Tom Peters Quotes

A learning organization is an organization that is continually expanding its capacity to create its future.

The operative assumption today is that someone, somewhere, has a better idea; and the operative compulsion is to find out who has that better idea, learn it, and put it into action-fast.

An organization's ability to learn, and translate that learning into action rapidly, is the ultimate competitive advantage.

Our behavior is driven by a fundamental core belief: the desire, and the ability, of an organization to continuously learn from any source, anywhere; and to rapidly convert this learning into action is its ultimate competitive advantage.

The quality of an idea does not depend on its altitude in the organization...An idea can be from any source. So we will search the globe for ideas. We will share what we know with others to get what they know. We have a constant quest to raise the bar, and we get there by constantly talking to others.

To be successful in a knowledge economy firms need to create learning organizations.

I get influence from everybody and everything.

The best way to guarantee a steady stream of new ideas is to make sure that each person in your organization is as different as possible from the others. Under these conditions, and only these conditions, will people maintain varied perspectives and demonstrate their knowledge in different ways.

An ability to embrace new ideas, routinely challenge old ones, and live with paradox will be the effective leader's premier trait.

Never give up on an idea simply because it is bad and doesn't work.

Keep learning; don't be arrogant by assuming that you know it all, that you have a monopoly on the truth; always assume that you can learn something from someone else.

When I'm doing something, it's something that I had a perspective on in my childhood, or now, but it may be different. I always can go back to what I love, but if somebody has a better idea, then I'm all for it.

When you work with an actor and then you discover new things that are better, I think you gotta be free to be able to go with the new things that you're finding. I think that's very important. I have a strong idea when I go to shoot a movie but I also love to discover things when I'm on set as well.

Be open to other people's ideas. Don't get arrogant about your ideas. Shoot a lot of options so you're not stuck with just one version of something.

One of my philosophies as a director is to listen to other people's great ideas because they'll help make you better.

The best directors I've worked with, they all have the same thing in common. They're the first to say, 'I don't know.' If you ask them, 'How are we actually pulling off this movie?', they'll just shrug and go, 'I have absolutely no idea.'

What distinguishes success from failures is that the successes constantly thirst for new ideas and knowledge.

Above all, you must remain open and fresh and alive to any new idea.

I love being around people that contribute. It doesn't matter where the good idea comes from. A good idea is a good idea.

The only way to win is to learn faster than anyone else.

I'm not old school, like, "Aw, man, I gotta do my music like I did in '98." I just go with the flow. I don't try to change anything.

The greatest genius will not be worth much if he pretends to draw exclusively from his own resources

I love being directed. Because it's another thought, it's another fresh idea. You're so grateful for an original idea that you haven't had.

You can get really far by putting your ideas out there and letting other people build on them.

Learning from mistakes and constantly improving products is a key in all successful companies.