The common wisdom is that ... managers have to learn to motivate people. Nonsense. Employees bring their own motivation. Tom Peters More Quotes by Tom Peters More Quotes From Tom Peters The hyperfast-moving, wired-up, reengineered, quality-obsessed organization will succeed or fail on the strength of the trust that its managers place in the folks working on the front line. Tom Peters qualityorganizationmoving Develop a respect and reverence for the principle of variation: the idea that the message ain't in the mean, the mode or the median - it's in the differences that occur throughout a population. Tom Peters educationalmeanideas An ability to embrace new ideas, routinely challenge old ones, and live with paradox will be the effective leader's premier trait. Tom Peters leaderchallengesideas Mastery is great, but even that is not enough. You have to be able to change course without a bead of sweat, or remorse. Tom Peters masterysweatable A good collection is more than just the sum of its parts. Tom Peters collections Every collection reflects the ideas andvalues and interests of the individual or group who developed the collection. Tom Peters individualgroupsideas Are Your Customers saying WOW? Tom Peters wowcustomers Leaders do stuff that matters. Tom Peters leadermatterstuff Be guided by the axiom: There are no limits to the ability to contribute on the part of a properly selected, well-trained, appropriately supported, and, above all, committed person. Tom Peters abilitycommittedlimits Treat the customer as an appreciating asset. Tom Peters assetsappreciatebusiness I don't believe in holy writ. Buy fifty books or twenty-five books, take three weeks off, read them and make up your own theory. The fact that you end up literally burning twenty-two out of twenty-five books is beside the point. Tom Peters readingbelievebook Fact is, the work place to a great extent is "where we live." We need star accountants. Boffo saleswomen. Over-the-top creatives in marketing and new product development. And so on. But, since we're effectively talking about "where we live," good sense and good business and "good" engagement throughout the "supply chain," from vendor's vendor to customer's customer, we would benefit mightily-including on the P & L-if we insisted (!) on: "Pleasant." "Caring." "Engaged." Tom Peters starscaringtalking It's not enough to be close to the customer. You've got to be glued to the customer. Tom Peters customersenoughleadership Want to accomplish something, any-damn-thing? Sharpen your political skills! Tom Peters politicalskillswant The dominant culture in most big companies demands punishment for a mistake, no matter how useful, small, invisible. Tom Peters punishmentmistakeculture You are who you go to lunch with! Break bread with cool and you will become more cool. Conversely: break bread with dull and well, you can figure it out. Tom Peters lunchbusinessdull WORK ON YOUR STORY! He/she who has the best story wins! In life! In business! The White House! Tom Peters businesswhitewinning The best kept secret in the global economy today is this: When your service is AWESOME you get so stinking rich you have to buy new bags to carry all the money home. Tom Peters economy-todaybest-kept-secretshome Screw-ups are the mark of excellence. Tom Peters markscrew-upsexcellence To grasp organizational life as it is, read novels (!) .... It is my fervent belief that we will never design rational processes that "overcome" such irregularities-don't bother telling that to a consultant. Hence, we should embrace the real, nonrational, nonlinear world with vigor and glee-and develop enterprise and career strategies accordingly. Tom Peters creativityrealsuccess
