1. Be betterer. What does 1 + 1 equal? 2 is the right answer. Everybody knows that. But 1+1 also = 2 or 3 or more if, not to offend the anti-emotion business sensibility, one is referring to the unity of love or the multiplicity of procreation. To my way of thinking 1 and 3 are both betterer answers than 2, but you have to shift the mental gaze a wee tad to get there from here and that takes a bit of work.
2. Shift the Gaze. It takes but a miniscule shift of focus, a squint of the eyes or barely perceptible jog of focus to the left or right to rediscover, as if for the very first time, all those things we thought we knew at the edges of our peripheral vision.
3. Form Should Follow Desire. Most of us desire a better world for -- oh, that dreaded emotion again -- the children we have or hope one day to have. Shall we simply "hope" for that better future or maybe do a thing or two to help make that future happen? Put up or shut up. Don't talk the talk if you won't walk the walk. That's bad form.
4. In business the Client is NOT always right. Believe me. I've watched you pick the ugliest design far too often and subjective opinion only goes so far. Then again, you often ARE right. It's why the dialectic is so critically important to the process of design and communications. I consider every engagement I am involved in a partnership.
5. I know what I know but not much else. I suspect, however, many things and aim to figure out if I was right.
6. Point of view. I have one. Yes. I really do. And I WILL inject that view into my work.
7. Nothing is impossible. Some things are just more likely.
8. Please, don't tell me "everybody does it" and expect me to just agree with you. That's irresponsible. And especially don't tell me I'm wrong if no one does it, but ought to.
9. Please, don't waste my time with respect to professionaI issues. I care about my clients too much to have it not be reciprocal and I will fire bad clients because I can throw good time in after bad, but that'simply bad business. No one wins in the end and the opportunity cost -- time well spent -- far outweighs the immediate short term gain.
10. Civility is never anachronistic. Call me old-fashioned, but while I greatly appreciate the thank you's I have received in response to expressions such as "Please," "thank you" and "you're welcome," I am somewhat non-plused by the utter astonishment that accompanies them. Common courtesy and respect for basic human dignity should never go out of style to the point where it becomes a "value add" in the course of daily life.
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