Top 13 Inspirational Quotes from Wrike Collaborate 2018

We had the privilege of hosting our very first user conference, Wrike Collaborate, October 1-2 in San Francisco. Thanks to all our attendees, sponsors, and speakers, the event was a tremendous success!

There were more than 300 customers in attendance, and our speakers included industry luminaries such as Jacob Jaber, CEO of Philz Coffee; Oded Gal, Head of Product Management at Zoom; and Charlene Li, Principal Analyst, Altimeter.

The goal of this user conference was to bring together Wrike-minded “superheroes” who are always looking for new ways to collaborate and innovate. We set out to build a collaboration nation that inspires creativity, curiosity, and confidence in the workplace.

Thanks to all the productivity proponents, we received a ton of inspiring soundbites that we’d like to share. Here’s a list of 13 empowering quotes from Collaborate:

"Most people think about strategy and the future by what's happened in the past. This is like driving using just the rearview mirror; rather than looking at the road ahead of you." -- Charlene Li, Principal Analyst, Altimeter
“Matching the internal teams strengths with the needs of the customer is the most exciting part of digital disruption.” -- Claire Haidar, CEO and Founder, WNDYR
"As a CEO, nobody wants to tell you the truth, they want to please you. So having truth tellers on the team is really the key to success." -- Jacob Jaber, CEO, Philz Coffee
"Great talent is optimized through really great tools." -- Denise Teti, Director of Marketing and Sales Promotion, Speedo USA
“Disruption isn’t about making big leaps. It’s about making small leaps, constantly.” -- Charlene Li, Principal Analyst, Altimeter
Charlene Li, Principal Analyst, Altimeter
“Automation is about identifying where value is added and building systems around that.” -- Don Harris, Head of Support, PLURALSIGHT
“Efficiency is about focusing on something you use a lot internally (email, IM, spreadsheets) and using it as an opportunity to embrace automation.” -- Bryan Helmig, CTO and Co-founder, Zapier
“There’s this mix between being very pragmatic and opportunistic about picking the right solution. You can get a massive performance change if you’re using the right tool for the right job.” -- Marc Boscher, Founder and CEO, Unito
“Even though we sell coffee, it’s not the most important piece. It’s just one of the key mediums to stop and have a connection. We're not serving coffee, we’re serving people."-- Jacob Jaber, CEO, Philz Coffee
Jacob Jaber, CEO, Philz Coffee
"It's not disruption that creates growth. Growth creates disruption." -- Charlene Li, Principal Analyst, Altimeter
"Good ideas are only good if they make a difference." -- Denise Teti, Director of Marketing and Sales Promotion, Speedo USA
“We’re obsessed with mechanisms. Things that are scalable but help nudge behaviors in a way that’s aligned with values. If you have the right nudges, you can encourage the right behavior.” -- Jacob Jaber, CEO, Philz Coffee
“The hardest thing for a company to decide on is one future for everyone to chase after.” -- Charlene Li, Principal Analyst, Altimeter

What was your favorite quote from Collaborate?

Please share your thoughts in the comments.

Leadership 5 min read

Simple Tips for Eliminating Procrastination Within Your Project Team

In the previous post, we discussed an essential soft skill for project managers - recognizing and beating productivity killers within your team. We started with ways to deal with unproductive interruptions, which almost 41% people see as the no.1 enemy for their work performance. Now, let’s move on to the productivity battle against procrastination, the second most dangerous efficiency killer according to our recent survey. Any habit, be it a good or a bad one, largely depends on the personality of the individual. For example, some people are naturally less organized than others and it's harder for them to stay on track. According to Dr. Piers Steel, who can be referenced as a procrastination researcher, 95% of people admit that they procrastinate occasionally, and for as many as 20% this is a chronic problem. Let's take a look at several common reasons why people procrastinate, regardless of differences in work styles, and how to deal with this problem within your team. A task looks too big and complex Even if an employee is very experienced and organized, a huge task might get him overwhelmed and prevent him to start on it immediately. Granular work breakdown is an efficient tactic that both managers and their team members can benefit from. Mark Twain phrased it very nicely: “The secret of getting started is breaking your complex, overwhelming tasks into small, manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one.” If you split an assignment into smaller tasks, they’re easier to understand for your team, quicker to tackle, and there’s a pleasant productivity feeling to mark a task completed. Some productivity methodologies, namely GTD, even go further and focus solely on the next action item. There is an incorrect sense of priority If a team member’s task list is relatively long, he might make an incorrect choice of where to get started. For example, he might pick something that looks easier, but a more difficult and also more important task will get postponed. Setting accurate priorities and communicating them to your team is the most efficient cure to this problem. Your guidance will help employees to act on first things first instead of procrastinating. A task doesn't feel important Many people say that they tend to put a task off when they don’t see much sense in it. So your goal as a manager is not just to prioritize things in your head, but also to convey the importance of the tasks to your team. Many tasks may seem mundane or insignificant, but are important steps to achieve the larger goal. Communicating this in a positive way helps your team understand that their work is meaningful and it makes them feel valued. Referring once again to our survey on productivity habits – a sense of responsibility was named as the most powerful productivity motivator. When people are aware that their work really matters, they feel inspired to achieve more! Interruptions get you off track The worst thing about getting interrupted is that it’s hard to get back on track afterwards, once the focus is lost. In this productivity battle, the weapon could be described as Prioritize-Filter-Plan. For more detailed recommendations on fighting interruptions, check out my previous post of this series that was dedicated specifically to this problem. Fatigue slows down work drive After all, we’re all human, and sometimes we don’t feel enough energy to tackle a task. But what if it just can’t wait? Recommend to your team to take short breaks. Typically, if you're in the flow, you won't need it. But when you naturally lose focus and feel distracted, it might be helpful to disconnect for five minutes and tackle the task later with your "second breath". Numerous studies show that switching your mind off of the task for a couple of minutes can help to lower tension and revive productivity. For example, a quick snack, a stretch, or a walk around the office – all these might help your employees make a fresh start. As a bonus tip - in the comments to our survey, one respondent said he feels extremely demotivated when he notices that someone on the team isn’t really focused on their tasks. So, to some extent, someone’s procrastination might be a “contagious” productivity threat that might affect other employees as well. This is why it's extremely important to "put out" this dangerous spark as soon as you can before it spreads wider. What’s your secret weapon against procrastination? Stay tuned for Productivity battle 3 (Inaccurate plans)!

Leadership 3 min read

Understanding the 5 Different Leadership Styles

Here's an infographic explaining the 5 most general leadership styles, each with a famous leader known for that style, and each listing strengths and weaknesses. Once you figure out which style your manager uses, it just might make it easier to improve your working relationship with him or her.

Leadership 10 min read

Avoid the Domino Effect: Help Your Team Members Understand Their Impact

It’s easy for people to miss the forest for the trees and have a severe lack of understanding about how their own individual work fits into the larger picture. Failure to understand these interdependencies leads to a frustrating domino effect of delays and failure. Here's how to ensure that doesn't happen.

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Top 13 Inspirational Quotes from Wrike Collaborate 2018

What was your favorite quote from Collaborate?

Brianna Hansen

Related articles

Simple Tips for Eliminating Procrastination Within Your Project Team

Understanding the 5 Different Leadership Styles

Avoid the Domino Effect: Help Your Team Members Understand Their Impact

Top 13 Inspirational Quotes from Wrike Collaborate 2018

What was your favorite quote from Collaborate?

Brianna Hansen

Related articles

Simple Tips for Eliminating Procrastination Within Your Project Team

Understanding the 5 Different Leadership Styles

Avoid the Domino Effect: Help Your Team Members Understand Their Impact

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