Wednesday, July 08, 2009

A Pebble in the Shoe

I once noticed a significant increase in efficiency resulted from simply changing from one type of briefcase to another.

Until the switch, I hadn't realized how the old briefcase had turned into a paper trap. The new one facilitated the organization of projects and saved time. I'd sensed a problem, but had not identified the culprit.

There are people who serve as a pebble in the shoe for teams and who need to be reformed or removed. But what I'm focusing on now are devices; consumer goods that you've found to be an extraordinary aid in increasing productivity and efficiency.

Are there any that come to mind?

[BTW: The briefcase is the Swiss Army combination computer case/briefcase on rollers.]

2 comments:

Kurt Harden said...

A 2.5 inch x 4.25 inch blank note card. Watched someone work with them in a meeting two years ago and asked about the size (he ordered them special but I have them cut cheap by a printer). One project per card - perfect size to encourage efficiency and not feel like you have large cards full of info - AND they fit into the business card slots of my portfolio. Huge productivity gains all from a little card. When the project is finished (phone call made, projection complete) the card is gone.

Rob said...

A phone answering service (surprisingly cost effective)rather than voice mail. Because people won't leave a message unless it's actually important, then you get a nice brief SMS, no need to write down details and you can call back when it's convenient. It's much nicer talking to somebody on the phone as well as you never seem to get an angry message.