Tools, Productivity, And Bright Shiny Distractions

By Tim Berry

Is this you?  Over and over again, you fall off on regular consistent organizational practices like to-do lists, emails, planning, backing up your computer … then you run across some cool new productivity tool. You jump on the bandwagon enthusiastically, promising yourself that you’re finally going to get organized and stay organized. You spend happy... Read More »

Productivity Tip: Walking Meetings. In the Park.

By Tim Berry

File this one under the general category of things business owners can do to preserve physical and mental health, despite the rigors of running a business. It goes along with getting regular exercise, and shutting down every so often out of range of devices. Do as many meetings as you can walking, instead of sitting.... Read More »

Wait, What? But I Don’t Have a Slide Deck. Speaking Off the Cuff

By Tim Berry

This is a very useful talk by Matt Abrahams of Stanford’s Graduate School of Business, on how to optimize when you get to speak on the cuff, and don’t have time to prepare, organize, or create the slide deck. It’s almost an hour long, and a privilege to be able to watch. It was originally part... Read More »

Disturbing Questions About Productivity and Technology

By Tim Berry

Have you heard the standard cliche: "Necessity is the Mother of Invention?" In business productivity, in my experience at least, the old standard is reversed: the new truth is that Invention is the Mother of Necessity." For example: Spreadsheets and... Read More »

Chris Anderson on What Makes a Great TED Talk

By Tim Berry

For a video today I found this delightful TED talk about TED talks. TED, which stands for technology, education, and design, has become an amazing collection of great 5-to-20-minute talks, some of the best anywhere. If you want examples of great public speaking, excellent presentations, you go to TED. So when I was at the... Read More »

You Need to Understand the Business Principle of Displacement

By Tim Berry

Imagine a bucket of water full to the brim, on a table, right next to a phone and a computer. Now take a brick and drop it into that bucket. Imagine what happens. Water splashes out, right? And that’s probably bad for that phone and computer next to it. Business Principle of Displacement That simple... Read More »

Invention is the Mother of Necessity: Technology and Productivity

By Tim Berry

Have you heard the standard cliche: “Necessity is the Mother of Invention?” In business technology and productivity, in my experience at least,  the old standard is reversed: the new truth is that Invention is the Mother of Necessity.” For example: Spreadsheets and Budgeting: When I started in business analysis back in the middle 1970s we... Read More »

Surprising Truth About What Motivates People

By Tim Berry

This is another short video, barely 10 minutes, thoroughly worth watching, based on a talk by Dan Pink. We take for granted that we know what motivates people. This piece makes you think about it, and, maybe, refresh your view. Read More »