Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Attitude & Aptitude, Community, Context, Creativity, Culture, Emotion, Empathy, Happiness, Harmony, Humanity, Inclusion, Japan, Love, Perspective, Resonance, Respect
Over the years, my wife has told me all she wants me to do is listen to her when she faces challenges, rather than try and fix them for her.
I suspect she is not the only woman who has had this conversation with a man.
And while she knows the reason we do it is out of love, she finds it annoying-as-fuck.
Fortunately we’ve been together so long that its finally got in my thick skull, hence I now listen rather than automatically run to ‘fix’ mode.
The point of this is that I think a lot of advertising needs to adopt this trait.
Too often we think we can solve everything.
Marketing.
Politics.
Poverty.
World hunger.
You name it, our ego believes it can solve it.
But there’s something quite magical in embracing problems rather than trying to solve – or go around them.
Sure, we’re paid to help clients move forward … but that doesn’t always have to be from tackling issues head-on … sometimes, it comes from realizing some problems don’t – or can’t – be solved.
Recently I read something that embodies this perfectly.
A ‘solution’ that doesn’t fix the issue, but deals with it with dignity and grace.
It’s not unique, I’ve seen things like this before and have written about some in the past … but where they tended to be addressing issues in a private environment – such as care homes and parks in the Netherlands – this is something where the public are actively encouraged to be part of the solution.
Except it’s more than that.
Because they benefit as well.
In connection. In understanding and – at a time where there seems to be less of it about – in humanity.
It’s not just magical and beautiful, it’s important. For everyone.
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Advertising, Agency Culture, Attitude & Aptitude, Australia, Community, Corporate Evil, Creativity, Culture, Delusion, Education, Egovertising, Food For Thought, Imposter Syndrome, Individuality, Influencers, Management, Marketing, Marketing Fail, Mediocrity, Planners, Planners Making A Complete Tit Of Themselves And Bless, Planning, Professionalism, Reputation, Strategy, Sydney, Yahoo
A few weeks ago, I went to Sydney where I had the very real honour of spending a few days mentoring a bunch of talented people who were all relatively new to the industry.
One of the things that I heard from quite a few of them was the pressure they felt to build their reputation as a ‘thought leader’ on platforms like LinkedIn.
After telling them that a good 90% of what you read on there is nothing more than ego landfill [of which I am perfectly placed to make that statement given I’ve been spouting rubbish on the internet for over 20 years] … the reality is the best reputations are built on what you do, not what you say.
But I get it.
When you’re starting out, you’re desperate for professional acceptance and/or validation so you can find yourself blindly following whatever or whoever is currently popular amongst your peers – even more so if you’re based outside of the big cities where so much of the industry focus is concentrated.
Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying there is anything wrong with expressing your thoughts and ideas.
Frankly, it can be a brilliant way to learn, evolve and grow.
Hell, one of the best things about doing this blog for so long is seeing how some of my opinions have changed or been honed through the feedback/commentary/abuse I’ve received from so many people on here.
Of course, it helps that most were/are very smart and talented, but I fully acknowledge their input to my output has had a huge impact on what I do and how I think. But – and it’s a very big but – you only get real value out of expressing your thoughts and ideas if you’re doing it because [1] you want to – rather than feel you have to – and [2] you never adopt a tone of self-righteous, condescending, smugness.
If you do that, you may as well have a blinking neon sign over your head that screams, ‘Delusional, egotistical, blinkered dickhead’.
[I say ‘dickhead’ because, sadly, 95% of these sorts of people are men. White men.]
And yet, despite this, there’s still a hell-of-a-lot of people out there who adopt a tone that suggests they believe everything they do – and I mean EVERYTHING – is ‘unquestionably and undeniably right’ and anyone who dares to have a counter point of view, regardless of their experience, success or knowledge of their industries history, is automatically wrong.
A certain academic is a poster child for this sort of behaviour.
With these people, I always remember something my old man used to say, which was: “if someone needs to let others know how smart they are, they’re not that smart” – or said another way – if you meet someone who wants to be seen as a thought leader, they’re probably not and they probably won’t be.
Which is why the best advice I can give is to say ‘be you and no one else’.
I get the desire to feel like you belong.
I appreciate popularity has seemingly become more important than experience these days.
But if you ever feel pressured into writing on Linkedin because that’s what ‘thought leaders do’, remember this quote from Dennis Thatcher and save your energy for when you do have something to say or explore.
“It’s better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt”.
Filed under: Advertising, Agency Culture, Attitude & Aptitude, Authenticity, Business, Collaboration, Comment, Community, Confidence, Consultants, Corporate Evil, Creativity, Culture, Mediocrity, Money, Respect, Revenge, Standards, Strategy
One of the toughest things about doing your own thing is payment.
Not asking for it, getting it.
One of the worst situations I ever had was a company – who I obviously no longer work with – who took seven months to pay.
SEVEN.
Not because they were having a hard time.
Not because they lost my invoice information.
But because they thought they could.
And you know what, they could … because in the big scheme of things, I was a mosquito in terms of their ‘suppliers’ and so I was ignored as a priority.
Again.
And again.
And again.
But you know what else mosquitos can be?
Annoying little fuckers and I used that experience to learn from my mistakes, resulting in an updated set of T&C’s that now contain clauses that state – the longer the delay in their payment, based on pre-agreed terms – the more implications they will be subjected to.
It starts off with a relatively small % increase, based on what is owed, added to the bill.
Then there is an increase in the % of a more significant amount.
And then finally, they grant me approval of being able to publicly shame them as well as charge them – up to $1000 – for the costs of ‘advertising’.
Have I ever had to use it?
Well, I have in terms of increasing the amount owed due to late payment, but never anything more than that …
In fact, when dealing with companies with a procurement department, that is the ‘clause’ they generally always demand is removed to which I always respond in the same way:
“Are you intending on delaying my payment for work undertaken?”
Have I lost work because of this approach?
Yep … I have, but not only do I not want to work with people who knowingly withhold payment, I also am of the attitude that chasing up monies is also ‘loss of work’.
I get it’s economically tough out there.
I also appreciate I’m speaking from a position of privilege and good fortune.
And while I’ve not had too many problems regarding getting paid from the people/companies I’ve worked with in the past, I know many do.
In fact, what they tell me is it’s the companies who talk about their values and commitment to best practice who are the worst to pay on time.
Which is why if you’re a sole trader or a freelancer – or are thinking about it – you need to get comfortable with respecting your own value.
You should not feel lucky to be paid for the work you have done.
And while it’s fair to say companies are in a position of power in a lot of relationships, your approach and attitude can help even up the score.
Not by being an asshole, but by being clear in what you will and won’t accept.
Including the small print in your T&C’s.
Anyone going out on their own is doing something special. But those who do it ‘hoping’ it will work out are being complicit in their own troubles.
So to try and stop you making the same mistakes I’ve made – as well as learn the good lessons I’ve been fortunate enough to receive – here are some posts that may/may not be of some use.
Good luck. It’s tough, but my god it is rewarding.
Harrison Ford and the value of value.
Michael Keaton thinking like a small business.
How Metallica’s management appreciate value.
Relationships build business.
Procurement departments are just playing a game called ‘negotiation’.
Know what you’re in the business of actually delivering.
Don’t want something so much you do the wrong things to get the business you want.
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Agency Culture, Attitude & Aptitude, Birkenhead, Community, New Zealand
Just when it seems everyone everywhere is talking about their big lives … big ideas … big successes … I passed a local charity shop – near where I live – that enchanted me for its small statement of genuine pride.
This.
I love it.
I love it is for a window display.
I love it celebrates it was commended, rather than won.
I love it was for the local Carnival event rather than a national competition.
I love it was signed by the head judge.
I love it because I know the people who run the store will be proud as punch for it.
Because it shows they have been recognised for caring about what they do and who they serve.
Not for likes or follows or to hype up their achievements to others in an invisible competition that doesn’t matter or count … but because they are simply committed to their community.
I’ve written about where I live before … and while it’s not big or cool, it’s real and true and has more sense of belonging than any organisations who loves to brag about their company culture or NPS scores.
Because ultimately my community knows what organisations don’t …
Culture is made not mandated.
Sure the top may enable, but it’s the people who create it.
Which is why big statements spouted on Linkedin and industry press may get the headlines.
But it’s the small acts of genuineness that gets the pride.