Hard [numbers, plans] is Soft. Soft [people/relationships] is Hard.

1. “When I was in medical school, I spent hundreds of hours looking into a microscope—a skill I never needed to know or ever use.Yet I didn't have a single class that taught me communication or teamwork skills—something I need every day I walk into the hospital.” —Peter Pronovost (introduced checklists to ICUs/healthcare)

2. Hard [numbers, plans]is Soft. Soft [people/relationships]is Hard.

3. “If I could have chosen not to tackle the IBM culture head-on, I probably wouldn’t have. My bias coming in was toward strategy, analysis and measurement. In comparison, changing the attitude and behaviors of hundreds of thousands of people is very, very hard.Yet I came to see in my time at IBM that culture isn’t just one aspect of the game —IT IS THE GAME.” —Lou Gerstner, Who Says Elephants Can’t Dance

4. The Four Values/ Agile Project Management ManifestoValue #1: Individuals and interactions over processes and toolsValue #2: Working software overcomprehensive documentationValue #3: Customer collaboration overcontract negotiationValue #4: Responding to change over following a planSource: Mark Layton, Agile Project Management For Dummies[Agile Manifesto: People. Communications. The Product. Flexibility.]

5. Tom Peters’ The Project Leadership EXCELLENCE 42 PMI Leadership Institute Meeting 2014 Phoenix/23 October 2014 Slides at tompeters.com (Also see our 23-part Master Compendium at excellencenow.com)

6. The Project Leadership EXCELLENCE 42 1.Politics as nuisance-distraction vs. “Politics Is Life. RELISH It.” 2.IQ > EQ vs.EQ > IQ. 3.Buttoned down to a fault vs. “I am a dispenser of enthusiasm.”—Ben Zander 4.“We don’t have time for niceties” vs. CIVILITY. ALWAYS. 5.“There’s always some damn thing” vs. Live for the madness per se. (Antifragile—N.N. Taleb) 6. “This is a time of enormous change, which must be reflected in our work” vs.“The greatest shortcoming of the human race is our inability to understand the exponentialfunction.” —Albert Bartlett

7. “The root of our problem is not that we’re in a Great Recession or a Great Stagnation, but rather that we are in the early throes of a Great Restructuring. Our technologies are racing ahead, but our skills and organizations are lagging behind.” Source: Race AGAINST the Machine, Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee

8. “The median worker is losing the race against the machine.” —Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee, Race AGAINST the Machine

9. “Mr. Foster and his McKinsey colleagues collected detailed performance data stretching back 40 years for 1,000 U.S. companies.They found thatNONEofthe long-term survivors managed to outperform the market. Worse, the longer companies had been in the database, the worse they did.” —Financial Times

10. China/Foxconn: 1,000,000robots/next 3 years Source: Race AGAINST the Machine, Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee

11. The Project Leadership EXCELLENCE 42 7. Linearity/“waterfall” vs. Non-linearity/circularity/ high tempo-“O.O.D.A. Loop”/AGILE. 8. Step-at-a-time vs. “Demo or die”/“Serious Play”/ “READY. FIRE. AIM.” 9.Optimistic-or-bust vs. UNDER-promise or bust. 10.In the office vs. Out of the Office/No office. 11.Nose to the grindstone vs. “This is a blast—as cool as it gets.” 12.Meetings as pain-in-the-butt vs. Meetings as Leadership OPPORTUNITY #1. 13.Small leadership circle vs. Inclusive leadership circle. 14.Formal customer-vendor relationships vs. “No barriers”-fully integrated partnership with customers-vendors. 15.“No distractions, please” vs. Welcome to the Age of SOCIAL BUSINESS.

12. Lesson48:WTTMSW

13. WHOEVER TRIES THE MOST STUFF WINS

14. “EXPERIMENT FEARLESSLY”Source: BusinessWeek, “Type A Organization Strategies: How to Hit a Moving Target”—Tactic #1“RELENTLESS TRIAL AND ERROR” Source: Wall Street Journal, cornerstone of effective approach to “rebalancing” company portfolios in the face of changing and uncertain global economic conditions (11.08.10)

15. READY.FIRE!AIM.—H. Ross Perot

16. BFA: #1 in 1982/#1 in 2014 1. A Bias For Action 2. Close to the Customer 3. Autonomy and Entrepreneurship 4. Productivity Through People 5. Hands On, Value-Driven 6. Stick to the Knitting 7. Simple Form, Lean Staff 8. Simultaneous Loose-Tight Properties

17. The Project Leadership EXCELLENCE 42 7.Linearity/“waterfall” vs. Non-linearity/circularity/ high tempo- “O.O.D.A. Loop”/AGILE. 8.Step-at-a-time vs. “Demo or die”/“Serious Play”/ “Ready. Fire. Aim.” 9.Optimistic-or-bust vs. UNDER-promise or bust. 10.In the office vs. Out of the Office/No office. 11.Nose to the grindstone vs. “This is a blast—as cool as it gets.” 12.Meetings as pain-in-the-butt vs. Meetings/ Leadership OPPORTUNITY #1. 13.Small leadership circle vs. Inclusive leadership circle. 14.Formal customer-vendor relationships vs. “No barriers”-fully integrated partnership with customers-vendors. 15. “No distractions, please” vs. Welcome to the Age of SOCIALBUSINESS.

18. Biz 2014: Get Aboard the “S-Train” SM/Social Media. SX/Social eXecutives. SE/Social Employees. SO/Social Organization. SB/Social Business.

19. Seven Characteristics of the Social Employee: “Empowerment On Steroids” 1. Engaged 2. Expects Integration of the Personal and Professional 3. Buys Into the Brand’s Story 4. Born Collaborator 5. Listens 6. Customer-Centric 7. Empowered Change Agent Source: Cheryl Burgess & Mark Burgess, The Social Employee

20. The Project Leadership EXCELLENCE 42 16. Information as needed vs. WILDLY “over”-communicate with EVERYONE. 17. Confidentiality often necessary vs. Confidentiality 99% nonsense/Inform everyone of everything. 18. Email/IM vs.FACE-TO-FACE/frequent-flyer miles. 19. Over-scheduled vs. 50% unscheduled time. 20. Latest tech vs.PAPERCHECKLIST. 21. Lunch with colleagues/Lunch as respite vs. LUNCH as #1 Networking Opportunity/Lunch PLUS/ “On the docket” RELATIONSHIP BUILDING 22. Suck UP for Success vs. Suck DOWN for Success. 23. Fend off enemies vs. recruit and nurture … ALLIES ALLIES MORE ALLIES.

21. “The art of war does not require complicated maneuvers; the simplest are the best and common sense is fundamental. From which one might wonder how it is generals make blunders;it is because they try to be clever.”—Napoleon

22. The Project Leadership EXCELLENCE 42 16. Information as needed vs. WILDLY “over”-communicate with EVERYONE. 17. Confidentiality often necessary vs. Confidentiality 99% nonsense/Inform everyone of everything. 18. Email/IM vs. FACE-TO-FACE/frequent-flyer miles. 19. Over-scheduled vs. 50% unscheduled time. 20. Latest tech vs. Paper checklist. 21. Lunch with colleagues/Lunch as respite vs. LUNCH as #1 Networking Opportunity/ Lunch PLUS/“On the docket” RELATIONSHIP BUILDING 22. Suck UP for Success vs. Suck DOWN for Success. 23. Fend off enemies vs. recruit and nurture … ALLIES ALLIES MORE ALLIES.

23. The sacred 220 “ABs”.* *“At bats”

24. The Project Leadership EXCELLENCE 42 16. Information as needed vs. WILDLY “over”-communicate with EVERYONE. 17. Confidentiality often necessary vs. Confidentiality 99% nonsense/Inform everyone of everything. 18. Email/IM vs.FACE-TO-FACE/ frequent-flyer miles. 19. Over-scheduled vs. 50% unscheduled time. 20. Latest tech vs. Paper checklist. 21. Lunch with colleagues/Lunch as respite vs. LUNCH as #1 Networking Opportunity/Lunch PLUS/ “On the docket” RELATIONSHIP BUILDING 22. Suck UP for Success vs. Suck DOWN for Success. 23. Fend off enemies vs. recruit and nurture … ALLIESALLIESMOREALLIES.

25. Spend 80% of your time on allies—finding and developing and nurturing allies of every size and shape is the name of the winning game.

26. The Project Leadership EXCELLENCE 42 24. Silos are inevitable vs. INTENSIVELY MANAGED “XFX”/ Cross-Functional eXcellence. 25. Not our fault vs. WILDLY over-respond to screw-ups/ Apology as Relationship-Building Mainstay. 26. Recognition-as-deserved vs.Constant recognition, especially for “little stuff”/Celebrate-every-damn-milestone- imaginable, make ’em up if need be/“BIG MO” rules. 27. Talk vs. LISTEN/Listening-as-Strategic Tool #1 28. “Here’s the deal” vs. “WHAT DO YOU THINK?” 29. “We want people who know what they are doing” vs. “We want people with an insatiable thirst for growth.” 30. If hire good folks, little need for training vs. Training = Investment #1 (Even on a BRIEF project). 31. Noisy vs. Quiet (Introverts are probably under-represented on your team—fix it).

27. “Courtesies of a small and trivial character are the ones which strike deepest in the grateful and appreciating heart.”—Henry Clay“The deepest principle in human nature is the craving* to be appreciated.”—William James*“Craving,” not “wish” or “desire” or “longing”/Dale Carnegie, How to Win Friends and Influence People (“The BIG Secret of Dealing With People”)“The deepest urge in human nature is the desire to be important.”—John Dewey

28. “When dealing with people, remember you are not dealing with creatures of logic, but with creatures of emotion, creatures bristling with prejudice and motivated by pride and vanity.”—Dale Carnegie (from Timeless Wisdom, compiled by Gary Fenchuk)

29. The Project Leadership EXCELLENCE 42 24. Silos are inevitable vs. INTENSIVELY MANAGED “XFX”/ Cross-Functional eXcellence. 25. Not our fault vs. WILDLY over-respond to screwups/ Apology as Relationship Building Mainstay. 26. Recognition-as-deserved vs. Constant recognition, especially for “little stuff”/Celebrate-every-damn- milestone-imaginable, make ‘em up if need be/ “BIG MO” rules. 27. Talk vs.LISTEN/Listening-as-Strategic Tool #1. 28. “Here’s the deal” vs. “WHAT DO YOU THINK?” 29. “We want people who know what they are doing” vs. “We want people with an insatiable thirst for growth.” 30. If hire good folks, little need for training vs. Training = Investment #1 [Even on a BRIEF project]. 31. Noisy vs. Quiet [Introverts are probably under-represented on your team—fix it].

30. “The doctor interrupts after …* *Source: Jerome Groopman, How Doctors Think

31. 18 …

32. 18 … seconds!

33. Suggested Core Value #1:“We are Effective Listeners—we treat Listening EXCELLENCE as the Centerpiece of our Commitment to Respect and Engagement and Community and Growth.”

34. Listen! An [obsession with] Listening is ... the ultimate mark of Respect. Listening is ... the heart and soul of Engagement. Listening is ... the heart and soul of Kindness. Listening is ... the heart and soul of Thoughtfulness. Listening is ... the basis for true Collaboration. Listening is ... the basis for true Partnership. Listening is ... a Team Sport. Listening is ... a Developable Individual Skill. Listening is ... the basis for Community. Listening is ... the bedrock of Joint Ventures that work. Listening is ... the bedrock of Joint Ventures that grow. Listening is ... the core of effective Cross-functional Communication.* (*Which is in turn Attribute #1 of organization effectiveness.) Listening is ... the engine of superior EXECUTION. Listening is ... the key to making the Sale. Listening is ... the key to Keeping the Customer’s Business. Listening is ... Service. Listening is ... the engine of Network development. Listening is ... the engine of Network maintenance. Listening is ... the engine of Network expansion. Listening is ... Social Networking’s “secret weapon.” Listening is ... Learning. Listening is ... the sine qua non of Renewal. Listening is ... the sine qua non of Creativity. Listening is ... the sine qua non of Innovation. Listening is ... the core of taking diverse opinions aboard. Listening is ... Strategy. Listening is ... Source #1 of “Value-added.” Listening is ... Differentiator #1. Listening is ... Profitable.* (*The “R.O.I.” from listening is higher than from any other single activity.) Listening is … the bedrock which underpins a Commitment to EXCELLENCE!

35. The Project Leadership EXCELLENCE 42 24. Silos are inevitable vs. INTENSIVELY MANAGED “XFX”/ Cross-Functional eXcellence. 25. Not our fault vs. WILDLY over-respond to screwups/ Apology as Relationship Building Mainstay. 26. Recognition-as-deserved vs. Constant recognition, especially for “little stuff”/Celebrate-every-damn- milestone-imaginable, make ‘em up if need be/ “BIG MO” rules. 27. Talk vs. LISTEN/Listening-as-Strategic Tool #1 28. “Here’s the deal” vs. “WHAT DO YOU THINK?” 29. “We want people who know what they are doing” vs. “We want people with an insatiable thirst for growth.” 30. If hire good folks, little need for training vs. TRAINING = INVESTMENT #1 (Even on a BRIEF project). 31. Noisy vs. Quiet (Introverts are probably under-represented on your team—fix it).

36. Gamblin’ Man Bet #1: >> 5 of 10 CEOs see training as expense rather than investment. Bet #2: >> 5 of 10 CEOs see training as defense rather than offense. Bet #3: >> 5 of 10 CEOs see training as “necessary evil” rather than “strategic opportunity.” Bet #4:>> 8 of 10 CEOs, in a 45-minute “tour d’horizon” of their business, would NOT mention training.

37. The Project Leadership EXCELLENCE 42 24. Silos are inevitable vs. INTENSIVELY MANAGED “XFX”/ Cross-Functional eXcellence. 25. Not our fault vs. WILDLY over-respond to screwups/ Apology as Relationship Building Mainstay. 26. Recognition-as-deserved vs. Constant recognition, especially for “little stuff”/Celebrate-every-damn- milestone-imaginable, make ’em up if need be/ “BIG MO” rules. 27. Talk vs. LISTEN/Listening-as-Strategic Tool #1 28. “Here’s the deal” vs. “WHAT DO YOU THINK?” 29. “We want people who know what they are doing” vs. “We want people with an insatiable thirst for growth.” 30. If hire good folks, little need for training vs. Training = Investment #1 (Even on a BRIEF project). 31. Noisy vs.Quiet (Introverts are probably under-represented on your team—fix it).

38. The Project Leadership EXCELLENCE 42 32. “Millenials are different” vs.Millenials want stuff smart “people-1st companies” (e.g., Virgin, Southwest) have been giving non-millenials for decades. 33. Supervisors are 1st and foremost paid to “keep on top of things” vs. Supervisors are in the “people development business.” 34. Bosses aim to “help people be successful” vs. Bosses help people GROW (2014: “Grow or die.”/Holds on even BRIEF projects)* 35. Lieutenants & captains & majors vs. Sergeants, sergeants, sergeants. 36. Gender balance an important goal vs. Women are the best leaders. (And usually primary end-users).

39. CORPORATE MANDATE #1 2014:Your principal moral obligation as a leader is to develop the skillset, “soft” and “hard,” of every one of the people in your charge (temporary as well as semi-permanent) to the maximum extent of your abilities. The good news: This is also the#1 mid- to long-term … profit maximization strategy!

40. #2: Help people be successful.* #1: Help people grow.** *** *Especially circa 2014; “Grow or die (professionally)” is fact, not hyperbole. **With a nod to Matthew Kelly’s The Dream Manager ***#2 and #1 are clearly related, but #1/grow has more to do with long-term preparedness.

41. The Project Leadership EXCELLENCE 42 32. “Millenials are different” vs.Millenials want stuff smart “people-1st companies” (e.g., Virgin, Southwest) have been giving non-millenials for decades. 33. Supervisors are 1st and foremost paid to “keep on top of things” vs. Supervisors are in the “people development business.” 34. Bosses aim to “help people be successful” vs. Bosses help people GROW (2014: “Grow or die.”/ Holds on even BRIEF projects)* 35. Lieutenants & captains & majors vs. Sergeants, sergeants, sergeants. 36. Gender balance an important goal vs. WOMENARETHEBESTLEADERS. (And usually primary end-users).

42. “AS LEADERS, WOMEN RULE:New Studies find that female managers outshine their male counterparts in almost every measure”TITLE/ Special Report/ BusinessWeek

43. “Research suggests that to succeed, start by promoting women.”—Nicholas Kristof, “Twitter, Women, and Power,” NYTimes, 1024.13 “In my experience, women make much better executives than men.” —Kip Tindell, CEO, Container Store, from UNCONTAINABLE

44. For One [BIG] Thing … “McKinsey & Company found that the international companies with more women on their corporate boards far outperformed the average company in return on equity and other measures. Operating profit was …56%higher.” Source: Nicholas Kristof, “Twitter, Women, and Power,” NYTimes, 1024.13

45. “I speak to you with a feminine voice. It’s the voice of democracy, of equality. I am certain, ladies and gentlemen,that this will be the woman’s century.In the Portuguese language, words such as life, soul, and hope are of the feminine gender, as are other words like courage and sincerity.” —President Dilma Rousseff of Brazil, 1st woman to keynote the United Nations General Assembly (2011)

46. The Project Leadership EXCELLENCE 42 37. Concentration/“no nonsense” vs. Daydreaming/READING/“Freak Fridays.” 38. Kaizen vs.WOW-ification. 39. Design is “important” vs. “You know a design is good when you want to lick it.”—Steve Jobs (Apple > Exxon) 40. Minimize “TGWs” vs. Maximize TGRs. 41. Make a damn good product vs. Good product PLUS enhance the “SERVICES ENVELOPE.” 42. “Good work” vs. EXCELLENCE!

47. “INSANELY GREAT”STEVE JOBS“RADICALLY THRILLING” BMW

48. “Astonish me!”(Sergei Diaghlev, to a lead dancer)“Build something great!”(Hiroshi Yamauchi, Nintendo, to a senior game designer)“Make it immortal!” (David Ogilvy, to a copywriter)

49. Innovation Index: How many of your “Top Five Projects” score eight or higher (out of 10) on a “Weird”/ “Profound”/“WOW”/“Game-changer” Scale? WOW-ification Index: Move every project (definition) that scores six or less two notches up on the “WOW-ification Scale” within the next two weeks. If your principal current project scores six or less, bring it up one (or two!) notches by noon on Monday.* (*This tweet was written on a Sunday.)

50. Kevin Roberts’ Credo1. Ready. Fire! Aim.2. If it ain’t broke ... Break it!3. Hire crazies.4. Ask dumb questions.5. Pursue failure.6. Lead, follow ... or get out of the way!7. Spread confusion.8. Ditch your office.9. Read odd stuff.10.AVOID MODERATION!