Jason Fried: Why work doesn't happen at work

http://www.ted.com Jason Fried has a radical theory of working: that the office isn't a good place to do it. At TEDxMidwest he lays out the main problems (call them the M&Ms) and offers three suggestions to make work work.

TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes. Featured speakers have included Al Gore on climate change, Philippe Starck on design, Jill Bolte Taylor on observing her own stroke, Nicholas Negroponte on One Laptop per Child, Jane Goodall on chimpanzees, Bill Gates on malaria and mosquitoes, Pattie Maes on the "Sixth Sense" wearable tech, and "Lost" producer JJ Abrams on the allure of mystery. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design, and TEDTalks cover these topics as well as science, business, development and the arts. Closed captions and translated subtitles in a variety of languages are now available on TED.com, at http://www.ted.com/translate. Watch a highlight reel of the Top 10 TEDTalks at http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/top10

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Jason
• Fried
• TEDTalks
• TED
• talks
• work
• workplace
• office
• productivity

[MarkstheSpot21]

Anyone else watch this at work?

[TVWriterGuy]

Mr. Fried is stating the obvious and yet it is so profound. It is true, and yet most businesses would dismiss his findings instead of drawing from it and moving in a new direction. No wonder so many American businesses have gone under, with many more following each day.

Great clip.

[Xparadox123]

100 people here are pro manager/meetings

[rangemarshalls]

Since Fried didn't quote his source, didn't he just plagarize at TED? lol

[rangemarshalls]

All of this was originally stated by Harvey Mackay

"Don't equate activity with efficiency. You are paying your key people to see the big picture. Don't let them get bogged down in a lot of meaningless meetings and paper shuffling. Announce a Friday afternoon off once in a while. Cancel a Monday morning meeting or two. Tell the cast of characters you'd like them to spend the amount of time normally spent preparing for attending the meeting at their desks, simply thinking about an original idea."

[teewilson333]

I don't think the "M@M's" Or managers and meetings are the entire cause for no work getting done at work. Money is hardly a motivator for work what i believe through observation is that curiosity, mastery and autonomy are the best motivators for hard working behavior. Witch is highly dependent on your environmental conditioning even as a child.

[pdewaha]

Obviously he is talking about 3% of the jobs in this world where you have the luxury to deliver when you like, and where you are not a part of a team. Also I don't think that mechanics can work on the clients car, while being in the coffee shop. Not working at the working place has to do with an uncomfortable working place and/or lack of discipline. This bohemian attitude is good for artists. But in the meantime let us deliver our stuff, I do that @ my working place.

[MegaFreshpots]

@lazyjain i did... you should! He won't chop your head off, if he can't take constructive criticism, it's simple, quit!

[lazyjain]

I wish I could have the guts to send this to my bosses

[SMKTony]

Strong leaders + the right people * the desire to make a positive impact * focused on doing the right things = (positive impacts (successful projects)) / less meetings + less managers