76 Quotes by Scott Berkun

Much of what bad managers do is assume their job is simply to find new things to jam and new places to jam them into, without ever believing they need to understand how the system – the system of people known as culture – works.

Often, QA has the best insight into design oversights and potential failure cases that others will overlook.

Plans act as a forcing function against all kinds of stupidity because they demand that important issues be resolved while there is time to consider other options. As Abraham Lincoln said, “If I had six hours to cut down a tree, I’d spend four hours sharpening the axe,” which I take to mean that smart preparation minimizes work.

As a rule, if you insist on speaking your mind, you will inevitably find yourself somewhere where everyone hates you.

The future never enters the present as a finished product, but that doesn’t stop people from expecting it to arrive that way.

Human nature reciprocates positive emotion, and when you bring something real out, you invite others to follow.

Learning from mistakes requires three things: Putting yourself in situations where you can make interesting mistakes Having the self-confidence to admit to them Being courageous about making changes.

Professional management was born from the desire to optimize and control, not to lead waves of change.

We develop ulcers, high blood pressure, headaches, and other physical problems in part because our stress systems aren’t designed to handle the “dangers” of our brave new world: computer crashes, micromanaging bosses, 12-way conference calls, and long commutes in rush-hour traffic.