Twenty years ago, as CEO of PepsiCo, Andy Pearson was named one of the 10 toughest bosses in America. Now at Tricon, Pearson has found a new way to lead -- one based on personal humility and employee recognition. David Dorsey page 78
Marcus Buckingham teaches CEOs how to get the most out of their people and their organizations. His first lesson: Forget everything you think you know about being a leader. Polly LaBarre page 88
Research In Motion is the low-profile company behind one of the most high-profile success stories of the digital economy -- the BlackBerry wireless email device. Bill Breen page 101
One of the business world's most influential professors and consultants has invested millions of dollars of his own money to put himself to the test. Can he build a company around the principles that he has been teaching other high-powered leaders? And can he possibly change the world in the process? Jennifer Reingold page 108
It's the essence of competition: big versus little, strong versus slight, heavy versus light. Now imagine that you're the one who's little, slight, and light! How do you use your opponent's strengths to your advantage? Take a lesson from former judo champ Jimmy Pedro. Jill Rosenfeld page 116
The igus manufacturing plant in Cologne, Germany can shrink or expand at a moment's notice. Its flexible design keeps it up to speed with an unpredictable, fast-changing market. Chuck Salter page 32
Some brands really talk the talk. Sophisticated technology has the power to turn a customer's interaction with an automated call center into a virtual marketing conversation. Paul C. Judge page 40
At Procter & Gamble, branding is almost everything. And in the age of the Web, almost everything is up for grabs. Here's how P&G has turned the Internet into a device for listening to customers -- and for experimenting with its brands. Fara Warner page 130
Appliances that read your mind. Health monitors that lurk under your skin. What used to be science fiction is now business fact. Companies will profit from that development, says John J. Sviokla -- if they make the right connections. Paul C. Judge page 140
In the physical world, Starbucks seems to be everywhere. Two years ago, its leaders hoped to build an equally strong presence on the Internet. Now they're trying to reach customers with a more modest blend of Net-related offerings. George Anders page 144
So you read The Art of Business Judo in this issue of the magazine, and you want more? Check out Judo Strategy, by Harvard Business School professor David B. Yoffie. A master at decoding high-tech strategies, Yoffie takes the martial arts into the executive suite. Your rivals will flip over his ideas (if you apply them right). By Jennifer Reingold http://www.fastcompany.com/keyword/judo49
Extreme Networking: MBAs Show the Way (Web Exclusive)
And you think you know how to work a crowd? Incoming business-school students from Harvard to Stanford use Web-based communities to get to know each other, to make group deals for computers and cell phones, and to launch business plans -- before they attend their first class! Call it extreme networking. By Linda Tischler http://www.fastcompany.com/keyword/bschools49
Do You Know Your Own Strength? (Magazine Plus)
Gallup guru Marcus Buckingham advises some of the world's most powerful CEOs. He also helps hard-charging leaders who aren't CEOs make the most of their talents. What would he think of your career choices? By Polly LaBarre http://www.fastcompany.com/keyword/buckingham49
Has P&G Turned the Tide? (Company Spotlight)
The colossus from Cincinnati has taught the rest of the world how to market -- and has learned some tough lessons of its own on how not to make change. Consult our A-Z Fast Companies Directory to learn what makes Procter & Gamble tick. http://www.fastcompany.com/keyword/procter49
