The little people will get even, which is one of a thousand reasons why they are not little people at all. If you're a jerk as a leader, you will be torpedoed. And usually it won't be by your vice presidents; it will be on the loading dock at 3am when no supervisors are around.
Interpretation
The quote suggests that those in lower positions hold power by their ability to respond to poor leadership.
Tom Peters emphasizes that even those who seem insignificant or overlooked can have a significant impact on leadership dynamics. Poor leadership can lead to unforeseen consequences, often manifesting in subtle ways when leaders are not paying attention. This serves as a reminder that every individual, regardless of their position, has a role in the overall success of an organization and can influence change.
In practice
In a leadership training workshop to illustrate the importance of treating all employees with respect.
My half-baked reading of history is that we continue to go through these waves of entrepreneurial explosion followed by merger mania and consolidation. Out of that come big sluggish companies that eventually collapse under the weight of what they've created, and are killed off by the next wave of entrepreneurs.
The simple act of paying positive attention to people has a great deal to do with productivity.
Nearly 100% of innovation-from business to politics-is inspired not by "market analysis" but by people who are supremely pissed off by the way things are.
Leaders don't create followers, they create more leaders.
Champions are pioneers, and pioneers get shot at. The companies that get the most from champions, therefore, are those that have rich support network so their pioneers will flourish. This point is so important it's hard to overstress. No support systems, no champions. No champions, no innovations.
If you're not confused, you're not paying attention.
And I will do everything that I can as long as I am President of the United States to remind the American people that we are one nation under God, and we may call that God different names but we remain one nation.
Perhaps, therefore, it is odd that if there is any one phrase that is guaranteed to set me off it's when someone says to me, 'OK, fine. You're the boss!' What irks me is that in 90% of such instances what that person is really saying is, 'OK, then, I don't agree with you, but I'll roll over and do it because you're telling me to. But if it doesn't work out I'll be the first to remind everyone that it wasn't my idea.'
Contrary to popular wisdom, the mark of a great meeting is not how short it is or whether it ends on time. The key is whether it ends with clarity and commitment from participants.
Learn to lead in a nourishing manner. _x000D_ _x000D_ Learn to lead without being possessive. _x000D_ _x000D_ Learn to be helpful without taking the credit. _x000D_ _x000D_ Learn to lead without coercion.
The kinds of errors that cause plane crashes are invariably errors of teamwork and communication.
Pessimism is a losing strategy. Leadership demands both confidence and optimism in abundance.
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