Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Agency Culture, Attitude & Aptitude, Creativity, Culture, Perspective, Planners, Standards
A few weeks ago – after being away on a business trip – I found the above note on my laptop.
I have no idea who wrote it and – to be honest – I’m not sure if it was meant as a reminder of what I should be doing or a report on what I do … but either way, it’s a pretty good standard to live up to.
Many years ago, a magazine asked what my job was. I replied …
“To ensure no one gets complacent, whether that’s the team, the agency or the client”.
I used to think what that meant was to ‘keep pushing, prodding and provoking so we would stay focused on making the biggest difference in the most interesting way rather than settle for good and easy’, but now I know a better interpretation is this.
Be great.
Fuck shit up.
And do it again tomorrow.
We all win if we all want higher standards.
18 Comments so far
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You to a t.
Comment by Lee Hill December 8, 2017 @ 6:43 amI see your brilliance of saying something where you don’t know if you mean it as a compliment or insult is still alive and well.
Comment by Rob December 8, 2017 @ 10:22 amThat note isn’t from a colleague, it’s from Satan.
Comment by DH December 8, 2017 @ 6:50 amAnd your computer photo explains why.
Comment by DH December 8, 2017 @ 6:51 amnailed it.
Comment by andy@cynic December 8, 2017 @ 7:08 amMy colleagues are satan.
Comment by Rob December 8, 2017 @ 10:23 amand your way of stopping complacency is by being a fucking annoying dick who is constantly distracting the people who do the work from doing the work? life must be fucking amazing on your planet.
Comment by andy@cynic December 8, 2017 @ 7:07 amHe will claim that by limiting their concentration to the absolute minmum, he allows them to attain the level of focus hat produces the best work. He will be wrong.
Comment by John December 8, 2017 @ 7:44 am+1
Comment by DH December 8, 2017 @ 8:20 am+1. Sorry Robert.
Comment by George December 8, 2017 @ 8:54 amIf my actions helped remove the pressure of delivering world class ideas so you could deliver world class ideas, then I’ll happily take the accusation. It was always in service of you and the work. Always. Most of the time.
Occasionally.
Comment by Rob December 8, 2017 @ 10:25 amI’ve never been great.
Comment by John December 8, 2017 @ 7:12 amyoure being too hard on yourself doddsy, youre great at being a dirty bastard pedantic fuck. its the main reason i like you.
Comment by andy@cynic December 8, 2017 @ 7:49 amThat sums up my experience with you pretty well, though Andy makes a good additional point the writer appears to have missed.
Comment by Pete December 8, 2017 @ 7:33 amthis is what i call undeniable fucking proof.
Comment by andy@cynic December 8, 2017 @ 7:50 amDidn’t you once have a reference that said you were a hand grenade and they would put you into client meetings to blow things up? From the note, it seems nothing has changed.
Comment by George December 8, 2017 @ 8:56 amYep, Rupert Howell. He also said he was very grateful I don’t drink.
He was another person – like Lee – where the line between compliment and insult is a hairs breadth.
Comment by Rob December 8, 2017 @ 10:27 amRupert is a smart man.
Comment by Lee Hill December 8, 2017 @ 2:52 pm