--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Reward excellent failures. Punish…" description: "\"Reward excellent failures. Punish mediocre successes.\" — Tom Peters" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de0/tom-peters-967_excellent_reward-excellent-failures-punish-mediocr_2918325.png" --- # Reward excellent failures. Punish mediocre successes. ![“Reward excellent failures. Punish mediocre successes.” quote by Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de0/tom-peters-967_excellent_reward-excellent-failures-punish-mediocr_2918325.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de0/tom-peters-967_excellent_reward-excellent-failures-punish-mediocr_2918325.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de0/tom-peters-967_excellent_reward-excellent-failures-punish-mediocr_2918325.png) > “Reward excellent failures. Punish mediocre successes.” [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 rewarded only when it is outstanding; mediocrity, even if successful, should be disciplined to prevent complacency. **In simple terms:** Reward true excellence, not average success. Key Takeaway Focus on exceptional performance. Themes performance excellence standards leadership Mood critical strategic Type business leadership When to use this quote - employee evaluation - product development - strategic planning Key Concepts reward systems organizational culture continuous improvement Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate excellence from mediocrity? - What incentives foster true excellence? A Different Perspective Over‑emphasis on punishment can demotivate. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Excellent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellent/) [Failures Punish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failures-punish-4239029/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Mediocre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mediocre/) [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/) [Rewards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rewards/) ## Related quotes > [“Reward excellent failures. 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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. 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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. 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