EXCELLENCE. ALWAYS. Lists.

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EXCELLENCE. ALWAYS.Lists.
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The Irreducible209One WordThe Cup
ChallengeThe Sales122 60TIBsTom-A-to,
Tom-ah-to
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EXCELLENCE. Now.The Irreducible 219Tom
PetersNovember 2006 (Slightly updated February
2012)
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A frustrated participant at an executive seminar
in Mauritius listened impatiently to my
explanation of differences of opinion among me,
Mike Porter, Gary Hamel, Jim Collins, etc.
Finally, hed had enough. What, if anything, he
asked, do you believe for sure? I mumbled
something, but his query started rumbling around
in my mind. Three days later, wandering on a
Sunday in London, the idea of the irreducibles
occurred to meand I started jotting down notes
on stuff I do indeed believe for sure. Before
I knew it, a few days later, the list had grown
to 219 items. Hence The Irreducible219 that
follows.Tom Peters
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1. Hare 1, Tortoise 0. (Hare-y times.) 2. Tempo.
(O.O.D.A.) 3. MBWA. 4. Appreciation. (Motivator
1.) (Cant be faked. Good.) 5. Decency. 6.
Hurry. 7. Time out. 8. One matters. 9. Big
change. Short time. (Alt not work.) 10.
Excellence. Always. 11. Passion. Energy. Hustle.
Enthusiasm. Exuberance. (Move
mountains. No alt.) 12. You must care. 13.
Emotion. 14. Hard is soft. (Soft is hard.)
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15. Men. Women. Different. Contend. Connect. 16.
Women. Buy. All. (RU listening?) 17. Quality.
(Mind-blowing. Beyond 6-Sigma.) 18. Re-invent.
Re-pot. (Required.) 19. Jaywalk. 20. Big change.
Small of people. (Always.) 21. Experiment.
Now. 22. Failure. Normal. 23. Most failures,
most success. (Fail. Forward. Fast.) 24.
Reward excellent failures. Punish
mediocre successes. 25. Women leaders. (Altered
times.) 26. Extremism. (Good business. Bad
politics.) 27. Innovation source. Only. Extreme
irritation. 28. Smile.
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29. You must care. 30. Mentor. (Highest ROI.) 31.
Best roster wins. 32. Wow. (Why not?!) 33. We
all have customers. (Biz. Personal.) 34. All
contacts Experiences. 35. Cirque du Soleil.
(Peerless.) 36. Leaders create space for
growth. 37. Quests. (Only.) 38. High aspirations,
high results. (Self-fulfilling
prophecy.) 39. Attitude 1, Skills 0. (Mostly.)
(Attitude 1, Skill 0.3?) 40. Sometimes Skill
1, Attitude 0.1. 41. Must love, not like. 42.
Wegmans. (No excuses. Mere groceries.) 43.
Less than your best. Cheating.
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44. Brand You. (No alt.) 45. Self-sufficiency.
(Biggest LT turn-on.) 46. In the moment. 47. The
moment wins. 48. Tomorrow Never. 49. Action 1,
Plan 0.1. 50. Execution can be a system. 51.
Realism. (But dont let it paralyze.) 52. Own
up. Move on. 53. Accountability. 54. Work hard gt
Work smart. (Mostly.) 55. Feedback. Necessary.
Fast. (R.F.A. in RFA times.) 56.
Customers. Listen. Lead. (Paradox.) 57. On
stage. Always. (GW, FDR, RG Supreme
actors.)
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58. Master statistical analysis. 59. Excellence
Set the table. 60. Legacy. (Will it have
mattered?) 61. Great. (Why not?) 62. Radicals
rule. (Think Olympics.) 63. !!! Good. 64. Red
1, Brown 0. (Red times.) 65. Talk. Listen. (Big
2. Master.) 66. Politics. (Normal-inevitable
state of affairs. Master.) 67. Student.
Forever. 68. Why? (Question 1.) 69. Dont
belittle. 70. Respect. 71. All we have this
moment. (Moments matter most?) 72. Now.
(Procrastination. Death.)
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73. Exercise. 74. Paint. (Leader. Portraits of
Excellence.) 75. Best story wins. 76. You must
be the change you wish to see in the
world. 77. Two big ones. Max.
(Priorities.) 78. No I in Team. (I in
Win.) 79. I in Win. (No I in Team.) 80.
Different 1, Better 0. (Better 0.1) 81.
Imitation Mistake. (Learn, from who?) 82.
Choose/battle the right competitor. 83.
Schools. Creativity. Entrepreneurship.
(Not.) 84. MBAs. Creativity. Entrepreneurship.
Leadership. (Not.) 85. Design. Under-rated.
Wildly. (Still.) (Everything.)
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86. You Calendar. (Calendar. Never. Lies.) 87.
Laugh. 88. Handshake. (Quantity. Quality.) 89.
Dont fold your hands in front of your chest.
Ever. (Never.) 90. Grace. (Works in biz.) 91.
Weird. Wins. (Weird times.) 92. Crazy times.
Crazy orgs. 93. Internet. All. 94. Women.
Boomers-Geezers. Market. All. 95. Passion.
(Repeat. So what?) 96. Energy. (Repeat.
So what?) 97. Hustle. (Repeat. So
what?) 98. Enthusiasm. (Repeat. So what?) 99.
Exuberance. (Repeat. So what?) 100. Smile.
(Repeat. So what?) 101. Care.
(Repeat. So what?)
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102. Simplicity. Redundancy. Resilience. Bloody-
mindedness. Visible optimism.
(Success.) 103. Act. (Repeat. So what?) 104.
Appreciate. (Repeat. So what?) 105. Fun. (Biz.
Why not?) 106. Joy. (Biz. Why not?) 107. Sales
Life. 108. Marketing Life. 109. Long-term. Top
line. c.r.o. 110. Great company Creates the
most individual success stories.
(RE/MAX) 111. Talent first, performance
byproduct. 112. Sustained Wow 1, Shareholder
value, 0.2 (Product, People.) 113.
Commitment. by invitation only. 114. Creativity.
by invitation only. 115. HR 1. (Ought to.)
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116. Face-to-face. (5K miles, 5 minutes.) 117.
Negotiation. Make all winners. (Save
face.) 118. Grace makes enemies friends. 119.
Network. 120. Invest in relationships. (Think
ROIR. Return On Investment in
Relationships.) 118. Relationship investment.
Forethought. Calendar item.
Intensity. 119. Innovation. Easy. (Hang out
with weird.) 120. Weird Win. (Weird
times.) 121. The bottleneck is at the top
of the bottle. 122. Good Board Weird Board.
(At least, surprising.) 123. No
contention, no progress.
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R.O.I.R.Return On Investment In
Relationships
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124. Crucial conversations. Crucial
confrontations. (Study. Learn. Do.) 125. Honest
feedback. 126. Gaspworthy. Yes. 127. Insanely
great. 128. Astonish me. 129. Make it
immortal. 130. Will you remember it in 20
years? 131. No small opportunities.
(Reframe.) 132. One playmate, one playpen
Enough. 133. End run. Sensible. 134. Allies are
there for the finding. 135. Find successes. Build
on successes. (Pos gt Neg. Encourage gt
Fix.) 136. Somebodys doing it today. Find
em. 137. Someone is living 2022 in 2012.
(Find em. Study em.)
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138. Dont benchmark. futuremark. 139.
PMA. It works. (Positive. Mental.
Attitude.) 140. There are no experts. (You are
the expert.) 141. Life is short. 142. Sustained
success. Fat chance. Make today matter.
(Sustained. Ha.) 143. Collaborate. (Networked
world.) 144. Go solo. (Individual. Unit of
Intellectual Capital.) 145. There are no
perfect plans. (Do. Wins.) 146. Plans motivate.
(Right or wrong. Sense of purpose.) 147.
Never rest. 148. Get some sleep. 149. Winning
Embracing paradox. 150. Ambiguity Opportunity.
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151. Resilience. 152. Relentless-ness. 153. None.
Above. Comeuppance. No.
ultimate. business model. (GM. Sears.
U.S. Steel. DEC.) 154. Be yourself. Period. 155.
Never work with jerks. Including
customers. (Life. Too short.) 156. Under-promise,
over-deliver. 157. Talent. (Powerful word.) 158.
Customer Anyone whose actions affect
your results. 159. Competition stinks. (Seek the
soft spots where you can dominate.) 160.
K.I.S.S./Keep It Simple, Stupid. 161. Beauty.
(Good biz word.) 162. See the beauty in a your
hamburger bun. (Go. Ray Kroc.)
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163. Own up. Quick. ( Denial. Cancer.)164.
Celebrate. Often.165. 78 people 78 approaches.
(Each. Unique.)166. Weed. Ceaselessly. (Prune.
Stupid. Rules. Non-stop.)167. Get out
of the way. (You The problem.)168. Smile.
Sunny. Optimism. (If it kills you.)169. Flowers.
(Cheery workplace.)170. Enjoy. (Or get the
hell.)171. Be intolerant of sour. (1 Major
pollutant)172. No quick trigger on promotion.
(Too important.) (Promotions
Legacy.)173. Evaluation Lots of
study-time.174. Evaluation Life or death to
evaluee.175. 360 evaluation. No fad.176. Exit
when youre done. (Done. Sooner than you
think.)
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177. Today. Now. My Project. Am. Is. I.
Period. 178. Beautiful systems. (Good biz
phrase. Not oxymoron.) 179. Build on
strengths gt Fix weaknesses. 180. To dont To
do. (To dont gt To do ?) 181.
Leaders Do People. (Period.) 182. Leaders enjoy
leading. 183. Serious leadership training
Serious. 184. Priorities. Obvious. (Or
else.) 185. 5 Priorities 0 Priorities.
(3 Priorities 0 Priorities?) 186. People.
First. Last. Always. 187. It. Is. Always. The.
People.
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188. Handshake. (Quantity. Quality.)189. Dont
fold your hands in front of your chest.
Ever. (Never.)190. Simplicity. Redundancy.
Resilience. Bloody-mindedness.
Visible optimism. (Success.)
(Repeat.)191. Employee Entrance Guest
Entrance.192. Put the customer SECOND.
(Wow your people first, then the
customer will likely be Wowed..)193. Flowers.
(Or did I say that before? No matter if I
did.)194. Big Mergers dont work. Small
acquisitions can/do workif you dont
screw with their energy.
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195. One size fits. One. Only. No cookie cutter.
(Evaluations.)196. Teaching.
Individualized. Only. (7 billion people
7 billion learning trajectories.) 197. First
impression. Matters. Shapes all that
comes. Hard to overcome bad.
(Understatement.)198. Jerks. Dont work with.
(Life Too short.)199. Manage the hell out of
first impressions.200. Last impression. Matters.
Dominates memory. Hard to overcome bad.
(Understatement.)201. Manage the hell out
of first/last impressions.202. Plain
English.203. Managers do things right. Leaders
do the right thing. NOT.
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204. Instinctively head for the front
line. (In all contexts.)205. Success
DDMMPR/"D-squared, M-squared, PR
DramDiff Money-Financial Acumen
Good Marketing Instincts
Stellar People Resilience (The fab
five What. Every. Small. Biz. Needs.)
(Big too.) 206. Core Mechanism (Game-changing
Solutions) PSF (Professional Service
Firm model) Wow! Projects
(Different vs Better) Brand You
(Distinct or Extinct) 207. 2017/2022 has
already happened. Find it.
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208. Kids know kids. Oldies know oldies.
Women know women. (Staff
accordingly.)209. Everybody is my customer.210.
Cosset vendors.211. I want to run a
Housekeeping department. (And you?)212.
The military doesnt follow the military
model. (Initiative Excellence.)213. No such
thing as going to absurd lengths
to serve the Customer. (HSM Lefties.)214.
Forget the customer. All Clients.215. It
takes decades to get over sleights.
(So dont sleight.)216. Dont dumb down.
Ever.
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217. NO LESS THAN EXCELLENCE.
EVER. 218. EXCELLENCE. NOW. 219.
EXCELLENCE. ALWAYS.
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ONE WORD ONE WORD
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ONE WORD Drill more wells R.F.A. Accountability
Realism Decentralization Execution Action
bias Most mistakes wins 615am Energy Enthusiasm D
ogtPlan ActgtThink BehaviorgtAttitude Passion
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ONE WORD 5 min/5,000 miles Women Decency Grace I
nnovate or Die Re-imagine Fight irrelevance Just
Do It Care (You Must) Flowers (Say It With) Im
sorry Thank You Insanely Great Silence 2-cent
candy
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ONE WORD Emotion Intuition Sell O.O.D.A. Integri
ty Weird Appreciate Celebrate Respect Listen Wande
r Calendar rules Calendar doesnt lie To
dont Max priorities 3
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ONE WORD Gasp-worthy Insanely
great Differentgtbetter Impactgtlongevity Dramatic
Difference Only ones do what we
do Smile 798 7-7-7 Design rules Beautiful
Systems 450/8 VP S.O.U.B. Women buy all Women
lead better
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ONE WORD MBWA Why? PSF Wow! ! (red) Buy a
Mirror Know thyself Invite Quest Adventure Talent
Brand You Lovemark Experience Dreamketing
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ONE WORD Boomers-geezers own all 2.6/21 25 25 3,
000,000,000 (900,000,000) 26 minutes 43
hours Perception Is All There Is Enthusiasm The
Ultimate Virus
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For Starbucks The Cup Challenge Potential
Quotes for Coffee Cups
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I was asked to contribute a favorite saying of my
own to a program by Starbucks. Itd end up on
their cups for a while. The last one in the set
was the one I submitted.
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Re-imagine! Re-do! Re-vise! Re-vo-lu-tion!
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Passion! Energy! Enthusiasm! Passion!
Energy! Enthusiasm! "Enthusiasm! Enthusiasm!
Enthusiasm!" "Enthusiasm Moves Mountains!"
"Nothing Matches Enthusiasm as a
'Motivator'!" Technicolor Times Demand
Technicolor Actions Technicolor Times Demand
Technicolor People Wow. Now. Re-imagine! Re-
imagine! Re-do! Re-vise! Re-vo-lu-tion!
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Excellence. Always.
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No Less Than Excellence. Ever.
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No Excellence. no excuse.
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"Respect!" Leaders Do People.
Period. Credibility. Asset No. 1. Tell the
Truth. Truth Wins. Challenge. Challenge.
Challenge. Two Big Goals. Tops. Focus. Your
Calendar Never Lies Good Story. Good
Leader. Best Story Wins. Live the
Story. Change the World. Accept Nothing Less.
"Dream!" Dream. The Only Worthwhile
Reality. Beware Those Who Agree With You Seek
Dissidents. Nurture Dissidents. Cherish
Dissidents.
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Do.
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Do.
42
Do.
43
Do. Do.
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Do. Do. Do.
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Do. Do. Do.
46
Do.
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try it. Try it. Try it. Try it. Try it. Try it.
Try it. Try it. Try it. Try it. Try it. Try it.
Try it. Try it. Try it. Try it. try it. Try it.
Try it. try it. Try it. Try it. Try it. Try it.
Try it.
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implementation The last 98
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Do it. Now.
50
start. Now.
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Most. Relentless. wins.
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Excellence! Demand Excellence! Demand
Excellence. The Greatest Gift. Excellence,
Lifes Gold Standard Stop Talking! Start
Doing! Execute. Execute. Execute. Good
Execution Beats Good Strategy Agility Trumps
Size "Women make the best bosses!" Women Rule.
Believe It. "You must care!" Listen. Ask.
Why?
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distinct. Or Extinct.
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2012. Self-reliance. No option.
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2012. Excellence. More than ever. No option. More
than ever.
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Excellence. Not optional.
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its a brand you world.
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Me Too Me Dead
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Different beats Better. Distinct or
Extinct. Innovate or Die Me Too Me
Dead Talent Time! Best Talent Wins. Best
Roster Wins. Moderation Fails in Immoderate
Times
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Moderation Fails in Immoderate Times
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freaks win in freaky times.
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Seek Dissidents. Nurture Dissidents. Cherish
Dissidents.
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best talent wins.
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women best leaders. Women biggest
market. Women control wealth. Women rule.
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Roir/return on investment in relationships
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Respect magic.
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Acknowledgement magic.
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Appreciation magic.
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Listening magic.
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thank you magic potion 1.
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!
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Enthusiasm! The Ultimate Virus!
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Toms 60 TIBsTIB This I Believe
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Sixty for Sixty Toms 60 TIBs The architect
Bill Caudill was a contrarian. He pioneered the
idea of working intimately with clients to create
spaces that met their needs this flew in the
face of conventional wisdom, which held that the
architect was pure artist, barely deigning to
make client contact. Caudills approach was
wildly successfulso much so that today its
become conventional wisdom. Over the years Bill
jotted notes on this and that, and began to
organize them for his children. The title of his
musings This I Believe. After Caudills death,
his colleagues collected the notes and published
them. That is, The TIBs of Bill Caudill. A
sixtieth birthday is a monumental occasion, and I
chose, among other things, to give myself a
present to mark the/my date in November 2002. I
sat on a hill overlooking my farm in Vermont,
and scribbled down 60 thoughts, one for each
year, that seemed to capture my professional and,
to some extent, my personal journey. Those
thoughtsToms 60 TIBsherewith.
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1. TECHNICOLOR RULES! (Passion Moves
Mountains!)2. Audacity Matters!3. Revolution
Now!4. Question Authority! ( Hire
Disrespectful People.) 5. Disorganization Wins!
(LOVE THE MESS!)
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6. Think 3M Markets Matter Most. ONLY EXTREME
COMPETITION STAVES OFF STALENESS. (You can
take the boy out of Silicon Valley, but you cant
take Silicon Valley out of the boy!)7. Three
Hearty Cheers for Weirdos. (Bill Gates, Steve
Jobs, Larry Ellison, Scott McNealy, Craig
Venter et al.) 8. Message 2003 Technology
Change (Info-sciences, Biosciences) Is in Its
Infancy! (WE AINT SEEN NOTHIN YET!)9.
Everything Is Up For Grabs! Volatility Is Thy
Name! (Forever Ever. Amen.) RE-INVENT OR
DIE! 10. Big Sucks. (Mostly.) (VERY Mostly.)
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11. Permanence Is a Snare a Delusion.
(Forget Built to Last. Its Yesterdays
Idea.)12. Kaizen (Continuous Improvement) Is
Dangerous.13. DESTRUCTION RULES!14. Forget
It! (Learning Easy. Forgetting Nigh
on Impossible.) 15. Innovation Is Easy Hang Out
with Freaks. (Employees, Board Members,
Customers, Suppliers, Alliance Partners,
Consultants.)
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16. Boring Begets Boring. (Cool Begets Cool.)17.
Think Portfolio. (Were All V.C.s.)18.
Perception Is All There Is. (Insiders
ALWAYS overestimate the Radicalism of
What Theyre Up To.)19. Action ALWAYS Takes
Precedence. Think R.F!A./Ready. Fire!
Aim. (REWARD SUCCESS. REWARD FAILURE.
PUNISH INACTION.) 20. He Who Makes
Tests the Quickest Coolest Prototypes
Reigns!
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21. Haste Makes Waste. (SO GO WASTE!)22.
Screw-ups are the Mark of Excellence.
(Do It Right the First Time Is a Very Stupid
Idea.) 23. Play Hard! Play Now! (Cherish
Play!)24. TALENT TIME! (He/She Who Has the Best
Roster Rules!)25. Re-do Education.
Totally. (FOSTER CREATIVITY NOT
UNIFORMITY.) (THE NOISIEST CLASSROOM WINS.)
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26. Diversitys Hour Is Now!27. SHE Is the
Best Leader!28. MARKETING MANTRA Embrace the
BIG THREE Demographics. (1) SHE is the
Customer. (For everything.) (2) Rapidly
Aging Boomers Have ALL THE MONEY. (3)
Green Matters. (TRILLIONS OF Are at
Stake.) (NOBODY Gets It.) (Mere
Programs Will Not Suffice.)29. Re-boot
Healthcare. (UNDERSTATEMENT.)30. WHAT ARE WE
SELLING? Experiences Solutions gt
Quality Satisfaction. (The
Traditional Value-added Equation Is Being Set on
Its Ear.)
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31. DESIGN New Seat of the Soul. 32. Branding
Is for EVERYONE. He Who Has the BEST
STORY Takes Home the Marbles.33.
DRAMATIC DIFFERENCE Only Difference.34.
WORDS/Language Matters a Lot. (E.g.
Three Hearty Cheers for Wow!)35. WHAT MATTERS
IS STUFF THAT MATTERS. (Query 1 Are You
Proud of It?)
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36. eALL. (IS/IT Half-way No Way.)37. DREAM
Big! DREAM Enormous. DREAM Gargantuan.
(These Are XXXL Times.)38. THINK MIKE!
(Michelangelo The greatest danger for
most of us is not that our aim is too high
and we miss it, but that it is too low and
we reach it.)39. There Is Only ONE BIG ISSUE.
Cross- functional Communication.40. Stop
Doing Dumb Shit. (SYSTEMATIZE THE PROCESS
OF UN-DUMBING.)
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41. Beautiful Systems Are BEAUTIFUL.42. The
WHITE-COLLAR REVOLUTION Will Devour
Everything in Its Path. 43. Take Charge of Your
Destiny! BrandYou Moment! DISTINCT OR
EXTINCT!44. Powerlessness Is a State of Mind!
Think King. Gandhi. De Gaulle.45. Pursue
Adventure in Every Task.
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46. EXCELLENCE Is a State of Mind.
(Excellence Takes a Minute.) (No Bull.)47. SHOW
UP! (If You Care, Youre There.)48. YOUR
CALENDAR KNOWS ALL. (You Calendar.) (Mind
Your TO DONT List.)49. LIFE IS SALES. (The
Rest Is Details.)50. Boss Mantra 1 I DONT
KNOW. (I Dont Know Permission to
Explore.)
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51. Management Role 1 GET OUT OF THE WAY.
(Clear the Way.) (Manager Hurdle Removal
Professional.)52. Epitaph from Hell He Woulda
Done Some Truly Cool Stuff But His Boss
Wouldnt Let Him.53. Change Takes However
Long You Think It Takes. (Eschew
Incrementalism.)54. Respect! (Rule 1 Dont
Belittle!)55. Thank You Trumps All!
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56. Integrity Matters! Integrity Credibility.
(Dennis K. Is a Jerk.)57. SOFT IS HARD. HARD
IS SOFT. (Numbers Are Soft. People Are
Not.)58. Try Sunny! (Sunny Begets Sunny.
Gloomy Begets Gloomy.)59. DISPENSE
ENTHUSIASM!60. FUN Is Not a 4-Letter Word. So,
too JOY. (And GRACE.)
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Tom Petersto-mA-toto-mah-to
88
New Delhi. Thirteen
September 2004. I awoke, jetlagged and sweaty,
at 3A.M. Id had a nightmare. Stark realism. I
was, as usual, accused of overstatement and a few
(or more) too many exclamation marks (!!!!!).
Only this time Id acceded to They. The They
who believe in The Plan and Built to Last and
Continuous Improvement and Quiet, Humble
Leaders. No! No! I had failed, in my dream, to
live up to my Fervent Beliefs! This must not
pass! In a sweat, fearful that the time would not
come round again, I turned on the light, picked
up a pad of paper, and began to scribble
frantically. Herewith the result
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Toms Re-imagine Manifesto! They say my
(Tom) language is extreme. I say the times are
extreme. They say Im extreme. I say Im a
realist. They say I demand too much. I say they
accept mediocrity continuous improvement too
readily. They say We cant handle this much
change. I say Your job and career are in
jeopardy what other options do you
have? They say Brand You is not for everyone. I
say the alternative is unemployment. They say
Whats wrong with a good product? I say
Walmart or China or both are about to eat your
lunch. Why cant you provide instead a Fabulous
Experience?
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Toms Re-imagine
Manifesto! They say Take a deep breath. Be
calm. I say Tell it to Walmart. Tell it to
China. Tell it to India. Tell it to Dell. Tell
it to Microsoft. They say the Web is a
important tool. I say the Web changes
everything. Now. They say We need an
Initiative. I say We need a Dream. And
Dreamers. They say Great Design is nice. I
say Great Design is necessary. They say I
overplay the womens thing. I say the share
of Women in Senior Leadership Positions is a
Waste and a Disgrace and a Strategic Marketing
Error.
91
Toms Re-imagine
Manifesto! They say the Womens Market
Opportunity I harp on is doubtless important. I
say 9 out of 10, make that 99 out of 100,
companies arent within striking distance of
accurately estimating the potential of the
Womens Market let alone exploiting it. They
say the boomer-geezer market is also doubtless
important. I say the boomer-geezer market
amounts to a Redefining Moment. They say we
need a project to exploit the
women-boomer-geezer market. I say we need Total
Strategic Realignment to exploit the
Women-Boomer-Geezer Opportunity. They say Wow
is typical Tom. I say WOW is a Minimum
Survival Requirement. They say effective
governance is important. I say bold-brash Boards
that are representative of the market
servedmore than a token woman or two and an
empty seat for the forthcoming Hispanicare
an Imperative. Now.
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They say Better.I say Different!
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Toms Re-imagine Manifesto! They say
Plan it. I say DO IT. They say We need more
steady, loyal employees. I say WE NEED MORE
FREAKS WHO ROUTINELY TELL THOSE IN CHARGE TO
TAKE A FLYING LEAP BEFORE ITS TOO
LATE. They say We need Good People. I say We
need Quirky Talent. They say We like people
who, with steely determination, say, I can
make it better. I say I love people who, with
a certain maniacal gleam in their eye, perhaps
even a giggle, say, I can turn the world
upside down. Watch me! They say We must speed
things up. I say We must Radically change the
Corporate Metabolism until Insane Urgency
becomes a Sacrament.
94
Toms Re-imagine
Manifesto! They say, Sure, we need Change. I
say we need REVOLUTION NOW. They say
(acknowledge), Okay, we need revolution. I say,
REVOLUTION. They say fast follower. I say
battered and bruised leader. They say
Conglomerate Imitate! I say Create
Innovate! They say Market share. I say
Market CREATION. They say Improve
Maintain. I say DESTROY RE-IMAGINE.
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Toms Re-imagine
Manifesto! They say We like words such as
calm certainty is. I say I like
words/phrases such as turbulent
opportunity might be. They say
Normal. I say Weird. They say Happy
balance. I say rollicking Creative
Tension. They say they favor a team that
works lives in harmony. I say give me a
raucous brawl among the most creative people
imaginable. They say Peace, brother. I say
Bruise my feelings. Flatten my ego. SAVE MY
JOB.
96
Toms Re-imagine
Manifesto! They say Vanilla. I say Cherry
Garcia. They say Basic Black. I say
TECHNICOLOR RULES! They say Branding is for
the likes of Nike. I say Branding is for
Everyone Anyone with the Passion Tenacity
to foist their Wonderful Weird Point of
View on the world and the New Worlds
(read Webs) power allows-encourages such
silly (until recently) visions-of-ubiquity
to become reality, perhaps overnight. They
say we need happy customers. I say Give me
pushy, needy, nasty, provocative customers who
will drag me down Innovation Boulevard. They
say they want to partner with best of breed. I
say Give me Coolest of Breed.
97
Toms Re-imagine
Manifesto! They say we need supply chain
harmony. I say we need supply chain
Innovation. They say We seek Harvard MBAs. I
say I seek Certificate-free PhDs from the
School of Hard Knocks. They say they want
recruits with a spotless records. I say the
Spots are what matter most. They say Integrity
is important. I say Tell the Unvarnished Truth,
All the Time or take a Long Hike. They
read Jim Collins and grok on quiet, humble
leaders. I say Give me the Bold, the Brash, the
Brassy, the Egocentric Dreamers who, like
Steve Jobs, Dent the Universe.
98
They say Improve.I say Re-imagine!
99
Toms Re-imagine
Manifesto! They say they need a vision born of
McKinsey. I say we need a Grandiose Dream born
of a Passionate Intemperate Belief that the
world can be a different, better place. They
say healthcare, our biggest industry, is a
mess. I say our hospitals, which kill over
100,000 patients a year, are part of a system
that is a disgrace. They say obesity is a
problem lose some weight. I say Re-imagine
the entire healthcare system NOW to focus
on Prevention Wellness. They say no child
left behind. I say education is leaving ALL
our children behind, as it is totally
mis-aligned to deal with tomorrows (this
afternoons) uncertain, ambiguous, creativity-
driven economy.
100
Toms Re-imagine
Manifesto! They say, Of course we believe in
marketing. I say Is the CMO Chief Marketing
Officer on the Board of Directors? They say
Of course we believe in marketing. I say Has
your customer data base won numerous major
industry awards? They say Of course we believe
in marketing. I say Is your Web site Sooooo
Cool, Sooooo Fresh, Sooooo Friendly to Use
that it gives you goose pimples just to e-visit,
even though youve seen it 1000 times? They
say Of course we believe in marketing. I say
How many in-depth customer visits did the CEO
make last month? They say Yes, the Womens
thing is important. I say Do women hold at
least 40 of your Board seats? They say Were
coming around on the design bit. I say Is, as
at Braun, your Chief Design Officer on the Board
of Directors?
101
Tom Re-imagine
Manifesto! They say Of course we think the
experiences thing is important. I say Is
there an EVP Experiences? They say Of course
innovation is important. I say Is your
percentage of revenue devoted to RD at least
1.5 (2.0? 2.5?) times the industry
average? They say Of course we believe in
IS/IT. I say Is the CIO on the Board of
Directors? (Only 5 of Fortune500 CIOs are on
the Board. One example Walmart.) They say Of
course we believe in IS/IT. I say How many
members of your Board are under 35 years
old? They say We believe in having a flat
organization. I say Is your headquarters in a
Tower?
102
Toms Re-imagine
Manifesto! They say we need to bring
effectiveness to the supply chain. I say we need
an IS/IT/Best Sourcing revolution based on
nothing less than an Entirely Original Vision of
what organizations are and how they
interact. They say Globalization is a bumpy
road. I say India and China and Asia in general
are within two decades of running the show
Get ready or get trounced. They say
defense and consolidation are musts for a
global game. I say encourage Offense, nurture
a Generation (or 10) of Entrepreneurs,
cherish Creativity Risk-taking from primary
school onwards and dont expect to be saved
by a bunch of bulky, retro behemoth commanded
by a phalanx of Old White Guys who think 30
minutes a day on the corporate treadmill and
27 holes on the links are a fit defense
against Revolution.
103
Toms Re-imagine
Manifesto! They say Get an MBA. I say Get an
MFA. They say If it cant be precisely
measured then it isnt real. (And I suppose
if it can be measured it is real? Think Enron?
Adelphia? WorldCom?) I say If it can be
precisely measured it isnt real. (Think Age
of Intangibles Relationships.) (Think He
knew the price of everything and the value of
nothing.) They say Rationality is the Bedrock
of Modern Society. I say Irrationality
irrational exuberance? is the Mother of all
True Entrepreneurial Pilgrimages. They say
Order is the necessary precursor to measured,
sustainable success. I say Dis-order is the
precursor to Opportunistic Sorties, Market
Creation, Quantum Leaps, and Entrepreneurial
Adventure.
104
Toms Re-imagine
Manifesto! They say To get anywhere, you have
to know exactly where the hell youre
headed. I say If you know precisely where
youre headed and exactly how youre gonna get
there, then you clearly suffer from Advanced
Shrivelus Imaginationus. (This disease is
fatal.) They say Employees need Well-defined
Structure. I say Talent should be encouraged to
embark on Quests to the Unknown. They say
Im here to maximize shareholder value. I say
Im here to inflame each every member of my
Awesome Staff to embark with Vigor
Determination Passion Enthusiasm on a
Quest of Monumental Consequence. (And if I
come even close to succeeding, it will, in
fact, dramatically up the odds of Thriving
Amidst Todays Chaosand creating untold
shareholder value in the process.)
105
Toms Re-imagine
Manifesto! They say men. I say WOMEN. They
say Diversity is a good thing. I say Diversity
is a Fresh Breath of Creative Air Absolutely
Necessary for Economic Salvation in perilous
times. They say Wait your turn, honor those who
have marched these corridors before you. I
say Get Off Your Butt Go for the Gold TODAY
or sign the transfer papers willing your job in
perpetuity to a Chinese or Indian who Gives a
Shit and Gets Up (VERY) Early and works
Saturdays Sundays. They say offshoring is a
blight. I say the Earth proved not to be the
center of the Solar System and the USA is
not the epicenter-in-perpetuity of the Earth
and that we had best learn NOW to prosper
and take pleasure in a dynamic, exciting,
creative, multi-polar economic environment.
(Damn it.)
106
They say men. I say WOMEN.
107
Toms Re-imagine
Manifesto! They say Its a fright. I say Its
a Helluva Ride. They say its daunting. I say
its a bronco-bustin day at the rodeo. They
say Life is a marathon husband your
strength. I say Life is a sprint. Begin
planning your World-beating Me Inc. start-up
TODAY. They say lifetime employment was a
boon. I say lifetime employment was Indentured
Servitude, modern-day Slavery. They say
safety net. I say I am my safety net. They
say zero defects. I say A day without a
screw-up or two is a day pissed away.
108
Toms Re-imagine
Manifesto! They say Think about it. I say Try
it. They say Plan it. I say Test it. They
say continuous improvement. I say Bold
Leaps. They say Keep on Improvin. I say
Keep on Leapin. They say Built to last. I
say Built to Soar. Were all dead in the long
run live your Insane Fantasy. Devil take the
hindmost.
109
Toms Re-imagine Manifesto!
They say Play the odds. I say Reward
excellent failures. Punish mediocre successes.
(Thanks, Phil Daniels.) They say Eighty-hour
weeks will kill you. I say Work 45-hour weeks,
and the Chinese will kill you. They say
Install cost controls with teeth. I say Ha.
Ha. Ha. Erase the existing enterprise and
start with a Clean Sheet of Paper. They say
Install cost controls with teeth. I say Grow
the Top Line. They say Radical change takes a
decade. I say Radical change takes a Minute.
(See AA.) They say Times are changing. I say
Everything has already changed. Tomorrow is the
First Day of Your Revolution or youre
Toast.
110
Toms Re-imagine Manifesto!
They say We cant all be Anita Roddick or
Maxine Clark or Stan Shih or Les Wexner or Larry
Page. I say Why not? They say We cant all
be Revolutionaries. I say Why not? They say
We cant all be a Brand. I say Why not? They
say Beware the Hype. I say Been to China
lately? Visited Infosys in Bangalore
lately? They say this is just a Rant. I say
this is just Reality. They say The man is not
nice. I say The times are not forgiving.
111
!
112
GE (more or less)The Sales122 122
Ridiculously Obvious Thoughts About Selling
StuffTom Peters/0402.2006
113
This list was first prepared for GE Energy sales
marketing people in January. It started with a
half-dozen items, and grew like Topsy. Possibly,
given its origins, its a little tilted toward
complex, engineering-based sales. In any event,
it makes a perfect companion to The
Irreducibles219. This, too, is effectively a
list of irreducibles.Tom Peters
114
1. Strategy overrated, simply doin stuff
underrated. See Kelleher and Bossidy We have a
strategic plan, its called doing things.Herb
Kelleher. Execution is a systematic process of
rigorously discussing hows and whats, tenaciously
following through, and ensuring accountability.
Larry Bossidy Ram Charan/ Execution The
Discipline of Getting Things Done. Action has its
own logicask Genghis Khan, Rommel, COL John
Boyd, U.S. Grant, Patton, W.T. Sherman. 2. What
are you personally great at? (Key word great.)
Play to strengths! Distinct or Extinct. You
should aim to be outrageously good/B.I.W. at a
niche area (or more). 3. Are you a personality,
a de facto brand in the industry? The Dr Phil
of ... 4. Opportunism (with a little forethought)
mostly wins. (Successful people are the ones who
are good at Plan B.) 5. Little starts can lead
to big wins. Most true winnersthink search
Googlestart as something small. Many big
dealsDisney Pixarcould have been done as
little-er deals if youd had the guts to jump
before the value became obvious.
115
Everyone lives by selling something. Robert
Louis Stevenson
116
6. Non-obvious targets have great potential.
Among many other things, everybody goes after the
obvious ones. Also, the non-obvious are often
good Partners for technology experiments. 7. The
best relationships are often (usually?) not top
to top! (Often the best hungry division GMs
eager to make a mark.) 8. ITS RELATIONSHIPS,
STUPIDDEEP AND FROM MULTIPLE FUNCTIONS. 9. In
any public-sector business, you must become an
avid student of the politics, the incentives
and constraints, mostly non-economic, facing all
of the players. Politicians are usually
incredibly logicalif you (deeply!) understand
the matrix in which they exist. 10. Relationships
from within our firm are as importantoften more
importantas those from outsideagain broad is as
important as deep. Alliesavid supporters!within
and from non-obvious places may be more important
than relationships at the Client organization.
Goal an insanely unfair market share of
insiders time devoted to your projects!
117
C(I)gtC(X)
118
11. Interesting outsiders are essential to
innovative proposal and sales teams. An
exciting sales-proposal team is as important as
a prestigious one. 12. Is the proposal-sales team
weird enoughweirdos come up with the most
interesting, game-changer ideas. Period. 13.
Lunch with at least one weirdo per month. (Goal
always on the prowl for interesting new
stuff.) 14. Gratuitous comment Lunches with good
friends are typically a waste of (professional)
time. 15. Dont short-change (time, money,
depth) the proposal process. Miss one tiny
nuance, one potential incentive that makes my
day for a key Client playerand watch the whole
gig be torpedoed. 16. Sticking with it
sometimes pays, sometimes notit takes a lot of
tries to forge the best path in. Sometimes you
never do, after a literal lifetime. (Ah,
life.) 17. WOMEN ARE SIMPLY BETTER AT
RELATIONSHIPSdont get hung upparticularly in
tech firmson what industries-countries women
cant do. (Or some such bullshit.)
119
18. Work incessantly on your storymost
economic value springs from a good story (think
Perrier)! In sensitive public or quasi-public
negotiations, a compelling story is of immense
valuepolitics is about the tension among
competing stories. (If you dont believe me, ask
Karl Rove or James Carville.) (Storytelling is
the core of culture. Branded Nation The
Marketing of Megachurch, College Inc., and
Museumworld, James Twitchell) 19. Call this 18A,
or 18 repeat Become a first-rate Storyteller!
(A key perhaps the key to leadership is the
effective communication of a story.Howard
Gardner, Leading Minds An Anatomy of
Leadership) 20. Risk Assessment Risk Management
is more about stories than advanced mathi.e.,
brilliant scenario construction. 21. Good
listeners are good sales people. Period. 22.
Lousy listeners are lousy sales people. Period.
23. GREAT LISTENERS ARE GREAT SALES PEOPLE.
(Listening skills are hard to learn and subject
to immense effort in pursuit of Mastery. A
virtuoso listener is as rare as a virtuoso
cello player.) (If you dont listen, you dont
sell anything.Carolyn Marland/MD/Guardian
Group)
120
24. Things that are funny to me (American) are
often-mostly not funny to those in other
cultures. (Humor is as fine-edged as it gets, and
rarely travels.) 25. You dont know Jack Squat
about other peoples culturesespecially if you
are a typically myopic American. (Like me.) 26.
Are you a great interviewer? Its a make or break
skill. (Think Barbara Walters skill at
extracting unwanted truths from pros in
persona-protection ... in front of 10s of
millions of people. 27. Are you a great (not
merely good) presenter? Mastering presentation
skills is a lifes workwith stupendous
payoff. 28. Work like hell on the Big 2
LISTENING/INTERVIEWING, PRESENTING. These are
the essence of sales lifeand usually
picked-up in an amateurish fashion. Mistake!
(Become a professional student of these two
areas, achieve Mastery.) 29. Are you good at
flowers? Think FLOWER POWER! (see Harvey
Mackays Mackay 66what you should know about a
Client e.g., birthdays anniversaries.) (My
flowers budget is out of control. Hooray for
me.) 30. You cant do it allbe clear at what you
are good at, bad at, indifferent at. Hubris
sucks.
121
FLOWERPOWER
122
31. The point is not to prove yourself.
(Thats ego-talk.) Let the best person present to
the Clientperhaps a lower level geek.
(Control freaks get their just desserts in the
long haulor sooner.) 32. The numbers will more
or less take care of themselves over the long
haulif the relationship/s is/are solid gold. 33.
The Gold Standard in selling INDISPENSABLE to
the Client. No other goal is worthy. 34. Never
stop growing-broadening-deepening the
relationship. The key to indispensability is to
get the Client more and more and more and
then more imbedded in our web. Hence the
so-called selling process is only the first
step! 35. USE THE WORD WE CONSTANTLY
RELIGIOUSLY! (E.g. Wethe Client meare
going to change the world with this
service.) 36. Dont waste your time on
jerksitll rarely work out in the mid- to
long-term. 37. Genius is walking away from lousy
scores (deals)and accepting the attendant
heat. Big Business is the premier home to Big
Egos overpaying by a factor of 2 to 22 with
billion at stake. (Think Jerry Levin and AOL
Time Warner.)
123
If you dont listen, you dont sell anything.
Carolyn Marland/ Managing Director/ Guardian
Group
124
38. You havent a clue as to how this situation
will actually play outbe prepared to move fast
in a different direction. 39. Keep your word. 40.
KEEP YOUR WORD. 41. Underpromise (i.e., dont
over-promise i.e., cut yourself a little slack)
even if it costs you businesswinning is a
long-term affair. Over-promising is Sign 1 of a
lack of integrity. You will pay the piper. 42.
There is such a thing as a good lossif youve
tested something new and developed good
relationships. A half-dozen honorable, ingenious
losses over a two-year period can pave the way
for a Big Victory in a New Space in year 3. 43.
Its a competitive world out there. New,
innovative products are harder to sell than old
stand-bys. Nonetheless, you will be a long-term
star to the extent that you are willing to push
the harder-to-sell-at-the-moment Innovative
Products that cement long-term Client success
(Indispensability!) even if it means a s hit
this quarter. PART OF YOUR JOB TAKE CLIENTS ON
AN ADVENTURE THAT PUTS THEM AHEAD OF THE GAME
CALLED (GAMECHANGINGhopefully) COMPETITIVE
ADVANTAGE!
125
You can make more friends in two months by
becoming interested in other people than you can
in two years by trying to get other people
interested in you. Dale Carnegie
126
44. Think legacywhat the hell is all this
really about for you and the world? (Tell me,
what is it you plan to do with your one wild and
precious life? Mary Oliver) 45. THERE ARE NO
MODERATES IN THE HISTORY BOOKS! 46. Keep it
simple! (Damn it!) No matter how sophisticated
the product. If you cant explain it in a phrase,
a page, or to your 14-year-old ... you havent
got it right yet. 47. Know more than the next
guy. Homework pays. (of course its obviousbut
in my work it is too often honored in the
breach.) 48. Regardless of project size, winning
or losing invariably hinges on a raft of little
stuff. Little stuff is and always has been
everything!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!or, one mans
little stuff is another mans 7.6 Richter
deal-breaker. 49. In public settings in
particular, face saving is all. When something
changes, allow the other guy to come out looking
like a winner, especially if he has lost. (Even
if you must accept the egg on your facehe will
always remember you!) 50. Dont hold grudges. (It
is the ultimate in small mindednessand
incredibly wasteful and ineffective. Theres
always tomorrow.)
127
51. ITS ALWAYS THE POLITICSwee
private-sector deal or giant public sector deal.
(Every player, small or large, is angling for
something. Master the calculus of advantage.) 52.
To beat the turnover problem in key Client
posts amidst long negotiations, invest outrageous
amounts of time building a wide deep set of
relationships with mid-level ( lower!!)
plodding careerists. The invisible
careerists are the bedrock upon which repeated
success is built! (My Capitol Hill Axiom Its
the 24-year-old LA who in the end briefs the
Senator right before she goes to the Floor to
vote.) 53. Speaking of she Gender differences
are Enormousdealing with a woman and dealing
with a man are different kettles of fishyou must
become an A student of gender differences.
(E.g. Men are typically more interested in the
short-term score. Women are more interested in
the long-term consequences.) 54. LITTLE PEOPLE
OFTEN HAVE BIG FRIENDS. 55. This is not war, damn
it. All parties can win (or not lose, anyway).
And losing bidders can walk away from a deal with
increased respect for you and your team.
128
56. Never, ever dump on a competitorthe Tom
Watson IBM glory-days mantra. 57. Never forget
the Law of Cousins! In developing nations in
particular, power brokers at all levels are at
least cousins! Consideration for a second cousin
can pay off big time. 58. Speaking of favors,
jail sucks. 59. Work hard beats work smart.
(Mostly.) 60. REPEAT HE/SHE WHO HAS THE
MOST-BEST RELATIONSHIPS WINS. RELATIONSHIPS ARE
THE ESSENCE OF THE WORK OF THE SALESPERSON. THE
HARD ... AND LONG ... WORK OF THE SALESPERSON.
61. Mano v mano hardball is seldom the
answerend runs based and patient multi-level
relationship building via deeper-wider networks
win. 62. If the deal is wired from below, truly
wired, than the so-called big negotiations are
essentially irrelevant. 63. If every quarter is a
little better than the prior quarterthen you
are not taking any serious risks. 64. Phones
beat email.
129
Nothing is so contagious as enthusiasm. Samuel
Taylor Coleridge
130
65. A THREE-MINUTE CALL TODAY CAN AVOID A
GAME-LOSER OF A FIASCO NEXT MONTH. There was
always a time when a little thing could have been
addressed that headed off a subsequent big thing.
As to avoiding that call, didnt someone say,
Pride goeth before the fall? 66. Be
hyper-organized about relationship managementyou
are in the anthropology business. Study the great
pols! Brilliant NRM (network relationship
management) is not accidental! It is not
catch-as-catch can. (Football analogies are
cutebut deep political understanding pays the
private-school tuition.) 67. Obsess on ROIR
(Return On Investment In Relationships). 68.
THANK YOU NOTES Worlds highest-return
investment!! 69. The way to anyones heart Doing
a nice thing for their kid. (But, gawd, does this
take a gentle touch.) 70. Scoring off other
people is stupid. Winners are always in the
business of creating the maximum of
winnersamong adversaries at least as much as
among partners. 71. Your colleagues successes
are your successes. Period. (Trust me, my
greatest personal successfinancially as well as
artisticallyhas been creating a bigger pond in
which everyone wins, even if my market share is
down.)
131
72. Lend a helping hand, especially when you
dont have the time. E.g. share relationshipsthe
more you give away the more you get in return
(just like they say in church). 73. Listen up
It was much later that I realized Dads secret.
He gained respect by giving it. He talked and
listened to the fourth-grade kids in Spring
Valley who shined shoes the same way he talked
and listened to a bishop or a college president.
He was seriously interested in who you were and
what you had to say. Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot,
Respect. (I.e., Respect is Cool.) 74. Mentoring
is a thrilland the practical payoff is enormous.
The best mentors have the whole world working its
buns off for them! 75. Hire for enthusiasm.
Promote for enthusiasm. Cherish enthusiasm.
REMOVE NON-ENTHUSIASTSTHEY ARE CANCERS.
(Nothing is so contagious as enthusiasm.Samuel
Taylor Coleridge. A man without a smiling face
must not open a shop.Chinese Proverb.) 76. ITS
ALWAYS YOUR PROBLEMyou sold it to them.
132
77. Its never over While there may be an
excellent service activity in your company, the
relationship belongs to You! Hence the
aftersales moments of truth are at least
asif not more than--important to the Continuing
Relationship as the sale transaction itself.
(I vote for more than.) Youll get your
biggest points with the Client for being an
effective after-the-fact go-between with your
company. 78. Dont get too hung up on systems
integrationfirst foremost, the individual
bits have got to work. 79. For Gods sake dont
over promise on systems integrationits nigh
on impossible to deliver. 80. On the other hand
winners clamber Up the Value-added Ladder, and
offer ever so much more than mere product. ALL
SUCCESSFUL SALES PEOPLE ARE IN THE SOLUTIONS
BUSINESSno matter how jargony that may sound.
133
81. Systems / Solutions selling means
grappling directly with culture change in
Client organizations. (The business of selling
is not just about matching viable solutions to
the customers that require them. Its equally
about managing the change process the customer
will need to go through to implement the solution
and achieve the value promised by the
solutionJeff Thull, The Prime Solution Close
the Value Gap, Increase Margins, and Win the
Complex Sale) 82. Shit happens. Thats what they
pay you for. 83. This is not a GE or Ben
Jerrys saleit is a Joe Jones/Jane Jones sale.
YOU ARE THE BRAND THE CLIENT BUYSespecially
over the long haul. 84. Duh You make money, the
company makes moneyon repeat business. 85.
Masteryes, youthe PR Game. Word of Mouth is
not accidental! You want Word of Mouth? Make it
happen! 86. GOAL 1 MAKE YOUR CLIENT A HEROYOU
ARE NOT THERE TO GET CREDIT. (Taking credit is
for egomaniacs. And losers.) 87. Decent
margins, over the mid- to long-term, are a
product of better relationships, not better
negotiating skill. (Mostly.)
134
You cant behave in a calm, rational manner.
Youve got to be out there on the lunatic
fringe. Jack Welch
135
88. In the immortal words of ex-GE Vice Chairman
Larry Bossidy, more or less, Realism rocks.
(Bullshit artist and great salesperson,
contrary to conventional wisdom, are Diametric
Opposites. Truthteller and Great Salesperson is
more like it.) 89. Be the first to tell the
Client bad news (e.g., slipped delivery) his
intelligence sources will tell him fastyou want
to be there first with your story and to enhance
your rep as Truthteller! 90. Work like hell to
get a reputation as a valued industry expert, to
become an industry resource. 91. Work the Trade
Association angle for all its worthit may take a
decade to pay offe.g., when you become an
officer or are on an important panel or testify
Before Congress. 92. PAY YOUR DUES IN THE CLIENT
ORG AND IN YOUR OWN ORG! 93. Its all bloody
tactics. 94. You must ... LOVE .... the product!
(Period.) 95. YOU MUST LOVE THE PRODUCT! 96.
Dont over-schedule. Running late is
inexcusable at any level of seniority it is the
ultimate mark of self-importance mixed with
contempt.
136
97. Women are better salespeople. (See
Addendum.) 98. Women alone understand Women. 99.
Actually, Women by and large understand Men
better than Men understand Men. 100.Women
purchasers buy Stories and recommendations. 101.
Women take longer to become Loyal purchasers, but
then stay Loyal. 102. Men buy Stats. 103. Men
decide fast, but are fickle. 104. Men Women are
VERY, VERY Different. 105. Women buy most
things. Consumer. Increasingly, professional
goods and services. 106. Womens Market is
Opportunity 1. 107. Boomers. Many, many. Lots
lots lots of . 108. Boomers-Geezers are
very different purchasers than those in other
categories.
137
Women Rock as Salespersons (From Item
97.) And the answers are? TAKE THIS QUICK
QUIZ Who manages more things at once? Who puts
more effort into their appearance? Who usually
takes care of the details? Who finds it easier
to meet new people? Who asks more questions in
a conversation? Who is a better listener?
Who has more interest in communication skills?
Who is more inclined to get involved? Who
encourages harmony and agreement? Who has
better intuition? Who works with a longer to
do list? Who enjoys a recap to the days
events? Who is better at keeping in touch with
others?Source Selling Is a Womans Game 15
Powerful Reasons Why Women Can Outsell Men, Nicki
Joy Susan Kane-Benson
138
109. It takes time to get to know people.
(DUH.) 110. The very idea of efficiency in
relationship development is ... STUPID. 111. MBWA
(still) rules. 112. Preparing the soil is the
first 98 percent. (Or more.) 113. WORK THE
PHONES! 114. Rule 5K-5M 5K miles for a 5-Minute
meeting often makes sense. (Yes, often.) (Even
with constrained travel budgets.) (Thanks,
super-agent Mark McCormack.) 115. Become a
student! Study great salespeople! (Including
Presidents.) (Natural is a little bit truebut
then Naturals are always the ones who study
hardeste.g., Jerry Rice.) 116. Become a
student! Yes, you can study Relationship
Building. So, study 117. Beware
complexifiers and complicators. (Truly smart
people ... Simplify things.)
139
118. The smartest guy in the room rarely
winsalas, he usually is aware hes the smartest
guy. (And neednt waste his time on that soft
relationship crap.) 119. Be kind. It works. 120.
Be especially kind when there are screw-ups.
(Theres plenty of time later to Play the Great
Accountability Game.) 121. Presidents never tire
of being treated like Presidents. 122. Luck
matters. Good luck!
140
EXCELLE ALWAYS.