Gould shows why a more accurate way of understanding our world is to look at a given subject within its own context, to see it as a part of a spectrum of variation and then to reconceptualize trends as expansion or contraction of this “full house” of variation, and not as the progress or degeneration of an average value, or single thing.

Provides the reader with a concise yet informative description of all the various forms of maintenance. Highlights the important elements of each of the various forms of maintenance and how to go about organizing those elements in his plant or facility. Offers the reader with the tools needed to integrate initiatives leading to improved reliability with each kind of maintenance. Provides the reader with tools needed to enhance effectiveness and efficiency in each kind of maintenance. Gives both new and more experienced plant and shop personnel with a tool they can use to develop a consistent understanding of maintenance excellence so they can identify common goals and consistent objectives. Includes forms and formats that can be used for the following: Job Delay Survey, Accountability-Responsibility Matrix, Role Description, Project Control Document, and Work Scoping Form. This book provides an introduction to the concept of "excellence" in the several forms of maintenance used during the life of any system or facility. Unlike most books that tend to focus on just one of the areas of maintenance, this book looks at all the distinct forms of maintenance including: Routine Maintenance, Turnaround Maintenance, Program Maintenance, Project (Maintenance) Management, Reliability in Maintenance, Predictive and Preventive Maintenance, and Precision Maintenance. Rather than simply focusing on "how to get the work done", this concise resource focuses on Maintenance Excellence and meeting its objectives more effectively and more efficiently. Uniquely designed for busy people who want and need to learn more about maintenance excellence but have a limited amount of time to do so, each chapter is designed to provide a stand-alone learning opportunity for individuals who have an opportunity to pick the book up over lunch or whenever the opportunity arises. Additionally, it emphasizes the part that effective and efficient maintenance plays in achieving good reliability so it provides an excellent companion for The Little Black Book of Reliability Management which was designed to be used in the same manner. This set of books is intended to provide the young professionals working in this area with a quick introduction to all the subjects they will need to learn. It is also intended for more senior managers and executives who are not experts in either maintenance or reliability, but need to be conversant with its elements.

In this internationally bestselling sequel to the classic business book In Search of Excellence, Tom Peters and Nancy Austin reveal the secrets of a management revolution. The authors show how by mixing attention to detail with values, vision and integrity, you can achieve long-term excellence. The heart and soul of the management revolution is leadership which mixes tough-mindedness with tenderness, enabling every employee to take possession of their own achievements, and which demands that each person becomes an innovative contributor to the company's success. Dedicated to imaginative leaders everywhere, this book is for all concerned about the pursuit of excellence in the business world and in public service.

The Undiscovered Consumer . . .and the Mistake of Universal Excellence What do customers really want? And how can companies best serve them? Fred Crawford and Ryan Mathews set off on what they describe as an "expedition into the commercial wilderness" to find the answers. What they discovered was a new consumer -- one whom very few companies understand, much less manufacture products for or sell products or services to. These consumers are desperately searching for values, a scarce resource in our rapidly changing and challenging world. And increasingly they are turning to business to reaffirm these values. As one consumer put it: "I can find value everywhere but can't find values anywhere." Crawford and Mathews's initial inquiries eventually grew into a major research study involving more than 10,000 consumers, interviews with executives from scores of leading companies around the world, and dozens of international client engagements. Their conclusion: Most companies priding themselves on how well they "know" their customers aren't really listening to them at all. Consumers are fed up with all the fuss about "world-class performance" and "excellence." What they are aggressively demanding is recognition, respect, trust, fairness, and honesty. Believing that they are still in a position to dictate the terms of commercial engagement, businesses have bought into the myth of excellence -- the clearly false and destructive theory that a company ought to be great at everything it does, that is, all the components of every commercial transaction: price, product, access, experience, and service. This is always a mistake because "the predictable outcome [is] that the company ends up world-class at nothing; not well-differentiated and therefore not thought of by consumers at the moment of need." Instead, Crawford and Mathews suggest that companies engage in Consumer Relevancy, a strategy of dominating in one element of a transaction, differentiating on a second, and being at industry par (i.e., average) on the remaining three. It's not necessary for businesses to equally invest time and money on all five attributes, and their customers don't want them to. Imagine the confusion if Tiffany & Co. started offering deep discounts on diamonds and McDonald's began selling free-range chicken and tofu. The Myth of Excellence provides a blueprint for companies seeking to offer values-based products and services and shows how to realize the commercial opportunities that exist just beyond their current grasp -- opportunities to reduce operating costs, boost bottom-line profitability, and, most important, begin to engage in a meaningful dialogue with customers.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER From Blackstone chairman, CEO, and co-founder Stephen A. Schwarzman, a long-awaited book that uses impactful episodes from Schwarzman's life to show readers how to build, transform, and lead thriving organizations. Whether you are a student, entrepreneur, philanthropist, executive, or simply someone looking for ways to maximize your potential, the same lessons apply. People know who Stephen Schwarzman is—at least they think they do. He’s the man who took $400,000 and co-founded Blackstone, the investment firm that manages over $500 billion (as of January 2019). He’s the CEO whose views are sought by heads of state. He’s the billionaire philanthropist who founded Schwarzman Scholars, this century’s version of the Rhodes Scholarship, in China. But behind these achievements is a man who has spent his life learning and reflecting on what it takes to achieve excellence, make an impact, and live a life of consequence. Folding handkerchiefs in his father’s linen shop, Schwarzman dreamed of a larger life, filled with purpose and adventure. His grades and athleticism got him into Yale. After starting his career in finance with a short stint at a financial firm called DLJ, Schwarzman began working at Lehman Brothers where he ascended to run the mergers and acquisitions practice. He eventually partnered with his mentor and friend Pete Peterson to found Blackstone, vowing to create a new and different kind of financial institution. Building Blackstone into the leading global financial institution it is today didn’t come easy. Schwarzman focused intensely on culture, hiring great talent, and establishing processes that allow the firm to systematically analyze and evaluate risk. Schwarzman’s simple mantra “don’t lose money” has helped Blackstone become a leading private equity and real estate investor, and manager of alternative assets for institutional investors globally. Both he and the firm are known for the rigor of their investment process, their innovative approach to deal making, the diversification of their business lines, and a conviction to be the best at everything they do. Schwarzman is also an active philanthropist, having given away more than a billion dollars. In philanthropy, as in business, he is drawn to situations where his capital and energy can be applied to drive transformative solutions and change paradigms, notably in education. He uses the skills learned over a lifetime in finance to design, establish, and support impactful and innovative organizations and initiatives. His gifts have ranged from creating a new College of Computing at MIT for the study of artificial intelligence, to establishing a first-of-its-kind student and performing arts center at Yale, to enabling the renovation of the iconic New York Public Library, to founding the Schwarzman Scholars fellowship program at Tsinghua University in Beijing—the single largest philanthropic effort in China’s history from international donors. Schwarzman’s story is an empowering, entertaining, and informative guide for anyone striving for greater personal impact. From deal making to investing, leadership to entrepreneurship, philanthropy to diplomacy, Schwarzman has lessons for how to think about ambition and scale, risk and opportunities, and how to achieve success through the relentless pursuit of excellence. Schwarzman not only offers readers a thoughtful reflection on all his own experiences, but in doing so provides a practical blueprint for success.

In his new guide, author C. David Crouch reveals the eighty-three principles of excellentology to help you build excellence in your life. Using "building a house" as a metaphor, he guides you in your own personal journey toward excellence. You can learn how to - lay a strong foundation by developing a mission, vision, principles, and standards; - recognize five pillars of performance that map a clear path toward excellence; - assemble a roof that allows you to measure your progress at the organizational, team, and individual levels; and - improve your ability to lead yourself and others toward excellence. By applying the model in five diverse environments-an organization, a team, a church, a family, and an individual life-Crouch demonstrates its effective use for any endeavor. He also applies his model for excellence to a sixth environment-the United States of America-revealing some interesting considerations. Build a life of joy, peace, significance, and fulfillment for yourself and those around you with The Excellent Experience.