Today – for Friday Filosophy #2016-9 – I would like to address productivity. First is the definition. Productivity is an economic measure of output per unit of input. Inputs typically cover labor (other things as well but labor for our purpose today) while output is typically measured in revenues.
Today we are living in “The Computer Age.” How has the computer changed productivity? Is it for the better or not? A recent TED talk I saw highlighted that our world is one where it is now “Brains not Brawn” – “Ideas not Things” – “Mind not Matter.” We are also seeing a decoupling of our economy in traditional ways. Productivity increases have not translated into either more jobs or better pay. So here is our Friday Filosophy for you to contemplate. Please send me your thoughts or comments. Thanks.
The perfect is the enemy of the good.
Voltaire
There is no substitute for hard work.
Edison
The least productive people are usually the ones who are most in favor of holding meetings.
Thomas Sowell
No matter how great the talent or efforts, some things just take time. You can’t produce a baby in one month by getting nine women pregnant.
Warren Buffett
Nine men impregnating the same woman cannot deliver a baby in a month.
Ron Slee
Nothing is less productive than to make more efficient what should not be done at all.
Peter Drucker
The way we measure productivity is flawed. People checking their BlackBerry over dinner is not the measure of productivity.
Timothy Feriss
The time is now.