Northern has written about this before.
I’ve sort-of written about this before.
But the picture above sums up the strategic evil genius of the average moggy like never before.
Seriously, Bond movies shouldn’t feature an evil villain stroking his cat because the cat IS the evil villain.
That said, there’s something to be said for holding back on what you give to others.
I’m not talking about in your personal life.
That is the one place where being open, expressive and willing can give you amazing results.
I’m talking about at work.
Where giving things away too easily, too quickly, too keenly can end up robbing you of opportunity.
Where people don’t see your true value because you’ve not demonstrated why it is valuable.
Sometimes, holding back will force others to stop and give you the time of day because you have intrigued them rather than just satisfied them.
You have to be careful with it … you can’t use it all the time … and you have to ensure you give just enough to make the people who matter, want more … but many of the people I have seen get to the top – or earn the highest salaries – have got there because they were smart enough to work out how to manage their own value rather than simply offer value to the company they worked for.
Someone didn’t invent the phrase ‘treat them mean to keep them keen’ by accident.
[Though maybe they meant ‘mean’ to be more about being miserly than having an attitude]
So forget business books that talk about what you can learn from the Mafia or Jesus … the real skills would be found in a book that teaches you what you can learn from a cat.
25 Comments
You’re living proof of this advice. You’ve been holding back your value for 40 years and you earn more money than Bieber.
Comment by DH August 12, 2015 @ 6:17 amFor earn I mean steal.
Comment by DH August 12, 2015 @ 6:17 amThat’s right, I’m a walking case study. Cannes Gold here I come …
Comment by Rob August 12, 2015 @ 8:04 amanother example of fucking scam.
Comment by andy@cynic August 12, 2015 @ 8:18 amYou want to know why creatives think planners talk shit?
You talk seriously about “cat strategy.”
Comment by DH August 12, 2015 @ 6:20 amyou can shorten it even fucking more. strategy.
Comment by andy@cynic August 12, 2015 @ 6:24 ami dont know who the fuck i feel sorry for the most. jill, otis or your cat.
Comment by andy@cynic August 12, 2015 @ 6:25 amyes i do. its me for reading this shit everyfuckingday.
My cat is called Rosie. You know this. You did this to annoy me. You are so transparent.
Comment by Rob August 12, 2015 @ 8:05 amIt is amusing this piece of excellent advice is coming from you when your enthusiasm to work on interesting assignments has seen you give away valuable ideas for free multiple times. Maybe Wieden has sorted that out for you because this is very good advice and the link to your post on value is equally as strong.
Comment by George August 12, 2015 @ 6:38 amW+K haven’t sorted that out. You’ll be happy to know I’m still banned from any financial discussion with clients.
Comment by Rob August 12, 2015 @ 8:06 amDon’t you mean banned from all discussions with clients?
Comment by DH August 12, 2015 @ 8:42 amEat and drink whenever I want, shit wherever I want and sleep18 hours a day. Holy fuck, I’m a cat.
Comment by Billy Whizz August 12, 2015 @ 6:51 amA street cat.
Comment by DH August 12, 2015 @ 7:05 amThat’s one definition of the word.
Comment by John August 12, 2015 @ 7:08 amAnd there I was thinking that my never having the opportunity to give things away too easily, too quickly or too keenly was a bad thing. I’m such a fool.
Comment by John August 12, 2015 @ 7:04 amStill trying to give away your virginity John?
Comment by DH August 12, 2015 @ 7:05 amFailing.
Comment by John August 12, 2015 @ 7:09 amyou and billy share another thing in common, you cant fucking give it away.
Comment by andy@cynic August 12, 2015 @ 7:22 amThat’s a mighty strong piece of work from Northern.
Comment by John August 12, 2015 @ 8:02 amIt is. What makes it worse is that his post is 5000 lines long and you all say it’s brilliant [it is] but when I write something only 5 lines wrong, I’m reminded I’ve bored you. Damn you Northern and your cleverness.
Comment by Rob August 12, 2015 @ 8:07 amOh it is way too long, but I’m learning that planners and brevity are all too often mutually exclusive. That said, only the smartest people will reap the reward by giving it the reading time it deserves.
Comment by John August 12, 2015 @ 8:12 amSo are you saying only intelligent people read long copy John?
Comment by Rob August 12, 2015 @ 8:46 amNo, I’m saying it’s too long and therefore will not get the readership it deserves because people don’t read long copy. Please try to keep up.
Comment by John August 12, 2015 @ 4:08 pmI’d rather have fewer people who are intelligently curious than the mindless masses who just want easy and simple. Plus they’re probably worth more to me. I wish I could say I really mean that but I heard it in the Z-Channel documentary.
Comment by Rob August 12, 2015 @ 5:04 pmWhat’s up with the rude? Keep it civil, commentators.
Comment by britainandjapanrule August 13, 2015 @ 12:50 am