It made me think about all of my pivots (and still pivoting!) and especially annual reports. I wrote dozens of them during the hey days and I loved it. The combo of working with execs and designers to distill an economic message into physical corporate storytelling was thrilling. I still have hard copies.
I was intoxicated by the power to shape the messaging of giant corporations. Amazed that my thoughts were sought and included. Thrilled to be in the room with the C suite titled. Then, decades later, on long doggie walks, I began to wonder why the world is the way it is. Started listening to Thom Hartmann, Richard Wolff, and others, and realized that my career was all about helping rich corporations and rich people get richer.
Creative employees often struggle when asked to do 'non-creative' tasks; they feel it’s a waste of their talent and qualifications. That's the difference between the mentality of a CEO, who has to manage expenses and keep the business afloat, and a designer who just wants to create. Some jobs are simply meant to pay the bills. Glad to know that all the efforts paid off and stabilized the firm.
Dammit, Ted, another one that hurts.
Well , I know you know. My guess. You can match me, story for story.
It made me think about all of my pivots (and still pivoting!) and especially annual reports. I wrote dozens of them during the hey days and I loved it. The combo of working with execs and designers to distill an economic message into physical corporate storytelling was thrilling. I still have hard copies.
I was intoxicated by the power to shape the messaging of giant corporations. Amazed that my thoughts were sought and included. Thrilled to be in the room with the C suite titled. Then, decades later, on long doggie walks, I began to wonder why the world is the way it is. Started listening to Thom Hartmann, Richard Wolff, and others, and realized that my career was all about helping rich corporations and rich people get richer.
And if you aren’t willing to disrupt yourself, someone else will gladly do just that. As usual, precisely on-point Ted.
Thanks, Don. Yep! So true.
Excellent piece. Nothing so bracing as the truth.
So true. Thanks Matt
Creative employees often struggle when asked to do 'non-creative' tasks; they feel it’s a waste of their talent and qualifications. That's the difference between the mentality of a CEO, who has to manage expenses and keep the business afloat, and a designer who just wants to create. Some jobs are simply meant to pay the bills. Glad to know that all the efforts paid off and stabilized the firm.
Yep. Well noted, Emika. That resistance is normal. Ultimately the whole team totally got into the creativity of doing those books.