Tom Peters on His Compact Guide to Excellence – New Book
Dec 13, 2022
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Tom Peters, author, consultant, and speaker, discusses core concepts from his new book on leadership, including the moral bankruptcy of 'maximizing shareholder value' and the importance of caring about people. He shares examples of CEOs prioritizing employee safety and emphasizes the power of human connection in effective leadership.
Taking the high moral ground in business is not only a good practice, but it is also good for business.
Effective leadership is an intimate act that centers around human connection.
Deep dives
Importance of Finding the Right Candidates for Lean Transformation
Finding the right candidates for Lean Transformation remains a critical challenge for partner organizations, even with the growth of online networks. Styles Associates, a premier retained executive search firm, has developed a team of professional recruiters who go beyond buzzwords to identify the top performers.
The Power of Taking the High Moral Ground
Taking the high moral ground in business is not only a good practice, but it is also good for business. When companies prioritize ethics and caring for people, it becomes difficult for anyone to object without sounding foolish. Being good and caring about people is contagious and leads to better outcomes for organizations.
The Role of Innovation in Small to Medium Size Enterprises
Innovation is more likely to come from small to medium size enterprises (SMEs) compared to big corporations. SMEs have created well over 100% of new jobs and have a significant impact on the economy. The focus should shift from only focusing on Fortune 500 companies to recognizing the contributions and value of SMEs.
The Importance of Human Connection in Leadership
Effective leadership is an intimate act that centers around human connection. It is about being present, caring, and treating people with respect and empathy. While remote work and technology can present challenges, leaders who genuinely care will find ways to connect and build relationships, whether in person or through virtual platforms like Zoom.
Today, Tom and I talk about some core concepts from his book, but we also weave through many topics including leadership that demonstrates “extreme humanism” (and leaders who do not, such as Elon Musk). As always, it's a fun, free-wheeling, and thought-provoking conversation when Tom is involved.
Note: Tom says he swears like a sailor… there are a few occasional mild curse words, so please be warned about that.
Questions, Notes, and highlights:
The moral bankruptcy of “maximizing shareholder value” — are we really moving away from that? Getting lip service from the Conference Board and others?
“People got ‘the brand called you' all wrong — it's not about self-marketing”
“Being good is good business. When you take the high moral ground it is difficult for anyone to object without sounding like a complete fool.”
The HP Way – Management By Wandering Around (MBWA) is an “intimate act”
Following up on our Aug 2020 discussion about leading during Covid… how is MBZA (management by zooming around) working out?
You've been very active on Twitter — still there? Should we still be using Twitter, even the free service?
The podcast is sponsored by Stiles Associates, now in their 30th year of business. They are the go-to Lean recruiting firm serving the manufacturing, private equity, and healthcare industries. Learn more.