Reading Tom Peters…
Some quotes and notes from a presentation by Tom Peters that I accidentally “discovered” while looking for something else…
They resonated very strongly with the various efforts I am involved with**, at the moment…Hope you like them too.
*** Excerpts Begin ***
I’m here to tell you a … story. To describe an… adventure. To talk about a… quest.â€
That is, I’m weaving Stories about…Dreams that Might Come True!
***
WE SEEK… ASSISTANCE… FROM ANYWHERE…TO ASSEMBLE THE BEST-IN-PLANET-TEAM FOR THE PROJECT.
***
“DOING GOOD (EXCELLENT!) WORK AND MAKING A LOT OF MONEY IS “NOT GOOD ENOUGH!â€
***
“WHAT’S OUR STORY?†The Washington Post in September 2004 asked this (in retrospect, poignant) question about John Kerry:
To win this race, Kerry needs to stop focusing on Election Day, and start thinking about his would-be presidency’s last day. What does he want his legacy to be? When sixth-graders in the year 2108 read about the Kerry presidency, what does he want the one or two sentences that accompany his photo to say?
I don’t think Mr. Kerry ever made that connection with numerous voters. And I think, to a significant degree … it’s why he lost. He couldn’t answer the question: “WHAT’S OUR/MY STORY?â€
***
Futurist Rolph Jensen puts it more oceanically:
“We’re in the twilight of a society based on data. As information and intelligence become the domain of computers, society will place more value on the one human ability that cannot be automated: emotion. Imagination, myth, ritual—the language of emotion—will affect everything from our purchasing decisions to how we work with others. Companies will thrive on the basis of their stories and myths. Companies will need to understand that their products are less important than their stories.†– Mr. Jensen, head of the Copenhagen Institute for Future Studies
***
Howard Gardner, leadership guru:
“To change minds effectively, leaders must particularly use two tools: the stories that they tell and the lives that they lead.â€
***
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.
***
Adlai Stevenson (redux):
“In classical times, when Cicero had finished speaking, the people said, ‘How well he spoke.’ But when Demosthenes had finished speaking, they said, ‘LET US MARCH.’â€
*** Excerpts End ***
Source: The “PSF†Is Everything! (or: Making the Professional Service Firm a “Lovemark†in an Age of “Managed Asset Reflationâ€), Project05: Tom Peters Rants, 23 April 2005
** Expect a major update on one particularly exciting effort that will take me to Bharat in early July. In the meantime, the various discussions/meetings in London are continuing apace. We had a meeting in mid-May to discuss Jammu & Kashmir…and I am looking forward to this talk later today to a high-IQ audience!
When sixth-graders in the year 2108 read about the Kerry presidency, what does he want the one or two sentences that accompany his photo to say?
That really makes serious sense. History never judges someone by how many years did he rule, but by what he did during his rule.
When a 6th graders today thinks of Nehru, Indira, Rajeev he is bound to consider these people as great visionaries while someone like Advani has been unreasonably vilified in public discourse.
Congress is just too good in that area.
It was a pleasure to attend one of Shantanu’s seminars at Imperial College in London recently. Having had a terribly busy week till that point, travelling across the country for almost six hours that day, I was expecting nothing less than a stimulating session…!!
So, did it deliver?! …I just thought I should share some of the general themes and my observations with rest of the community…During his two hour talk about India, Shantanu discussed and debated with audience some of the pressing challenges our country is facing at the moment. Those who already knew Shantanu through his blogs would have anticipated a passionate and creative dialogue from him…similarly, those who already know India and call themselves Indian shouldn’t have expected any surprises or silver bullet solutions in the speech.
So was it really that important?!…well, it is hard to see woods for the trees when you live and breathe in the same environment and that’s precisely where Shantanu’s awareness campaign could be effective in educating us. As an Indian who has recently started taking reasonably strong personal interest in grass root development and politics in India, certainly the issues we discussed reinforced my beliefs. I am quite confident that Shantanu’s talk did give food for thought to the audience which hopefully will take some of them out of their comfort zone going forward.
Most of you would already know that Shantanu’s ideas are not just limited to merely running a campaign and sitting on the sidelines to watch the events unfold by themselves but he intends to take a really proactive and heads on approach to solving some of the key challenges such as political governance and strategic sustainability in our democracy. However, there is always scope to refine the approach to maximise its impact as we progress with this journey of exploration. Sometimes radical thinking could obscure the fundamentally sensitive issues and make the process of transformation unnecessary elongated and inefficient. The changes could be driven more effectively by working with the system and bringing about a shift in the public attitude (and leaders) at a ground level! Having said that, I think it’s is more important to focus on the same destination than same paths…different approaches generate healthy discussions and provide out-of-the-box thinking to tackle some of the diverse challenges we face.
Let’s get together in thanking Shantanu for his efforts, passion and love for the motherland…Let’s get together in wishing every person who has thought about these issues and is ready to make a change…Let’s get together in reshaping our country that is underpinned by rich culture and heritage…Let’s make INDIA what it should be…Let’s take INDIA where it belongs…
Jai Bharat
Abhimanyu
Abhimanyu: Thanks for your thoughts and kind words.
I do not mind suggestions of different approaches at all. As you said , they “generate healthy discussions and provide out-of-the-box thinking to tackle some of the diverse challenges we face.”
I look forward to hearing some more of your thoughts and ideas – hopefully in response to some of the posts on the blog e.g. Let us build a NEW and proud India
“I think it’s is more important to focus on the same destination than same paths…different approaches generate healthy discussions and provide out-of-the-box thinking to tackle some of the diverse challenges we face.”
I really liked this. And I agree and think like that. As long as our goals are common, and we are rational, logical and open to change, paths can always converge.
However, I am discovering (through FTI etc) that to attract and form sustainable political groups/movements, a strong ideology (‘path’ or atleast a ‘direction’) is required, in addition to a common goal.
For example, communists and capitalists may be equally convinced about their paths being the right ones for social/economic development. Common goal. Different paths. There could be other very fine differences as well.
I am still learning … and thinking …