Tech Productivity Issue #347 (10 Lessons Learned From 12 Years at Google)

Issue #347 (10 Lessons Learned From 12 Years at Google) 10/06/25

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Back in 2024, Addy Osmani (who is well known in the developer industry for all the learning material he's released, talks he's given at conferences, and so forth) posted a thread on X outlining 10 lessons he learned after 12 years of working at Google.

The full post has more detail on each point, but here's the basic list:

Embrace lifelong learning
Put users front and center
Collaborate to amplify impact
Just start. You can edit a bad page, not a blank one.
Master the art of influence
Think strategically
Focus on what you can control
Communicate with clarity
Build bridges, not silos
Invest in your wellbeing

As mentioned, the full post is more like a blog article. I really like #4, which is a great reminder that nothing will start perfectly and we shouldn't allow that to hold us back from building something new.

Now on to this week's hand-picked productivity links!

Tools & Apps

Attio — An AI-native, next-generation CRM that enables teams to design powerful workflows, deploy AI, integrate data and build detailed reports, all in a single platform.

SimpleURL — A free URL shortening service that offers custom URLs, analytics, a branded link experience, and you can get on the waitlist for the private internal links for teams feature.

Tasks.md — An open source, self-hosted task management board based on Markdown files, installable via Docker, and easy to customize using CSS variables.

Context — An AI-powered workspace and office suite that lets you use a prompt to build presentations, documents, websites, and spreadsheets, using your data, tools, and style.

Meco: Free Your Newsletters From the Inbox — Move your newsletters to a newsletter aggregator built for reading and declutter your inbox in seconds. Offers support for Gmail, Outlook, or your personal Meco email. sponsor

Checklist Genie — A smart, simple checklist app for iOS that enables you to create and share lists with your voice and AI, allowing you to track daily, weekly, and monthly routines.

Motherboard — A Chrome extension that adds a personal dashboard to house all your key metrics, including payments, analytics, subscribers, followers, stocks, and more, all done locally and securely.

Articles & Resources

Dev Culture Is Dying – The Curious Developer Is Gone — "It seems to me that the focus has shifted from curiosity, learning and a joy for creating cool things to a focus on metrics, observables, problem solving for your niche audience."

Amazon Cloud Chief Says Replacing Junior Employees with AI is 'One of the Dumbest Things I've Ever Heard' — One head honcho's reaction to a recent buzz in the tech industry about the apparent AI-induced 'extinction' of the junior employee.

Refind: Brain Food, Delivered Daily — Every day the team at Refind analyzes thousands of articles and sends you only the best, tailored to your interests. Loved by 540,000+ curious minds. sponsor

The Ten Second Test: A Smarter Alternative to the One-Minute Rule — A bit of hyperbolic advice on the rule that you should do things immediately if they take you less than a minute, rather than building up a large to-do list.

What the Hell is Going on Right Now? — One engineers very cynical attitude towards AI-assisted coding and the culture it's creating. I don't agree with all of what's said here, but it's food for thought in the current atmosphere.

Why Memory Is More About Your Future Than Your Past — An interview with a neuroscientist discussing how memories form, how they help keep our thinking quick, and what we can do to connect more with important memories.

Is All Micromanagement Bad? Here's How the Best Startup Leaders Balance Details and Delegation — Strategies from various executives on ensuring there's a balance between avoiding micromanaging and not being involved at all, which is potentially a more damaging flaw.

Suggestions?

Have a suggestion for a productivity-related tool, article, or other resource? Send me a direct message via X or chat via Bluesky and I’ll consider including it in a future issue.

Stay productive!

Louis
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