The Challenge: To Create More Value in All Negotiations

1
Excellence. Always. Listen. Learn. Respect. Appre
ciate. Tom Peters 25 November 2009 (Annotated)
2
1
3
The doctor interrupts after Source
Jerome Groopman, How Doctors Think
4
The patient is the best source of information.
Sooo
5
18 seconds
6
Shame on docs. True enough. But most managers are
equally indictable on this charge!!! Are you an
18-second manager? Id put money on it in 5
cases out of 7.
7
An obsession with Listening is ... the ultimate
mark of Respect. Listening is ... the heart and
soul of Engagement. Listening is ... the heart
and soul of Kindness. Listening is ... the heart
and soul of Thoughtfulness. Listening is ... the
basis for true Collaboration. Listening is ...
the basis for true Partnership. Listening is ...
a Team Sport. Listening is ... a Developable
Individual Skill. (Though women are far better
at it than men.) Listening is ... the basis for
Community. Listening is ... the bedrock of Joint
Ventures that work. Listening is ... the bedrock
of Joint Ventures that last. Listening is ... the
core of effective Cross-functional
Communication (Which is
in turn Attribute 1 of organizational
effectiveness.) Listening is ... the engine of
superior EXECUTION. Listening is ... the key to
making the Sale. Listening is ... the key to
Keeping the Customers Business. Listening is ...
the engine of Network development. Listening is
... the engine of Network maintenance. Listening
is ... the engine of Network expansion. Listening
is ... Learning. Listening is ...the sine qua non
of Renewal. Listening is ...the sine qua non of
Creativity. Listening is ...the sine qua non of
Innovation. Listening is ... the core of taking
Diverse opinions aboard. Listening is ...
Strategy. Listening is ... Source 1 of
Value-added. Listening is ... Differentiator
1. Listening is ... Profitable.
(The R.O.I. from listening is higher
than from any other single activity.) Listening
underpins ... Commitment to EXCELLENCE
8
The power of listening is limitless. Readand
ponderthis list very carefully.
9
An obsession with Listening is ... the ultimate
mark
of Respect. Listening is ... the
heart and soul of Engagement. Listening is ...
the heart and soul of Kindness. Listening is ...
the heart and soul of Thoughtfulness. Listening
is ... the basis for true Collaboration. Listening
is ... the basis for true Partnership. Listening
is ... a Team Sport. Listening is ... a
Developable Individual Skill. (Though women
are far better at it
than men.) Listening is ... the basis for
Community. Listening is ... the bedrock of Joint
Ventures that work. Listening is ... the bedrock
of Joint Ventures that last. Listening is ... the
core of effective Cross-functional
Communication (Which is in turn
Attribute 1 of
organizational effectiveness.) cont.
10
Listening is ... the engine of superior
EXECUTION. Listening is ... the key to making the
Sale. Listening is ... the key to Keeping the
Customers Business. Listening is ... the engine
of Network development. Listening is ... the
engine of Network maintenance. Listening is ...
the engine of Network expansion. Listening is ...
Social Networkings secret weapon. Listening is
... Learning. Listening is ... the sine qua non
of Renewal. Listening is ... the sine qua non of
Creativity. Listening is ... the sine qua non of
Innovation. Listening is ... the core of taking
Diverse opinions aboard. Listening is ...
Strategy. Listening is ... Source 1 of
Value-added. Listening is ... Differentiator
1. Listening is ... Profitable. (The R.O.I.
from listening is higher than
from any other single
activity.) Listening is the bedrock which
underpins a Commitment to
EXCELLENCE
11
Listening is of the utmost strategic
importance!Listening is a proper core
value ! Listening is trainable !
Listening is a profession !
12
This is not just an exhortation, Hey, listen.
Im suggesting that listening become a
pre-occupation. That it be the whole-damn-organiza
tions trademark.
13
Listen Profession Study practice
evaluation Enterprise value
14
Listen!
Listening Leaders The Ten Golden Rules To
Listen, Lead SucceedLyman Steil and Richard
Bommelje The Zen of ListeningRebecca Shafir
Effective Listening SkillsDennis Kratz and
Abby Robinson Kratz Are You Really
Listening?Paul Donoghue and Mary Siegel
Active Listening Improve Your Ability to Listen
and LeadMichael Hoppe Listening The
Forgotten Skill Madelyn Burley-Allen
15
Yes you can! That is, study this stuff.
16
1A
17
Message Listening is a profession!
18
Just like becoming a professional musician. Or a
neurosurgeon.
19
1B
20
Listen Profession Study practice
evaluation Enterprise value "We listen
intently to and fully engage all with whom we
work."
21
Core value 1. No kidding.
22
1C
23
Questioning, the art and profession of.
24
Listenings corollary the Art of Asking.
25
Ask!
Leading with Questions How Leaders Find the
Right Solutions by Knowing What to Ask
Michael Marquardt Smart Questions Learn to
Ask the Right Questions for Powerful Results
Gerald Nadler and William Chandon The Art of
Asking Ask Better Questions, Get Better
AnswersTerry Fadem How to Ask Great Questions
Karen Lee-Thorp Change Your Questions,
Change Your LifeMarilee Adams Asking the
Right Questions A Guide to Critical
ThinkingNeil Browne and Stuart Keeley
26
Can be studied.
27

Listen! Ask! Listening Leaders The Ten Golden
Rules To Listen, Lead Succeed Lyman Steil
and Richard Bommelje The Zen of
ListeningRebecca Shafir Effective Listening
SkillsDennis Kratz and Abby Robinson Kratz Are
You Really Listening?Paul Donoghue and Mary
Siegel Active Listening Improve Your Ability
to Listen and Lead Michael Hoppe Listening
The Forgotten SkillMadelyn Burley-Allen
Leading with Questions How Leaders Find the
Right Solutions by Knowing What to AskMichael
Marquardt Smart Questions Learn to Ask the
Right Questions for Powerful ResultsGerald
Nadler and William Chandon The Art of Asking
Ask Better Questions, Get Better Answers
Terry Fadem How to Ask Great QuestionsKaren
Lee-Thorp Change Your Questions, Change Your
LifeMarilee Adams Asking the Right Questions
A Guide to Critical ThinkingNeil Browne and
Stuart Keeley
28
2
29
The four most important words in any
organization are
30
Ta-da
31
The four most important words in any
organization are What do you think?
Source courtesy Dave Wheeler, posted at
tompeters.com
32
WDYT Certification of me as a person of
Importance whose opinion is valued.
33
Biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiig deal.
(Remember, The Little BIG Things.)
34
Tomorrow How many times will you ask the WDYT
question? Count! Practice makes better!
This is a STRATEGIC skill!
35
Not to be left to chance. Yup can be MEASURED.
36
2A
37
From Enemy/Reluctant User to Champion/Savior/Owner
The one line of code! Axiom
38
Ask my opinion of a system revision. I give you
an earful. You go back and make a couple of tiny
changes a line of code to accommodate me. Now
I own the thingand become a champion rather
than a resistor. More or less ... GUARANTEED to
work.
39
3
40
The deepest human need is the need to be
appreciated.William James
41
Once again. ALL POWERFUL. (And usually neglected
or half-hearted.)
42
Thank you lingers on 10 years
43
Exec retires. At going away party, someone comes
up to him, very emotional, to thank the exec for
a thank you note hed sent 10 years ago. (Ive
got a ton of similar stories.)
44
Tomorrow How many times will you mange to blurt
out, Thank you? Count em! Practice makes
better! The engineer from Manchester. This
is a STRATEGIC skill!
45
Not a casual idea. Measure it.
46
appreciation is of the utmost strategic
importance!appreciation is a proper core
value ! appreciation is trainable !
appreciation is a profession !
47
One more time. A topic worthy of serious study.
48
And the answer is . otis
49
Teacher gives a science exam. Students
preppedknow whats coming. Quiet in the room.
Then din. Students complaining. Will the last
question count? Teacher Most definitely. And
the last question is What is the first name of
the person who cleans the room after class?
(Hint Otis.)Teacher As you go forward in
life, you will meet many people. All of them are
important. Each one deserves your attention and
respect Source Deborah Norville, The Power
of Respect.
50

• 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

51
Self explanatory.
52
4
53
I regard apologizing as the most magical,
healing, restorative gesture human beings can
make. It is the centerpiece of my work with
executives who want to get better. Marshall
Goldsmith, What Got You Here Wont Get You
There How Successful People Become Even More
Successful
54
most magical, healing, restorative gesture
human beings can make. Talk about strong
language! And Goldsmith is the unquestioned 1
executive coachi.e., worth paying attention to.
55
pause
56
I regard apologizing as the most magical,
healing, restorative gesture human beings can
make. It is the centerpiece of my work with
executives who want to get better. Marshall
Goldsmith, What Got You Here Wont Get You
There How Successful People Become Even More
Successful
57
Worth re-reading.
58
Relationships (of all varieties) THERE ONCE WAS
A TIME WHEN A THREE-MINUTE PHONE CALL WOULD HAVE
AVOIDED SETTING OFF THE DOWNWARD SPIRAL THAT
RESULTED IN A COMPLETE RUPTURE.

59
I believe this is true 100 of the time. Most of
my personal and professional disasters could
clearly have been reversed or ameliorated with
such a call.
60
The three-minute call often-usually-invariably
leads to a strengthening of the relationship. It
not only acts as atonement but also paves the
path for a better than ever trajectory.

61
THE PROBLEM IS RARELY/NEVER THE PROBLEM. THE
RESPONSE TO THE PROBLEM INVARIABLY ENDS UP BEING
THE REAL PROBLEM. PERCEPTION IS ALL THERE IS!

62
Think Richard Nixon, Bill Clinton, Martha
Stewart. None, and a host like them, ever got in
trouble for the act itselfbut instead for the
cover-up.
63
pause
64
THE PROBLEM IS RARELY/NEVER THE PROBLEM. THE
RESPONSE TO THE PROBLEM INVARIABLY ENDS UP BEING
THE REAL PROBLEM. PERCEPTION IS ALL THERE IS!

65
Yup another one worth re-reading immediately.
66
Potlatch.
67
Potlatch is the ritual of overwhelming one with
gifts to the point at which one is paralyzed. Im
not quite suggesting that, but I am simply saying
that an overwhelming-disproportionate-asymmet
ric response to a screw-up is more or less
ALWAYS warranted. (FYI Also central to this
idea is a culture that encourages timely
truth-telling around screw-ups.)
68
Shit happens. Be prepared.
69
Potlatch-plus. Shit happensto the best of us.
Have slack resources ready to react to problems
before they occur..
70
effective Repair/Apology is of the utmost
strategic importance!effective repair is a
proper core value ! effective repair
is trainable ! effective repair is a
profession !
71
Once more a craft a profession a trait
worthy of study.
72
5
73
Enterprise Value We are thoughtful in all we
do.
74
I have come to love the word thoughtful.
Especially in difficult times. It is a way to
live in the worldand I firmly believe it can
contribute directly to the bottom line. It is a
matter of trust and character and courtesyall
three pay big dividends. (Not to mention the fact
that thoughtfulness results in a more attractive
image when one looks in the mirror or discusses
what one does with our children.)
75
Thoughtfulness is key to customer
retention. Thoughtfulness is key to employee
recruitment and satisfaction. Thoughtfulness
is key to brand perception. Thoughtfulness is key
to your ability to look in the mirror and tell
your kids about your job. Thoughtfulness is
free. Thoughtfulness is key to speeding things
up it reduces friction. Thoughtfulness is key
to transparency and even cost containmentit
abets rather than stifles truth-telling.
76
This I believe.
77
Thoughtfulness is of the utmost strategic
importance!thoughtfulness is a proper
core value ! Thoughtfulness is
trainable ! Thoughtfulness is a profession
!
78
One more time.
79
5A
80
none!
81
Press Ganey Assoc 139,380 former patients from
225 hospitalsnone of THE top 15 factors
determining Patient Satisfaction referred to
the patients health outcomeP.S. directly
related to Staff InteractionP.S. directly
correlated with Employee Satisfaction Source
Putting Patients First, Susan Frampton, Laura
Gilpin, Patrick Charmel
82
Stunning. Patient satisfaction is primarily
related to the quality of interactions with
hospital staffwhich in turn is primarily caused
by the quality of staffers interactions with one
another.
83
There is a misconception that supportive
interactions require more staff or more time and
are therefore more costly. Although labor costs
are a substantial part of any hospital budget,
the interactions themselves add nothing to the
budget. Kindness is free. Listening to patients
or answering their questions costs nothing. It
can be argued that negative interactionsalienatin
g patients, being non-responsive to their needs
or limiting their sense of controlcan be very
costly. Angry, frustrated or frightened
patients may be combative, withdrawn and less
cooperativerequiring far more time than it
would have taken to interact with them initially
in a positive way. Putting Patients First,
Susan Frampton, Laura Gilpin, Patrick Charmel
84
Be kind.Have happy patients.Save .
85
Kindness is free.
86
6
87
Big 5 1. Listen. (Respect.
Learn) 2. Ask. (Solicit. Engage. Inspire.)3.
Thank. (Appreciate. Acknowledge.)4. Apologize
(Rectify. Build.) 5. Practice thoughtfulness
(A way of life. A staple of good business.)
88
Sometimes (such as short presentations) I focus
juston what I call The BIG 5.
89
7
90
If I could have chosen not to tackle the IBM
culture head-on, I probably wouldnt have. My
bias coming in was toward strategy, analysis and
measurement. In comparison, changing the attitude
and behaviors of hundreds of thousands of people
is very, very hard. Yet I came to see in my
time at IBM that culture isnt just one aspect of
the game it is the game. Lou Gerstner, Who
Says Elephants Cant Dance
91
To do all this stuff is primarily a cultural
issue. (As Lou Gerstner found out to his dismay
at IBM.)
92
it is the game.
93
Ken Kizer/VA 1997 culture of cover-up that
pervades healthcare Patient Safety Event
Registry looking for systemic solutions, not
seeking to fix blame on individuals except in the
most egregious cases. The good news was a
thirty-fold increase in the number of medical
mistakes and adverse events that got reported.
National Center for Patient Safety Ann Arbor
94
Culture change can be accomplished in even the
least likely placesBig Time. Mostly, hospital
staffs hide mistakesits perhaps the culture of
medicine. The Veterans Administration hospitals
successfully attacked that culture. Reporting
incidents became the thing to doand was
rewarded. As a result mistakes reported
throughout the system increased by a FACTOR OF
THIRTY! Armed with buckets full of precious data,
the VA became, among other things, Americas best
model of patient safety.
95
30-fold!
96
Quite a lot, eh?
97
8
98
Courtesies of a small and trivial character are
the ones which strike deepest in the grateful and
appreciating heart. Henry Clay
99
The uncommon common courtesiesthe primary
basis for staff and customer satisfaction and
retentionand superior relationships in general.
And high profitability. And the deepest of deep
blue oceans