--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Reward excellent failures. Punish…" description: "\"“Reward excellent failures. Punish mediocre successes.” Those”\" — Tom Peters" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/944/tom-peters-967_punish_reward-excellent-failures-punish-mediocr_2979139.png" --- # Reward excellent failures. Punish mediocre successes.” Those ![“Reward excellent failures. Punish mediocre successes.” Those” quote by Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/944/tom-peters-967_punish_reward-excellent-failures-punish-mediocr_2979139.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/944/tom-peters-967_punish_reward-excellent-failures-punish-mediocr_2979139.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/944/tom-peters-967_punish_reward-excellent-failures-punish-mediocr_2979139.png) > ““Reward excellent failures. Punish mediocre successes.” Those”” [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Excellence should be pursued, while mediocrity should be challenged; reward true innovation, not just safe success. **In simple terms:** Reward true innovation, not mediocrity. Key Takeaway Celebrate bold achievements. Themes leadership performance innovation risk Mood motivational critical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - corporate culture - team meetings - product launches Key Concepts growth mindset reward systems Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate between excellence and mediocrity? - What incentives foster true innovation? A Different Perspective Risk of discouraging safe, incremental improvements. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Failures Punish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failures-punish-4239029/) [Mediocre Successes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mediocre-successes-4239031/) [Punish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/punish/) [Punish Mediocre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/punish-mediocre-4239030/) [Reward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reward/) ## Related quotes > [Reward excellent failures. Punish mediocre successes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/reward-excellent-failures-punish-mediocre-successes/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [Simplification of the tax code would not only unlock dormant economic potential, but, in the process, it would blunt the preferred weapon of social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harsanyi/simplification-of-the-tax-code-would-not-only-unlock-dormant-economic/) [David Harsanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harsanyi/) > [“Never abbreviate your dreams. Only short-hand people always do that. Their punishment is that they can't stretch far, further and forward into the future.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/never-abbreviate-your-dreams-only-short-hand-people-always-do-that/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [Yes, I'm too mad to punish you right now. We'll talk about it when we get home. Go brush your teeth, comb your hair,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/yes-i-m-too-mad-to-punish-you-right-now-we-ll-talk-about-it-when-we/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [“When, for decades, you have been able to make a man compromise his manhood by threatening him with a cruel and unjust punishment, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/when-for-decades-you-have-been-able-to-make-a-man-compromise-his/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) > [People sometimes punish to exact judgment for past actions. God disciplines in order to teach and always in the interest of those whom he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-anders/people-sometimes-punish-to-exact-judgment-for-past-actions-god/) [Max Anders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-anders/) > [If that's what the court can do, then punish me more then I've been punished already.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/if-that-s-what-the-court-can-do-then-punish-me-more-then-i-ve-been/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [Men ; dont punish us for HER MISTAKES.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahafa/men-dont-punish-us-for-her-mistakes/) [Mahafa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahafa/) > [Finally, I do not believe that we should punish American families who have worked diligently to provide for themselves and want to pass along…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-coble/finally-i-do-not-believe-that-we-should-punish-american-families-who/) [Howard Coble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-coble/) > [You make the decision: Whom did God punish?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-sachar/you-make-the-decision-whom-did-god-punish/) [Louis Sachar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-sachar/) > [As politics is disconnected from its ethical and material moorings, it becomes easier to punish and imprison young people than to educate them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/as-politics-is-disconnected-from-its-ethical-and-material-moorings-it/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [“He hung his head. “Am I punished?” “Yes. I’m too mad to punish you right now. We’ll talk about it when we get home.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/he-hung-his-head-am-i-punished-yes-i-m-too-mad-to-punish-you-right/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [People who cannot feel punish those who do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/may-sarton/people-who-cannot-feel-punish-those-who-do/) [May Sarton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/may-sarton/) > [Don't punish your next boyfriend for what an ex did. Not all men are the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-punish-your-next-boyfriend-for-what-an-ex-did-not-all-men-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Laws undertake to punish only overt acts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/laws-undertake-to-punish-only-overt-acts/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Tom Peters > [The market may never coalesce around one basic design, or even around two or three dominant devices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/the-market-may-never-coalesce-around-one-basic-design-or-even-around/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [If, as I anticipate, a wide array of personal, portable information/communication devices becomes increasingly important and widespread for information-intensive users, it will be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/if-as-i-anticipate-a-wide-array-of-personal-portable-information/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [Anybody who is an entrepreneur is a person who essentially has impaired judgment. The odds of success are zilch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/anybody-who-is-an-entrepreneur-is-a-person-who-essentially-has/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [Remember my mantra: distinct... or extinct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/remember-my-mantra-distinct-or-extinct/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [A good collection is more than just the sum of its parts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/a-good-collection-is-more-than-just-the-sum-of-its-parts/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [Leaders' careers will usually be determined by their handling of one or two critical events that no one could possibly anticipate or plan for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/leaders-careers-will-usually-be-determined-by-their-handling-of-one/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [I don't know what it means to manage the human imagination, but I do know that imagination is the main source of value in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/i-don-t-know-what-it-means-to-manage-the-human-imagination-but-i-do/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [Hire disrespectful people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/hire-disrespectful-people/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [Hire for attitude. Train for skill... More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/hire-for-attitude-train-for-skill-more/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [If there is a single tragic flaw that mars our biggest enterprises, it is conservatism - the failure to fail, and fail big, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/if-there-is-a-single-tragic-flaw-that-mars-our-biggest-enterprises-it/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [Think about the market, think about the design, and think about who is going to design for that market. Hit the mark.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/think-about-the-market-think-about-the-design-and-think-about-who-is/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [“The “Excellence Standard” is not about Grand Outcomes. In Zenlike terms, all we have is today. If the day’s work cannot be assessed as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/the-excellence-standard-is-not-about-grand-outcomes-in-zenlike-terms/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [The day firing becomes easy is the day to fire yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/the-day-firing-becomes-easy-is-the-day-to-fire-yourself/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [Only pissed-off people change the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/only-pissed-off-people-change-the-world/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [What you decide not to do is probably more important that what you decide to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/what-you-decide-not-to-do-is-probably-more-important-that-what-you/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) [Explore all 316 Tom Peters quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) ## More Punish quotes > [Laws undertake to punish only overt acts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/laws-undertake-to-punish-only-overt-acts/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don't punish your next boyfriend for what an ex did. Not all men are the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-punish-your-next-boyfriend-for-what-an-ex-did-not-all-men-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [People who cannot feel punish those who do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/may-sarton/people-who-cannot-feel-punish-those-who-do/) [May Sarton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/may-sarton/) > [“He hung his head. “Am I punished?” “Yes. I’m too mad to punish you right now. We’ll talk about it when we get home.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/he-hung-his-head-am-i-punished-yes-i-m-too-mad-to-punish-you-right/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [As politics is disconnected from its ethical and material moorings, it becomes easier to punish and imprison young people than to educate them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/as-politics-is-disconnected-from-its-ethical-and-material-moorings-it/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [You make the decision: Whom did God punish?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-sachar/you-make-the-decision-whom-did-god-punish/) [Louis Sachar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-sachar/) > [Finally, I do not believe that we should punish American families who have worked diligently to provide for themselves and want to pass along…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-coble/finally-i-do-not-believe-that-we-should-punish-american-families-who/) [Howard Coble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-coble/) > [Men ; dont punish us for HER MISTAKES.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahafa/men-dont-punish-us-for-her-mistakes/) [Mahafa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahafa/) > [If that's what the court can do, then punish me more then I've been punished already.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/if-that-s-what-the-court-can-do-then-punish-me-more-then-i-ve-been/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [People sometimes punish to exact judgment for past actions. God disciplines in order to teach and always in the interest of those whom he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-anders/people-sometimes-punish-to-exact-judgment-for-past-actions-god/) [Max Anders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-anders/) > [“When, for decades, you have been able to make a man compromise his manhood by threatening him with a cruel and unjust punishment, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/when-for-decades-you-have-been-able-to-make-a-man-compromise-his/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) > [Yes, I'm too mad to punish you right now. We'll talk about it when we get home. Go brush your teeth, comb your hair,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/yes-i-m-too-mad-to-punish-you-right-now-we-ll-talk-about-it-when-we/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [Many people secretly think that gays are a lot happier than they are, and want to punish them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-weinberg/many-people-secretly-think-that-gays-are-a-lot-happier-than-they-are/) [George Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-weinberg/) > [That's the only way you can stop a guy like Cam Newton. Hit him. He's unstoppable, so whenever he does try to run like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-harris-jr/that-s-the-only-way-you-can-stop-a-guy-like-cam-newton-hit-him-he-s/) [Chris Harris, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-harris-jr/) > [“Maybe we're mad at someone else and we want to punish him by punishing ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jocelyn-soriano/maybe-we-re-mad-at-someone-else-and-we-want-to-punish-him-by/) [Jocelyn Soriano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jocelyn-soriano/) [Browse all 272 Punish quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/punish/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Reward excellent failures. 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