- I was asked recently, do you have any regrets?
What would you change?
I answered, nothing really.
Good or bad, every experience
was an adventure or a learning opportunity.
But in all honesty, I regret
the stupid disagreements and conflicts
that were so big at the time, but now seem silly.
Early in my career, I lost a client over a type size.
He wanted 10-point Bodoni,
and I wanted 9-point on his letterhead.
At the time, I believed that changing to the larger size
would destroy the design.
Other designers would judge me as clumsy with type.
My reputation would be ruined.
But of course, it didn't matter at all.
The size difference was irrelevant.
Rather than collaborating and then continuing
to work with the client, I quit.
It's easy to fixate on one specific issue,
but they are typically not that critical
in the larger scheme.
You don't like the spread in the magazine
because the client wants a photo of his puppy.
Fine, do your best.
But don't add that spread to your website and portfolio.
The client asks for type on the menu
to be larger and larger.
Try it.
Maybe a menu of really big typography could be good.
You might design something you never tried before.
Pride and ego are typically the source of many conflicts.
Fighting a battle because your pride is injured
is not a good idea.
When I start to feel tense in a conflict,
I stop and ask, is this about my pride being wounded
or is it a relevant issue?
If it's my pride, that's my issue.
I can set it aside and focus on the project.
But that does not translate to allowing someone
to demean, insult or attack me personally.
Every person should be treated with respect.
There is no reason or dollar amount
to remain and be yelled at.
Before charging in battle,
after you've asked if the issue is about pride,
you may win and be judged correct,
but will it cause excessive damage to the relationship?
Is this the right time for the disagreement?
It may be an issue that will dissipate on its own.
And if it doesn't, there likely will be a time down the line
when you can raise the issue again after more consideration.
What was really said?
Is the other party's communication style
unintentionally provocative in any situation?
Perhaps they are simply bad at communication.
Who is the messenger?
What motivation would that person have
to give you that information?
How would he or she benefit from telling you
what the other party said?
As hard as it may seem, I try to mistrust
anything I'm told someone else said,
unless it comes directly from that person.
You need to hear from the horse's mouth
to know what it really meant.
There are battles worth fighting.
First and foremost, the quality of the product
is always worth fighting for.
This doesn't mean that every project
should cost a fortune to produce.
It's about giving up and becoming
an unthinking pair of hands for someone.
Push back if the conflict will lead to a failed solution.
It's your job to explain why and how this might happen.
Again, do this from a message and business point of view.
Telling someone it will be ugly is rarely successful.
You're the expert.
That's why you are hired.
It's expected that you may need
to disagree with a suggestion.
If you determine that you need to disagree,
follow Thomas Jefferson's maxim.
When angry, count to 10 before you speak.
If very angry, count to 100.