…something._
In the space in marketing I work in this here rang amazingly true: _Plans do not make the world go ‘round. What does? Demos! Heroes! Stories! Tests! Palpable examples! Experiments! Prototypes!_ Here he also quotes Bob Stone: _Some people look for things that went wrong and try to fix them. I look for things that went right and try to build off them._
I love his writing style. Period. End here. Example: _Failure is the mother (father, and uncle) of success. (Period.)_ Did that get the point across? :)
Some quotes for that one (rather the next point but its similar):
1\. David Kelly: _Fail Faster. Succeed sooner._
2\. Executive: _Fail. Forward. Fast._
3\. Phil Daniels: _Reward excellent failures. Punish mediocre successes._
Then something scary, for us men. S-H-E is the best leader _Women will rule. (Period.)_ Here he also cites the trend that there are two trends worth trillions. Women buy all the Stuff and We’re getting older. Oh so true.
Then something that will make some of my friends very happy: The next value proposition is design. Very good point. But then he goes on to say that Branding is for everyone and if it is what he says it is, which is to connect stories and myths to a company (because information and intelligence is not something that connects people anymore, in a time when machines have this) then I can buy into it. It also means that blogging will gain in power even more.
Then something about founding a company. What matters is … Stuff That Matters , meaning that you don’t create a business but a cause.
Going back to technology, check this: _The IS/IT/Web Revolution… again: in its infancy…changes… POSITIVELY EVERYTHING._ AGREED AGREED AGREED!!! :)
Stop doing dumb stuff, his 40th point, is actually very similar to Seth Godin’s Do Less.
Then something important: Take charge of your destiny. (No option.) It is a Brand New, Brand You World. Yes, you have to build your own personal brand.
_1\. I am known for [two to three things]
next year at this time I’ll be known for [one more thing].
2\. My current project is challenging me in the following [two ways].
3\. New things I’ve learned in the lasst 90 days include [two items].
4\. My public “recognition program” consists of [one item].
5\. Important additions to my Rolodex in the last 90 days include [one to two names].
6\. My resume is … discernebly different… from last year’ at this time [in one or two ways].
_
Great list. I’ll try to add this to my time planner. _Bottom line: You are a damn fool if you don’t assume that 36 months from now you’ll be looking for a job._
Point 49 (I left out some here ;)) concludes: _Sales for breakfast! Sales for lunch! Sales for dinner! And dream about Sales as you sleep!_
Now something for all your managers out there: Management Rule/Role №1: GET THE HELL OUT OF THE WAY. _“Manager” = Hurdle Removal Professional_
As Peter Drucker said: _Ninety percent of what we call ‘management’ consists of making it difficult for people to get things done._
One important thing in working with people: Respect. Put differently: _Don’t Belittle_. Add to that: _The deepest human need is the need to be appreciated._ — William James, psychologist
Now go DO STUFF! :)