Basics57:Basics57:From Action From Action to Excellenceto Excellence

Tom Peters/0222.2009Tom Peters/0222.2009

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Basics57: From Action to ExcellenceBasics57: From Action to Excellence

1.1. Action! “Bias for action.” “Ready. Fire. Aim.” “You miss Action! “Bias for action.” “Ready. Fire. Aim.” “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” 100% of the shots you don’t take.”

2. Failure. “Whoever makes the most mistakes wins.”2. Failure. “Whoever makes the most mistakes wins.” “ “Reward excellent failures, punish mediocre successes.”Reward excellent failures, punish mediocre successes.”3. Execution! “The last 98%.” Enjoy-master the politics or3. Execution! “The last 98%.” Enjoy-master the politics or flunk out. The invisible “underbelly” is the key!flunk out. The invisible “underbelly” is the key!4. Great things, small packages. Germany’s Mittelstand.4. Great things, small packages. Germany’s Mittelstand.5. Not cool coolest of the cool. Basement Systems Inc. Jim’s5. Not cool coolest of the cool. Basement Systems Inc. Jim’s Group, 2800 franchisees, masters of dog-walking.Group, 2800 franchisees, masters of dog-walking.6. Big 4. TP’s “4 for 40,” 4 things I’ve learned in 40 years.6. Big 4. TP’s “4 for 40,” 4 things I’ve learned in 40 years. Decentralization. Execution. Accountability. 615AM.Decentralization. Execution. Accountability. 615AM.7. Clarity around core values. For living, not for7. Clarity around core values. For living, not for shareholders—best way for shareholders to win. shareholders—best way for shareholders to win. 8. Organizations exist to serve. Period. 8. Organizations exist to serve. Period. 9. People first. “Life success company.” “Put the customer9. People first. “Life success company.” “Put the customer second.” “Cathedrals devoted to human growth.”second.” “Cathedrals devoted to human growth.”10. “What do you think?” “Dream manager.”10. “What do you think?” “Dream manager.”

Basics57: From Action to ExcellenceBasics57: From Action to Excellence

11. Quality obsession. 11. Quality obsession. 12. No corner-cutting in tough times.12. No corner-cutting in tough times.13. Design-produce Brilliant/Memorable Experiences.13. Design-produce Brilliant/Memorable Experiences. Everywhere. Accounting Dept. as Cirque du Soleil.Everywhere. Accounting Dept. as Cirque du Soleil.14. Keep climbing the value-added ladder. Best Buy/Geek14. Keep climbing the value-added ladder. Best Buy/Geek Squad. IBM Global Services. Squad. IBM Global Services. 15. Department as “PSF”/Professional Service Firm. From15. Department as “PSF”/Professional Service Firm. From “ “overhead” to “principal engine of value-added.”overhead” to “principal engine of value-added.”16. “Insanely great.” “Only ones who do what we do.” 16. “Insanely great.” “Only ones who do what we do.” “ “Radically thrilling.” Words matter!Radically thrilling.” Words matter!17. Emotions rule. Always. 17. Emotions rule. Always. 18. Brand You. Declaration of Independence. “Distinct or18. Brand You. Declaration of Independence. “Distinct or extinct.”extinct.”19. Design. Apple. Apple. Apple.19. Design. Apple. Apple. Apple.20. Innovate or die. “You must be the change you wish to20. Innovate or die. “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”see in the world.”

Basics57: From Action to ExcellenceBasics57: From Action to Excellence

21. R&D imperative in tough times.21. R&D imperative in tough times.22. You are who you hang out with. “Hang out with weird, 22. You are who you hang out with. “Hang out with weird, get weird. Hang out with dull, get dull.”get weird. Hang out with dull, get dull.”23. Diversity for diversity’s sake.23. Diversity for diversity’s sake.24. Nudgery/Multiplier power/Little = Big. Pronovost’s ICU 24. Nudgery/Multiplier power/Little = Big. Pronovost’s ICU check list. Etching in the urinal.check list. Etching in the urinal.25. Location power. The #1 underutilized invisible megalever.25. Location power. The #1 underutilized invisible megalever.26. “Business model.” Microsoft. “This is how we make 26. “Business model.” Microsoft. “This is how we make moneymoney in 25 words or less.”in 25 words or less.”27. Obsessive-compulsive relationship development and27. Obsessive-compulsive relationship development and maintenance. Measure it! Focus on the “underbelly”!maintenance. Measure it! Focus on the “underbelly”!28. Crowdsourcing.28. Crowdsourcing.29. BlogPower.29. BlogPower.30. Decency. Thoughtfulness. Value is X10 in tough times.30. Decency. Thoughtfulness. Value is X10 in tough times.

Basics57: From Action to ExcellenceBasics57: From Action to Excellence

31. Smile. Nelson Mandela. D.D. Eisenhower. 31. Smile. Nelson Mandela. D.D. Eisenhower. Starbucks.Starbucks.32. Give good tea. Ben Franklin.32. Give good tea. Ben Franklin.33. Dance your way to a world-altering33. Dance your way to a world-altering alliance in 96 hours. Edward VII.alliance in 96 hours. Edward VII.34. “Thank you.” 34. “Thank you.” 35. Apologize. Make the 3-minute call. “Three-35. Apologize. Make the 3-minute call. “Three- minute call hour.”minute call hour.”36. Comeback power. Comeback>Perfection.36. Comeback power. Comeback>Perfection.37. “Kindness is free.” 37. “Kindness is free.” 38. Transparency.38. Transparency.39. Accountability.39. Accountability.40. Enthusiasm. Energy. Exuberance.40. Enthusiasm. Energy. Exuberance.

Basics57: From Action to ExcellenceBasics57: From Action to Excellence 41. Hiring #1. 2 per year/promotion power. 41. Hiring #1. 2 per year/promotion power. 1st line supervisor power. 1st line supervisor power. 42. Pick “people people.” Select-for-42. Pick “people people.” Select-for- intangibles.intangibles.43. Resilience. “We’ll lick ‘em tomorrow.”43. Resilience. “We’ll lick ‘em tomorrow.”44. Appetite for tough times. Tough times44. Appetite for tough times. Tough times define your life.define your life.45. Calendar management. “Calendars never45. Calendar management. “Calendars never lie.”lie.”46. “Hard is soft. Soft is hard.” “0 for 15.”46. “Hard is soft. Soft is hard.” “0 for 15.”47. Women 47. Women Are the Market. “Womenomics.”Are the Market. “Womenomics.”48. Women rule. Women are the best leaders. 48. Women rule. Women are the best leaders. 49. Boomers-geezers have all the $$$$$. 49. Boomers-geezers have all the $$$$$. 50. Integrity.50. Integrity.

Basics57: From Action to ExcellenceBasics57: From Action to Excellence

51. Wildly “over-communicate,” especially in tough51. Wildly “over-communicate,” especially in tough times.times.52. XFX/Cross-functional excellence = Lunch52. XFX/Cross-functional excellence = Lunch management.management.53. Listening. Listening-as-strategy. Hearing>Listening.53. Listening. Listening-as-strategy. Hearing>Listening. Become a student!Become a student!54. Know yourself—far easier said than done. 54. Know yourself—far easier said than done. 55. MBWA/Managing By Wandering Around. “In touch” 55. MBWA/Managing By Wandering Around. “In touch” power. Measure it!power. Measure it!56. Show up in tough times.56. Show up in tough times.57. EXCELLENCE. ALWAYS.57. EXCELLENCE. ALWAYS.