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200 Tom Peters: The Excellence Dividend

Tom Peters argues that excellence is essential for success in the modern workplace and provides practical advice for achieving it.

Duration: 11 hours
36 minutes
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Timothy Gallwey: The Inner Game of Tennis

Summary

"The Excellence Dividend" by Tom Peters is a guide to achieving excellence in the modern workplace. Peters draws on his extensive experience as a management consultant and author to provide practical advice for individuals and organizations looking to achieve excellence in their work. The book covers a wide range of topics, including leadership, innovation, and customer service, and emphasizes the importance of continuous improvement and lifelong learning. Peters argues that excellence is not a luxury, but an essential component of success in the modern workplace, and provides numerous examples of organizations and individuals who have achieved excellence through their commitment to quality and innovation.

About

Title: The Excellence Dividend: Meeting the Tech Tide with Work That Wows and Jobs That Last

Author: Tom Peters

Publishing year: 2018

Publisher: Vintage

Length in hours: 11 hours and 36 minutes

5 main ideas

  1. Excellence is essential for success in the modern workplace, and individuals and organizations must prioritize it to remain competitive.
  2. Leadership is a key factor in achieving excellence, and leaders must set the tone for a culture of excellence and continuous improvement.
  3. Innovation and creativity are essential components of excellence, and organizations must prioritize experimentation and risk-taking to drive innovation.
  4. Customer service is a critical element of excellence, and organizations must prioritize the needs and wants of their customers to succeed in the marketplace.
  5. Lifelong learning and continuous improvement are essential components of excellence, and individuals and organizations must prioritize education and training to stay ahead.
Timothy Gallwey: The Inner Game of Tennis

5 funny quotes

  1. "I'm not arguing. I'm just explaining why I'm right." - Unknown
  2. "I have a photographic memory, but I always forget to bring the film." - Unknown
  3. "I'm not lazy, I'm just on energy-saving mode." - Unknown
  4. "I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it." - Unknown
  5. "I'm not procrastinating, I'm just prioritizing my tasks in order of their deadline." - Unknown

5 thought-provoking quotes​

  1. "Excellence is not an aspiration. Excellence is the next five minutes. Excellence is treating everyone with courtesy and respect. Excellence is the willingness to be kind, to be thoughtful, to be considerate." - Tom Peters
  2. "If you're not confused, you're not paying attention." - Tom Peters
  3. "The only thing that will redeem mankind is cooperation." - Bertrand Russell
  4. "The best way to predict the future is to create it." - Peter Drucker
  5. "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together." - African Proverb

5 dilemmas

  1. The tension between short-term profits and long-term sustainability, and the need to balance these competing interests in the pursuit of excellence.
  2. The challenge of managing a diverse and global workforce, and the need to embrace diversity and inclusion as essential components of excellence.
  3. The role of technology in driving excellence, and the need to balance the benefits of automation with the importance of human creativity and ingenuity.
  4. The challenge of managing change in a rapidly evolving business environment, and the need for leaders to be agile, adaptable, and forward-thinking.
  5. The ethical considerations of excellence, and the need for organizations to consider the impact of their actions on society and the environment.

5 examples

  1. Apple, the technology company that has consistently achieved excellence through its focus on design, innovation, and customer service.
  2. Amazon, the e-commerce giant that has transformed the retail industry through its focus on quality, convenience, and personalization.
  3. Southwest Airlines, the low-cost carrier that has achieved excellence through its focus on customer service, employee engagement, and operational efficiency.
  4. Toyota, the automaker that has achieved excellence through its focus on quality, innovation, and continuous improvement.
  5. Mary Barra, the CEO of General Motors who has prioritized innovation, customer service, and employee engagement in her leadership of the company.

Referenced books

  1. "Good to Great" by Jim Collins
  2. "Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies" by Jim Collins and Jerry Porras
  3. "Thinking, Fast and Slow" by Daniel Kahneman
  4. "The Innovator's Dilemma" by Clayton M. Christensen
  5. "First, Break All the Rules: What the World's Greatest Managers Do Differently" by Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman

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"You don't necessarily need the best players to create the best team. What you do need is to create the best culture to get the best out of your players."

Timothy Gallwey: The Inner Game of Tennis

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