Tom Peters, management guru
 |  Tom Peters |
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| | DESK ESSENTIALS | One book: All of Dickens on tape
One newspaper: USA Today (gotta have those latest sports scores)
One favourite Web site: Google!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! One gadget: Most advanced Leatherman
One plane ticket: Kaua'i, Hawaii |
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What are you reading?
Toqueville's 'Democracy in America'... trying to understand the roots of democracy.
Who's been your biggest influence?
(1) My Mom; (2) My first military boss in Vietnam (Dick Anderson)
What's your biggest mistake?
I've made many... and you learn you can't look back (Honest answer: being a total workaholic who's been less attentive to important relationships than I should have).
Is management an art or a science?
Duh! Art!
What do you reach for on your desk when the fire alarm goes off?
I have a full kit ready, post 9/11. Flashlight. Leatherman. Clean underpants. (Actually it's a fully kitted backpack.)
Curriculum Vitae
Born: 1942 in Baltimore, Maryland
Described by the Economost as the "uber-guru" of management, and by Business Week as "business' best friend and worst enemy."Author of a string of best-selling business books, including 'Re-Imagine! Business Excellence in a Disruptive Age' in 2003.Graduated from Cornell and Stamford (MBA and PhD), before completing two tours of duty with the navy in Vietnam.Senior White House drug abuse advisor from 1973-74 and then worked for management consultants McKinsey, becoming a partner in 1979.He says: "Virtual organization was the world's worst kind of management speak until 9/11, at which point it became the most real thing in our lives. The U.S. was not attacked by a monolith that looked like us. It was attacked by this ephemeral terrorist network that had good cellphones and passion."
