Who, precisely, are your Dreamers? Are their Dreams in Technicolor? Do you allow their most Outrageous Dreams to be seen in public?
Tom PetersI think economics is about passion. Economic progress, whether it is a two-person coffee shop or whether it is Netscape, is about people with brave ideas. Because it is brave to mortgage the house, when you've got two kids, to start a coffee shop.
Tom PetersThe magic formula that successful businesses have discovered is to treat customers like guests and employees like people.
Tom PetersWho comes first? Don't be silly, says King Hal; it's employees. That is - and this dear Watson, is elementary - if you genuinely want to put customers first, you must put employees more first.
Tom PetersOrganize as much as possible around teams, to achieve enhanced focus, task orientation, innovativeness, and individual commitment.
Tom PetersThink about the market, think about the design, and think about who is going to design for that market. Hit the mark.
Tom PetersThe good news - and it is largely good news - is that everyone has a chance to stand out. Everyone has a chance to learn, improve, and build up their skills. Everyone has a chance to be a brand worthy of remark
Tom PetersAn era similar to the one in which the black rotary phone dominated its product category may not recur anytime soon.
Tom PetersThe widespread availability of information is the only basis for effective day-to-day problem solving, which abets continuous improvement programs.
Tom PetersPublic Speaking is a skill that can be studied, polished, perfected. Not only can you get good at it, you can get damn good at it and it makes a heck of a difference.
Tom PetersTo 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 PetersAll business success rests on something labeled a sale, which at least momentarily weds company and customer.
Tom PetersOne potential long-term problem with many current digital libraries is that they grew out of and aresupported by bricks-and-mortar libraries. Although there is nothing inherently wrong with that arrangement, inreality it creates a potentially dangerous situation that I call "the other digital divide."
Tom PetersI'm fundamentally not interested in the Fortune 500 companies - in US, Mexico, anywhere. The real backbones of economic growth are small and medium businesses.
Tom PetersMastery is great, but even that is not enough. You have to be able to change course without a bead of sweat, or remorse.
Tom PetersIf your company has a clean-desk policy, the company is nuts and you're nuts to stay there.
Tom PetersThe delivery and presentation media are important, and each format has its advantages and disadvantages, but ultimately I just want to read what I want to read, when and where I want.
Tom PetersWhen you choose a managerial path, you are choosing to devote your life to people. Period.
Tom PetersIt's relatively simple. If we're not getting more, better, faster than they are getting more, better, faster, then we're getting less, no better or more worse.
Tom PetersOne reason (among many) that women may well take over the world of "virtual enterprises" is that they seem to have a greater instinct for networking. And the unfettered-by-machismo males who have taken to networking will do better than those who shun it as "sissy stuff." But truth is, it has always been the age of "networkers"; and in an era where organizations depend more and more on tenuously connected outsiders to get the job done, it will only become so.
Tom PetersThe simple act of paying positive attention to people has a great deal to do with productivity.
Tom PetersEvery managerial act must be seen as an unequivocal support for urgency in pursuit of constant testing, change, and improvement.
Tom PetersThe number one premise of business is that it need not be boring or dull. It ought to be fun. If it's not fun, you're wasting your life.
Tom PetersNearly 100% of innovation-from business to politics-is inspired not by "market analysis" but by people who are supremely pissed off by the way things are.
Tom PetersAnd remember: Everything in business is a paradox. To be excellent, you have to be consistent. When you're consistent, you're vulnerable to attack. Yes, it's a paradox. Now deal with it!
Tom PetersThe little people will get even, which is one of a thousand reasons why they are not little people at all. If you're a jerk as a leader, you will be torpedoed. And usually it won't be by your vice presidents; it will be on the loading dock at 3am when no supervisors are around.
Tom PetersEvery collection reflects the ideas andvalues and interests of the individual or group who developed the collection.
Tom PetersBut there's no substitute for getting smarter faster. And the way you get smarter is to screw around vigorously. Try stuff. See what works. See what fails miserably. Learn. Rinse. Repeat.
Tom PetersThe dumbest mistake is viewing design as something you do at the end of the process to 'tidy up' the mess, as opposed to understanding it's a 'day one' issue and part of everything.
Tom Peters