1.Jason Fried: Why work doesn’t happen at work (Why Is Working at the Office Ineffective?)
LInk Video: https://youtu.be/5XD2kNopsUs
Asked where they go when they really need somewhere to concentrate, people often say their kitchen, a park or their favorite café. They almost never say they will go to the office to complete an important project.
In this TED Talk, software founder and co-founder, Rusty, Jason Fried shares why he thinks people avoid the office when they have deadlines.
He offers ways for business owners and executives to make the office a more positive workplace: reduce distractions, stop micromanaging and take other measures. Fried's 17-minute talk is essential for anyone wanting to maximize productivity and overall team spirit.
2. Dan Ariely: What makes us happy at work?
Video link: https://youtu.be/5aH2Ppjpcho
In this TED Talk, Dan Ariely tells the story of a man assigned to create a major PowerPoint presentation for his company. He devoted considerable time, attention, and focus to it, but when he submitted it to his supervisor, the manager said the presentation had been canceled. Although the manager really liked the PowerPoint, the man still felt disappointed.
Ariely, an expert in psychology and behavior at Duke University, says most of us progress through individual effort and a sense of achievement and recognition. His 20-minute monologue is perfect for anyone seeking meaning in their work and pride in what they do.
3. Dr. Timothy Folta: Myths of entrepreneurship (Business myths)
Link Video: https://youtu.be/pLrXrdUVyPU
Dr. Timothy Folta is an associate professor of management at Purdue University's Krannert Graduate School of Management. Over the years, he has studied entrepreneurship and innovation, focusing on the biomedical industry.
In his TED Talk, Dr. Folta argues that our common definition of entrepreneurship is distorted: although starting a business implies a commitment to risk, business itself is not an excessively dangerous path. Dr. Folta proposes three ways business owners can protect their assets, reputation, and livelihood by drawing on resources and establishing a long-term vision.
4. David S. Rose: 10 things you need to know when facing a venture capitalist (VC)
Link Video: https://youtu.be/lzDBrMisLm0
David S. Rose has been in these 2 roles: he has raised millions of dollars for his own companies and funded a number of businesses as a VC.
Here, he gives entrepreneurs 10 things to consider before presenting to investors.
As a VC, Rose looks for passion, integrity, leadership, and commitment beyond the numbers entrepreneurs typically present in pitches. Rose speaks quickly and passionately, making his presentations feel highly persuasive.
5. Tom Wujec: Build a tower, build a team
Link Video: https://youtu.be/H0_yKBitO8M
How can you encourage teamwork in your business? Tom Wujec, who studies the true face of business, conducted a study observing how people work together. He asked participants to create a freestanding structure from dry spaghetti and marshmallows.
He found that kindergarten participants completed the challenge better than anyone else. In this TED Talk, Wujec discusses the value of collaboration and exchanging ideas within groups, and how building teamwork can be as clear and systematic as constructing a building.
6. Joseph Pine: What customers really want
Video link: https://youtu.be/2RD0OZCyJCk
Joseph Pine is the author of Mass Customization and a former business trainer at IBM. He coined the term “Experience Economy,” the idea that consumers buy experiences rather than goods or services.
Pine describes the key to any business’s success as creating an authentic, truly meaningful customer experience rather than simply “buying and selling. He explains, using major businesses such as Disney as examples, how they enhance these experiences and raise their value into millions of dollars.
7. Stefan Sagmeister: The power of time off
Video link: https://youtu.be/MNuOmTQdFjA
As entrepreneurs, we often hear that the only way to succeed is to work 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year. Designer Stefan Sagmeister argues that refusing breaks or vacations actually makes us less effective and productive. Instead, taking time off—around 12 percent of your normal working time, he suggests—allows you to feel more passion for your work and put more energy into personal projects.
Sagmeister describes his sabbaticals and how much they helped his work and inspiration, encouraging the audience to do the same: take time off to work better.
