Leading Blog

DECEMBER 5, 2022

I IN 1982, Tom Peters and Bob Waterman released In Search of Excellence: Lessons from America’s Best-Run Companies. The book was a huge business bestseller and served as a guide for managers for many years to come. Yet, Peters and Waterman pointed out that there were bright spots in the economy. Feel familiar? Perhaps not.

Waterman 250

Waterman Bureaucracy Bottom-up Real Estate 250

Michael Lee Stallard

NOVEMBER 23, 2014

Tom Peters and Robert Waterman called it “management by wandering around” or “MBWA” in their classic book In Search of Excellence. In every instance, however, I observed several managers in their organizations who were masters at kissing up and kicking down. In effect, these organizations experienced a leadership gap.

Survey 359

Survey Leadership Waterman Mentor 359

The Practical Leader

MAY 16, 2012

Part of the article reports on “a recent study conducted by Marshall Fisher, a professor of operations and information management at Wharton, and other colleagues.” ” He goes on to show how one of the keys to improving customer service is: “‘the power of management by common sense.’

Waterman 58

Waterman Consultative Learning-by-Doing Retail 58

Harvard Business Review

APRIL 21, 2015

Waterman’s In Search of Excellence , that praised the unique management structure and corporate culture of computer then-giant Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC). And, of course, many of the people who operate inside a group do not actually share the values espoused as belonging to the organizational culture.

Waterman 8

Waterman Company Definition Influence 8

Harvard Business Review

APRIL 23, 2014

There is a lot at stake here for GE’s operations strategy. Vic Roos, Lead Purchasing Program Manager, explained, “We let a finance guy in the room. At times it drove the materials manager crazy.” David Schofield, Design Manager — Refrigeration, said, “Typically we needed to have a one- or two-year payback.

Ries 10

Ries Waterman Finance Competitive Advantage 10