1 of 16 pages
Tomato, Toma[h]to!
Uploaded by permission of Tom Peters. Visit www.tompeters.com for further information.
They say, "Plan it." Tom says, "Do it." They say, "We need an initiative." Tom says, "We need a Dream. And Dreamers." Tom takes issue with what "they" say and goes against popular organizational wisdom in "Tomato, Toma[h]to!"
0 Comments on this document
Document Transcript:
Tom Peters
Re-imagine Manifesto!
Tomato
!
Ønext
i f , , nn
[e]
TomA toTomato TomA[h]to: Tom's Re-imagine Manifesto Tom Peters
" We all agree your theory is crazy. The question,
which divides us, is whether it is crazy enough."
–Physicist Niels Bohr, to Wolfgang Pauli
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.
× | 16 Ø
i f , , nnTomato TomA[h]to: Tom's Re-imagine Manifesto Tom Peters
They say ... my (Toms) 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 and 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 Wal*Mart or China or both are about to eat your lunch. Why cant you
provide instead a Fabulous Experience?
They say Take a deep breath. Be calm.
I say Tell it to Wal*Mart. Tell it to China. Tell it to India. Tell it to Dell. Tell it to
Microsoft.
They say the Web is a useful tool.
I say the Web changes everything. Now.
× | 16 Ø
i f , , nnTomato TomA[h]to: Tom's Re-imagine Manifesto Tom Peters
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 minuscule share of Women in Senior Leadership Positions is a Waste
and a Disgrace and a Strategic Marketing Error.
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 Redening 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.
× | 16 Ø
i f , , nnTomato TomA[h]to: Tom's Re-imagine Manifesto Tom Peters
They say Wow is typical Tom.
I say WOW is a Minimum Survival Requirement.
They say effective governance is important.
They say "Plan it."
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 Hispanic
I say DO IT. " are an Imperative. Now.
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 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.
They say Sure, we need Change.
I say we need REVOLUTION NOW.
They say "We need Good People."
I say "We need Quirky Talent."
× | 16 Ø
i f , , nnTomato TomA[h]to: Tom's Re-imagine Manifesto Tom Peters
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.
They say We like words such as calm ... certainty ... is.
I say I like words/phrases such as turbulent ... opportunity ... might be.
They vote for Republicans and Democrats.
I vote for Independents and Libertarians.
They say Happy balance.
I say 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.
× | 16 Ø
i f , , nnTomato TomA[h]to: Tom's Re-imagine Manifesto Tom Peters
They say Peace, brother.
They say "Normal."
I say Bruise my feelings. Flatten my ego. SAVE MY JOB.
I say "Weird." 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 at 100mph.
They say they want to partner with best of breed.
I say Give me Coolest of Breed.
They say we need supply chain harmony.
I say we need supply chain Innovation.
× | 16 Ø
i f , , nnTomato TomA[h]to: Tom's Re-imagine Manifesto Tom Peters
They say We seek Harvard MBAs.
I say I seek Certicate-free PhDs from the School of Hard Knocks.
They say We seek Harvard MBAs.
I say I seek RISD (Rhode Island School of Design) MFAs.
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.
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 they want recruits with spotless records.
I say The Spots are what matter most.
They say Of course we believe in marketing.
I say Is the CMO (Chief Marketing Ofcer) on the Board of Directors?
They say Of course we believe in marketing.
I say Has your customer database won numerous major industry awards?
× | 16 Ø
i f , , nnTomato TomA[h]to: Tom's Re-imagine Manifesto Tom Peters
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 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 1,000 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 1/3 of your Board seats?
They say Were coming around on the design bit.
I say Is, as at Braun, your Chief Design Ofcer on the Board of Directors?
× | 16 Ø
i f , , nnTomato TomA[h]to: Tom's Re-imagine Manifesto Tom Peters
They say Of course we think the experiences thing is important.
They say Improve.
I say Is there an EVP Experiences?
I say Re-imagine!
They say Of course innovation is important.
I say Is your percentage of revenue devoted to R&D 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: Wal*Mart.)
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 at organization.
I say Is your headquarters in a Tower?
They say no child left behind.
I say "education" is leaving ALL our children behind, as it is totally
misaligned to deal with tomorrow's (this afternoon's) uncertain,
ambiguous, creativity-driven economy.
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.)
× 10 | 16 Ø
i f , , nnTomato TomA[h]to: Tom's Re-imagine Manifesto Tom Peters
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.
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-dened 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 iname 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.)
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.
× 11 | 16 Ø
i f , , nnTomato TomA[h]to: Tom's Re-imagine Manifesto Tom Peters
They say Globalization is a bumpy road.
They say "men." I say India and China and Asia in general are within two decades of running the
show: Get ready or get trounced.
I say "WOMEN."
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 behemoths 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 t defense against Revolution.
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.)
They say Its a fright.
I say Its a Helluva Ride.
× 1 | 16 Ø
i f , , nnTomato TomA[h]to: Tom's Re-imagine Manifesto Tom Peters
They say its daunting.
I say its a bronco riders delight.
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; give me the Ownership Society. (And Im a lifelong
Democrat.)
They say zero defects.
I say A day without a screw-up or two is a day pissed away.
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.
× 1 | 16 Ø
i f , , nnTomato TomA[h]to: Tom's Re-imagine Manifesto Tom Peters
They say Radical change takes a decade.
I say "Radical change
takes a Minute."
(See AA.)
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.
They (Jim Collins) say Walgreens is Cool.
I say I love Larry Ellison. (Oracle rules ... at least for the next ten minutes.)
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 35-hour weeks, and the Chinese will kill you.
They say Install cost controls with teeth.
I say Ha. Ha. Ha. Blow Up the existing enterprise and start with a Clean Sheet
of Paper.
× 1 | 16 Ø
i f , , nnTomato TomA[h]to: Tom's Re-imagine Manifesto Tom Peters
They say Install cost controls with teeth.
I say Grow the Top Line.
They say Times are changing.
I say Everything has already changed. Tomorrow is the First Day of Your
Revolution ... or youre Toast.
They say We cant all be Anita Roddick or Maxine Clark or Stan Shih or Les
Wexner or Jerry Yang.
I say Why not?
They say "We can't all be a Brand."
?
I say "Why not?"
They say We cant all be Revolutionaries.
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.
× 1 | 16 Ø
i f , , nnTomato TomA[h]to: Tom's Re-imagine Manifesto Tom Peters
CopyrIghT Info
The copyright of this work belongs to Tom Peters, who is solely responsible for the content. Please direct content feedback
or permissions to tom@tompeters.com.
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-NoDerivs License. To view a copy of this
license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0 or send a letter to Creative Commons, 559 Nathan Abbott
Way, Standford, CA 94305, USA.
You may not extract or re-use any of the images in this document.
WhAT you CAn do
Spread it around. Print this, email it, post it on your website (with credit to Tom, of course!) Discuss it, dissect it, ruminate
on it. Use pieces of it or the whole thing. Please do not alter it, claim it as your own, or charge for its use.
To use the interactive features at the bottom of the page, you need to view this document in Adobe Acrobat Reader version
5 or higher. Download Acrobat Reader for free from Adobe. To zoom in/out of the page click on [ f ]. To bookmark a page,
click on [ ]. To add notes on a page, click on [ n ]. To navigate to the next or previous page, click on the arrows, or simply
,
use your keyboard left/right arrow keys.
< previously viewed page
× 1 | 16
i f , , nn
Re-imagine Manifesto!
Tomato
!
Ønext
i f , , nn
[e]
TomA toTomato TomA[h]to: Tom's Re-imagine Manifesto Tom Peters
" We all agree your theory is crazy. The question,
which divides us, is whether it is crazy enough."
–Physicist Niels Bohr, to Wolfgang Pauli
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.
× | 16 Ø
i f , , nnTomato TomA[h]to: Tom's Re-imagine Manifesto Tom Peters
They say ... my (Toms) 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 and 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 Wal*Mart or China or both are about to eat your lunch. Why cant you
provide instead a Fabulous Experience?
They say Take a deep breath. Be calm.
I say Tell it to Wal*Mart. Tell it to China. Tell it to India. Tell it to Dell. Tell it to
Microsoft.
They say the Web is a useful tool.
I say the Web changes everything. Now.
× | 16 Ø
i f , , nnTomato TomA[h]to: Tom's Re-imagine Manifesto Tom Peters
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 minuscule share of Women in Senior Leadership Positions is a Waste
and a Disgrace and a Strategic Marketing Error.
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 Redening 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.
× | 16 Ø
i f , , nnTomato TomA[h]to: Tom's Re-imagine Manifesto Tom Peters
They say Wow is typical Tom.
I say WOW is a Minimum Survival Requirement.
They say effective governance is important.
They say "Plan it."
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 Hispanic
I say DO IT. " are an Imperative. Now.
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 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.
They say Sure, we need Change.
I say we need REVOLUTION NOW.
They say "We need Good People."
I say "We need Quirky Talent."
× | 16 Ø
i f , , nnTomato TomA[h]to: Tom's Re-imagine Manifesto Tom Peters
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.
They say We like words such as calm ... certainty ... is.
I say I like words/phrases such as turbulent ... opportunity ... might be.
They vote for Republicans and Democrats.
I vote for Independents and Libertarians.
They say Happy balance.
I say 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.
× | 16 Ø
i f , , nnTomato TomA[h]to: Tom's Re-imagine Manifesto Tom Peters
They say Peace, brother.
They say "Normal."
I say Bruise my feelings. Flatten my ego. SAVE MY JOB.
I say "Weird." 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 at 100mph.
They say they want to partner with best of breed.
I say Give me Coolest of Breed.
They say we need supply chain harmony.
I say we need supply chain Innovation.
× | 16 Ø
i f , , nnTomato TomA[h]to: Tom's Re-imagine Manifesto Tom Peters
They say We seek Harvard MBAs.
I say I seek Certicate-free PhDs from the School of Hard Knocks.
They say We seek Harvard MBAs.
I say I seek RISD (Rhode Island School of Design) MFAs.
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.
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 they want recruits with spotless records.
I say The Spots are what matter most.
They say Of course we believe in marketing.
I say Is the CMO (Chief Marketing Ofcer) on the Board of Directors?
They say Of course we believe in marketing.
I say Has your customer database won numerous major industry awards?
× | 16 Ø
i f , , nnTomato TomA[h]to: Tom's Re-imagine Manifesto Tom Peters
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 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 1,000 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 1/3 of your Board seats?
They say Were coming around on the design bit.
I say Is, as at Braun, your Chief Design Ofcer on the Board of Directors?
× | 16 Ø
i f , , nnTomato TomA[h]to: Tom's Re-imagine Manifesto Tom Peters
They say Of course we think the experiences thing is important.
They say Improve.
I say Is there an EVP Experiences?
I say Re-imagine!
They say Of course innovation is important.
I say Is your percentage of revenue devoted to R&D 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: Wal*Mart.)
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 at organization.
I say Is your headquarters in a Tower?
They say no child left behind.
I say "education" is leaving ALL our children behind, as it is totally
misaligned to deal with tomorrow's (this afternoon's) uncertain,
ambiguous, creativity-driven economy.
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.)
× 10 | 16 Ø
i f , , nnTomato TomA[h]to: Tom's Re-imagine Manifesto Tom Peters
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.
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-dened 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 iname 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.)
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.
× 11 | 16 Ø
i f , , nnTomato TomA[h]to: Tom's Re-imagine Manifesto Tom Peters
They say Globalization is a bumpy road.
They say "men." I say India and China and Asia in general are within two decades of running the
show: Get ready or get trounced.
I say "WOMEN."
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 behemoths 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 t defense against Revolution.
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.)
They say Its a fright.
I say Its a Helluva Ride.
× 1 | 16 Ø
i f , , nnTomato TomA[h]to: Tom's Re-imagine Manifesto Tom Peters
They say its daunting.
I say its a bronco riders delight.
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; give me the Ownership Society. (And Im a lifelong
Democrat.)
They say zero defects.
I say A day without a screw-up or two is a day pissed away.
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.
× 1 | 16 Ø
i f , , nnTomato TomA[h]to: Tom's Re-imagine Manifesto Tom Peters
They say Radical change takes a decade.
I say "Radical change
takes a Minute."
(See AA.)
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.
They (Jim Collins) say Walgreens is Cool.
I say I love Larry Ellison. (Oracle rules ... at least for the next ten minutes.)
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 35-hour weeks, and the Chinese will kill you.
They say Install cost controls with teeth.
I say Ha. Ha. Ha. Blow Up the existing enterprise and start with a Clean Sheet
of Paper.
× 1 | 16 Ø
i f , , nnTomato TomA[h]to: Tom's Re-imagine Manifesto Tom Peters
They say Install cost controls with teeth.
I say Grow the Top Line.
They say Times are changing.
I say Everything has already changed. Tomorrow is the First Day of Your
Revolution ... or youre Toast.
They say We cant all be Anita Roddick or Maxine Clark or Stan Shih or Les
Wexner or Jerry Yang.
I say Why not?
They say "We can't all be a Brand."
?
I say "Why not?"
They say We cant all be Revolutionaries.
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.
× 1 | 16 Ø
i f , , nnTomato TomA[h]to: Tom's Re-imagine Manifesto Tom Peters
CopyrIghT Info
The copyright of this work belongs to Tom Peters, who is solely responsible for the content. Please direct content feedback
or permissions to tom@tompeters.com.
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-NoDerivs License. To view a copy of this
license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0 or send a letter to Creative Commons, 559 Nathan Abbott
Way, Standford, CA 94305, USA.
You may not extract or re-use any of the images in this document.
WhAT you CAn do
Spread it around. Print this, email it, post it on your website (with credit to Tom, of course!) Discuss it, dissect it, ruminate
on it. Use pieces of it or the whole thing. Please do not alter it, claim it as your own, or charge for its use.
To use the interactive features at the bottom of the page, you need to view this document in Adobe Acrobat Reader version
5 or higher. Download Acrobat Reader for free from Adobe. To zoom in/out of the page click on [ f ]. To bookmark a page,
click on [ ]. To add notes on a page, click on [ n ]. To navigate to the next or previous page, click on the arrows, or simply
,
use your keyboard left/right arrow keys.
< previously viewed page
× 1 | 16
i f , , nn
