I was talking with my friend Gerry True and he made a comment that perfectly framed a problem that a lot of creative teams deal with:
“We have to remove the personality from the project requests.”
Now before we freak out and think we are trying to suck the soul out of art…it’s not that.
We have a responsibility as professionals to remove the personality from the requests we get, not the art we make. You probably have been there before someone you like or respect comes up to you and asks you something totally ridiculous. You say sure, figure out how to do it, and then make it happen. Why? Because you like this person. Maybe you admire them or maybe you think you can win some points with them.
Then, like two days later, in comes that person that just completely gets on your every last nerve. You know the person, the one that grinds your nerve just by breathing…yea that one. The truth is, you don’t trust this person but that is another post. They ask you to do your job and you freak out. How dare they. You look for the reasons not to or try to find a way to do as little as possible.
STOP!
You have your job, you make your art, you do your thing because it is an honor not because its a popularity contest. Be the person you want to work with…a professional. Your work is unique and is done for the creator not for the creation. Every piece you create has your DNA embedded in it and finger prints all over it. Let your character shine in everything you create.
Your job is to do what only you can do. Start removing the personality from requests and creating your absolute best stuff so that every department or ministry in your organization will grow and gain momentum. You are a professional and professionals don’t play favorites, they create momentum!
We Have To Remove The Personality
