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If there is a single tragic flaw that mars our biggest enterprises, it is conservatism – the failure to fail, and fail big, in an era of unprecedented volatility and ambiguity.

Tom Peters

Authority never matches responsibility. That’s one of the great myths and delusions of all times. Winning managers and individual performers at all levels know that effectiveness means building your own network and creating your own authority.
TOM PETERS

Individual Levels Mean Military War
Make an extensive table of project ‘deliverables’. Label one column ‘as requested’. Create another column labeled ‘could be’. Make each ‘could be’ wild and woolly!
TOM PETERS

Column Impact Labels Make Tables
Success requires a persistent misreading of the odds.
TOM PETERS

Misreading Odds Persistent
The top athletes are consummate pros who work obsessively at their craft. Approach yours the same way.
TOM PETERS

Athlete Crafts Way
We cannot innovate without opening the door to havoc.
TOM PETERS

Doors Havoc Innovation
The widespread availability of information is the only basis for effective day-to-day problem solving, which abets continuous improvement programs.
TOM PETERS

Abet Availability Information
We often hear that the digital age has resulted in a devaluing of time, space, and place. But I wonder if theseclaims are exaggerated.
TOM PETERS

Age Digital Space
As a consumer, you want to associate with brands whose powerful presence creates a halo effect that rubs off on you.
TOM PETERS

Halos Powerful Want
And 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 PETERS

Business Remembers Everything Vulnerable
For me, reading is reading.
TOM PETERS

Good Knowledge Learn Read Reading
The populations of most cities around the world continue to grow. The reasonspeople congregate in cities are various and complex, and the dawn of the digital age has not put much of adamper on the human urge to congregate.
TOM PETERS

Age Cities Congregate Digital
The simple act of paying positive attention to people has a great deal to do with productivity.
TOM PETERS

Positive Productive Work Simple
Cost does not equal value… and low cost parts decrease brand equity for a very long time.
TOM PETERS

Cost Elapsed Long
Almost all quality improvement comes via simplification of design, manufacturing… layout, processes, and procedures.
TOM PETERS

Business Design Poor Process Quality
Hire attitude train skills.
TOM PETERS

Attitude Skills Train
Sorry, but those are two of the most profoundly upsetting questions anyone can ask – upsetting because the answer should be obvious: Do what turns you on, not what the statistics say is best.
TOM PETERS

Answer Anyone Profoundly Sorry Statics Upsetting

If there is a single tragic flaw that mars our biggest enterprises, it is conservatism – the failure to fail, and fail big, in an era of unprecedented volatility and ambiguity.

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If there is a single tragic flaw that mars our biggest enterprises, it is conservatism – the failure to fail, and fail big, in an era of unprecedented volatility and ambiguity.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

More Tom Peters Quotes