Welcome to Episode 42 of Navigating the Fustercluck—a podcast full of snackable insights to help you navigate the gloriously insane world of creativity & marketing.My name is Wegs, like eggs with a W, joining you from Deaf Mule Studios in Dallas, where we’reThanks again for helping our launch year be such a success. Not only were we an iTunes New & Noteworthy selection, but you gave us over 100 5-star reviews. And we appreciate it. If you’ve found Navigating the Fustercluck to be helpful, please share it.Now I have something to share with you. Some personal thoughts. See, this may not be the first episode released this year, but it was recorded on December 30th. Therefore, I think it can be grandfathered into a New Year’s resolution edition.Enough of this pre-ramble, let’s get going before February catches us.New Years-ish Resolution #1#1Don’t Call People Younger than Yourself “Kids”Entering the business, one thing I never appreciated was being called a kid. To some it was just a term of endearment. But too often it seemed dismissive. As if somehow my age or experience automatically made my ideas less worthy of serious discussion than any other ideas on the table. Yet, a few times last year, I found myself using that term myself. Now that I’m 55, maybe that’s natural. Maybe I’m stating my willingness to mentor. But as I think about it, that doesn’t cut it. It just doesn’t feel right. I’m not their parent or big brother. “Kid” could even be taken as ageism. And ageism of any kind is wrong & unproductive. So, let’s put an end to calling anyone a kid. Oh, and while we’re at it, can we put an end to OK Boomer as well? Or any other generational putdowns?Ageism. Sexism. And every other kind of -ism off the top of my head are divisive. In a time where we need more collaboration, breaking down generational silos is important. Realizing that generational diversity has a lot to offer is the start of an important collaboration of experience and fresh perspectives. You may want to go back to the Episode 19 on mentoring, when I talked about not only mentoring but reverse mentoring. People assisting others older themselves with things like the latest technology and pop culture. Everyone on your team sharing what they know best.#2 is something Tom Hansen used to say:Don’t Let Stoopid People Waste Your TimeFirst and foremost, while I’ve massively cut back on responding to online ogres and trolls, I resolve to completely eliminate any interaction with them this year. Liars and the illogical are damn near impossible to converse with honestly and openly. And I’m afraid that I’ll have to reclassify myself as s-t-double o-p-i-d, stupid, if I keep engaging them.Offline, whether personally or professionally, I vow to do the same.For example, sometimes even intelligent leaders wind up getting attached to strays- incompetent and/or annoying office pets and favorites. I have seen this virtually everywhere I’ve ever worked and have never been able to explain it. However, I’ve come to the conclusion that until these office pets self-select or self-implode, the odds of you dramatically changing the situation are slim to none. Just avoid those people and don’t talk about them. When normally rational people double-down on their pets, it only makes matters worse.None of that was easy to say, by the way. It goes against my nature to concede that some problems can’t be fixed. We’re in the problem/solution business, after all. But as the Japanese say, No Solution, No Problem. You just have to deal with it and not fritter away any goodwill or influence you may have.That’s my stand, unless you can convince me otherwise. If you think you can, please reach out to me personally at [email protected]. #3Don’t Take Self-Deprecating to Self-DefecatingI’ve always found it charming how the British use sel...

Welcome to Episode 41 of Navigating the Fustercluck—a podcast full of snackable insights to help you navigate the topsy/turvy world of creativity & marketing.My name is Wegs, like eggs with a W, joining you from Deaf Mule Studios in Dallas, where we’re at the point of the year where we can look back at the things that resonated most with you.Thanks again for helping our launch year be such a success. Not only were we an iTunes New & Noteworthy selection, you gave us over 100 5-star reviews. And we appreciate it. If you’ve found Navigating the Fustercluck to be helpful, please share it.OK, let’s get back to more of the snackable ideas that seemed to strike a chord with you the most.You Can’t Prove IntentOh, I forgot to CC you? Sorry.(Sorry you found out. Is more like it.)I thought you would appreciate me lightening your load. (Granted, he stuck you with all the crap accounts.)You hate your new space? That’s quite a popular area.(Of course, the desk right outside the bathroom door always sees high foot traffic.)No, you can’t prove intent. That’s why passive aggressiveness is the HR friendly form of abuse. But don’t engage in it. Politely call it out. And expect the other person to deny it. At least they’ll be put on notice and will eventually curb their behavior.Welcome the Hard ConversationsPaolo Coelho said, The fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. Isn’t that the truth when it comes to “showdown” talks? The ones you dread? That come with tension and anxiety. But you just can’t put off any longer. So, prepare yourself the best you can, and rip that Band-aid off. The good thing is that once it’s over, you can get a little relief. And you may just be able to hit the reset button. Clear the air. Come to a better understanding. But you won’t find out or move forward if you keep procrastinating.Get Out of IntrosAgency introductions suck the life out of the room. They’re a waste of time. Speed bumps that break your momentum. Instead, hand out a roster card with names, faces and pertinent information beforehand. Now if a client insists on introducing themselves and demands the same of you, try introducing one another instead. It’s a lot less embarrassing, and you can pimp your teammates far more than they can comfortably pump up themselves. Plus, it shows chemistry. Face it, you need every little edge, and mundane things like introductions are crying for creative help from people like you.Two Guys at a BarWhether you’re speaking with one person or a stadium full of people– minus the profanity– keep things as simple as two guys talking at a bar. And if you’re presenting creative, leave the stage directions to Steven Spielberg. When you’re bellying up, and someone asks how your weekend went, you don’t answer, We open on a wide shot of the state fair. Cut to a close up of our hero stuffing his face with a deep-fried corn dog. Just tell the story. If your concept relies that much on explaining technical features, you don’t have an idea.Stop Reading the Teleprompter in Your HeadMemorization is not presentation. That’s why it’s painful to watch someone literally looking up to their forehead trying to read word-for-word their carefully prepared text. And then when they miss a word or thought, they turn the page back instead of coming to it later. Stay present, not perfect. There will be parts of your talk that you want to memorize exactly, but mostly you should create a series of a few poles that guide you to where you’re going. In between, stay flexible and rely on the anecdotes and facts you know like the back of your hand.If You Can’t Explain it to a Six-Year-Old, You Don’t Understand it Well Enough. — Albert EinsteinDon’t try to bamboozle people with big words and blathering. It’s the quickest way to get found out. Stay clear of jargon.

Welcome to Episode 40 of Navigating the Fustercluck—a podcast full of snackable insights to help you navigate the topsy/turvy world of creativity & marketing.My name is Wegs, like eggs with a W, joining you from Deaf Mule Studios in Dallas, where we’re at the point of the year where we can look back at the things that resonated most with you.By the way, thanks so much for helping our launch year such a success. Not only were we an iTunes New & Noteworthy selection, you gave us over 100 5-star reviews. And we appreciate it. If you’ve found Navigating the Fustercluck to be helpful, please share it.OK, let’s get back to the snackable ideas that seemed to strike a chord with yo most. From our very 1st episode:Gaming the Game Has Become the Game Remember your first course on office politics? Of course not. No one offers one. Yet, office politics go a long way in determining your career path. Your assignments. Credits. Raises. Promotions. Satisfaction. And quite possibly, your sanity. So, let’s start off with office politics. Just keep in mind that this section is not designed to turn you into some corporate Machiavelli. Instead, you’ll gain some insight on what to look out for, who to look out for and how to lower your odds of taking a dagger in the back.Ouch! That doesn’t seem fair now does it? Well…Expecting the World to Treat You Fairly Because You’re a Good Person is a Little Like Expecting the Bull Not to Attack You Because You’re a Vegetarian. — Dennis WholeyNope, life is not always fair.  Just because something should be doesn’t mean that it will be. The good guys don’t always win. The bad guys don’t always get caught. And when they do, they all too often get off easy. The sooner you accept this, the sooner you can do something about office politics. There’s no use in clinging to your anger waiting for leadership to actually lead and make things right. Do that, and you may well find yourself standing there with your arms folded until finally you’re lying horizontal on the wrong side of the grass.There’s a Special Place in Hell for the Devil’s AdvocateWhy offer ideas of your own, when all you have to do is derail everyone else’s? Meet the Devil’s Advocate. He’s more interested in attention than answers. Instead of honest questions, he brings Molotov Cocktails designed to build up nothing but himself. Yes, listen to him. Thoroughly. Then counterchallenge him to offer a better solution. And if that doesn’t work, the next time he proposes Let me play Devil’s Advocate… Say this: Let’s not. Let’s stay positive for now and poke holes later. Blunt? Yep. Oh well, sometimes you have to sacrifice some short-term politeness to create lasting positivity.Lots of People Want to Be the Noun Without Doing the Verb.                                    — Austin Kleon, Author, Artist, Poet & Designer      Some people think a title brings semi-retirement. Two-hour lunches. Days full of finger pointing and pontificating. While in reality, leadership comes with much more than a title. It comes with responsibility. And stuff to do. Lots of stuff to do. That doesn’t mean micro-managing. It doesn’t mean trying to do everything yourself. It does, however, mean taking action. Of course, it helps if you actually have a vision and mission to act on. Lacking that, there’s usually an abundance of busy work created to mask a lack of productivity with activity. The exact wrong kind of action.3 Simple Rules to Grow a Great Team:1)   Support Your Performers2)   Deal with the Rest3)   If You’re Not Dealing with the Rest, You’re Not Supporting Your PerformersSeems simple. Yet so many executives allow underachievers, outdated vets and personal pets to bring down their core team, taking focus off the work and placing it squarely upon their refusal to support their performers.

Welcome to Episode 39 of Navigating the Fustercluck—a podcast full of snackable insights to help you navigate the everchanging world of creativity & marketing. That’s why this episode explores 3 distinct employer/employee relationships: Family Free agentsAlliances My name is Wegs, like eggs with a W, joining you from Deaf Mule Studios in Dallas, where we’re here to talk about something I know of firsthand:  The Workplace is Changing Once upon a time, you finished school and were on your way. And along with countless others in the same situation, you stepped onto the career escalator and took the long, steady climb up. Some got fast-tracked. And some waited their turn and got to the very top. You did your share and eventually, you called it a day and complained about how the work was way better back in your day. (It wasn’t.) The Escalator is Broken Well, today, that escalator is broken. There is no steady climb. Companies don’t always keep you. No matter how hardworking you are. How loyal you are. Not even how talented you are. And if you’re over 40, you may find yourselves among those who feel that the industry no longer wants you. It may lead you to ask… What Do You Call a Broken Escalator? So, what’s the answer? What DO you call a broken elevator? Stairs. Yes…They. Are. Stairs. They may require more work on your part, but they will work.  However, it will be more competitive. May even involve additional…ughhh…political skills.  Disappointment Plus That’s what this will be for some of you. Disappointment Plus. The realization that you may never find a place that feels like home, or people you think of as family. That “family” is no longer a concept that applies in the work world. That you may be changing jobs every 2-3 years. That things may never feel comfortable. But maybe you shouldn’t. After all… There’s No Growth in the Comfort Zone and No Comfort in the Growth Zone. Plus, think about it…Is the concept of family the best model we have? Families Are Based on Unconditional Love No matter what, your family has your back. Even when Uncle Al downs some overly fermented “cranberry sauce” at Thanksgiving and moons your neighbors’ dog, he’s still family. Unconditional love, however, doesn’t cut it at the office. Mistakes count. And sometimes the company changes and they just don’t need your skills anymore. That said, family has its advantages. You grow roots. Make friends. Climb the ladder. And fundamentally, you feel like you’re part of something bigger than yourself.  Hell High On the flipside, family-style is often a recipe for favoritism, gossiping, politics bullying and drama. It can be a helluva like high school. Hell High, where different cliques trying to stake their claim to the running the office without paying enough attention to the actual business. And the work that builds it. In fact, it’s not about the business, it’s about maintaining and controlling the bureaucracy. I’ve seen situations where people are quite willing to let things slide as long as they’re in charge. I think they believe that once they’ve eliminated their competition, that everything will be champagne & roses. Why? Because in their heads they’re the good guys. The smart ones. Amazing how many leaders get the notion that they’re the ones wearing the white hats and anyone who challenges their views wears a black hat. Check out our first 3 episodes, all focused on office politics to go more in depth on that… Obedience Is Not Loyalty I’ve also witnessed how family style agencies often confuse obedience with loyalty. Loyalty doesn’t mean that I support your every decision and move. Or that I take your side in any and all disputes. It means we share the same values and are working to uphold those ideals as we build something together. The kind of “loyalty” too many people expect is very simi...

Welcome to Episode 39 of Navigating the Fustercluck—a podcast full of snackable insights to help you navigate the everchanging world of creativity & marketing. My name is Wegs, like eggs with a W, joining you from Deaf Mule Studios in Dallas, for a special edition of the show. A common thread thru many of our episodes has been the art and impact of storytelling. Since this is the week of my birthday, and some of you have asked for more details about me personally, I thought that we’d share a story I told live on stage for a local storytelling group called Oral Fixation. It’s a story about me and my father. It’s a story that may just give you some ideas on how to present your stories. Business. And personal. A story called, The Triple Special Day: The Triple Special Day With an uncertain hand, I took the dull shears, and cut off 5 locks of his bone-white hair. One for my mother. One for my older sister, Lea. One for my younger sister, Karen. One for me. And one for which I had special plans. 30 minutes had passed since my father had drawn his last breath. Staring down at his face, two things struck me: First, I was not placed on this earth to be a barber. Second, over the years, my father and I had come a long way. A long, long way from the gaping silences, and years of me going M.I.A. from every major holiday but Christmas. Back then, it seemed like only 2 topics were non-combustible. Sports was one. Bonafide Cheeseheads, fondue, and not blood, ran through our veins. Then there were my grandparents. Mama & Papa had died while I was a toddler, yet lived on in stories. Take their wedding… Grandpa called it… The Triple Special Day. As dad told it, after WWI, Austria— lederhosen, not kangaroos— was hurting– badly. Still, on August 4th, 1924, my grandfather, two of his brothers, and their three brides, married in one large ceremony in a small village called Putzleinsdorf… (Population 300, counting the cows & pigs. 400, with the chickens & geese.) According to the local paper: Probably never has our place experienced a celebration like that on August 4th. To escape hard times, 11 days later, all six boarded the Hansa, the ship that would take them to America. While they often dreamt of it, my grandparents were too poor to return. Over the years, Grandma would helplessly sob over the letters announcing the deaths of her sister, brother, friends and father. The closest my grandparents ever got back to Austria was when dad took them to see the Sound of Music. Sometimes, I would ask him, Dad, do you think you’ll ever visit Austria? We’ll see, he’d say. For me, however, it was only a question of when. Shortly before my 28th birthday, my answer finally arrived. The U.S. Postal Service kindly delivered it to my doorstep… At the time, I was living the dream, but not sleeping much in Chicago. The mad boy had become a “mad man”, writing ads for beer. At long last, I felt free of my parents, teachers and my hometown of Kenosha, Wisconsin. Or as I called it back then, “Kenowhere”. I felt like I’d made it— at least at first. Over time, a creeping feeling started gnawing at me– I couldn’t escape my way to happiness. Not even a world-class city like Chicago truly felt like home. Disappointing, because growing up, I just knew that Chicago was my pre-ordained destination. The letter my mailman delivered that November day would take me another direction, and time zone all together. Even in a mountain of circulars, bills and my 12th overdue notice from the Columbia House Records Club, this letter stood out. The envelope had striped-edges, looking as if it actually cared about the message it cradled inside. The postage was like art. I took this odd-looking letter down the block to my favorite hot dog stand—the infamous Wiener Circle,

Welcome to Episode 37 of Navigating the Fustercluck—a podcast full of snackable insights to help you navigate the unpredictable world of creativity & marketing.My name is Wegs, like eggs with a W, joining you from Deaf Mule Studios in Dallas, where we’re here to talk about 9 things you need to start doing right now. That’s not to say that your career will go to Hell if you don’t, just that these things tend to be very helpful. Number One:Stay Close to the Cash RegisterBe billable. Whatever you do, be billable. You can have amazing performance reviews, but they won’t matter if clients aren’t paying for what you’re doing. So make sure that when your company wins new business that the contract reflects how much you’ll be working on the account. And when contracts are ready to be renewed make sure that you’re fully represented then, too. Sometimes people’s numbers are cut just to make the numbers work. They may not be accurate numbers, but they’ll get the deal done. As you go on in your career this becomes more and more important because you become less and less billable. Clients hate big salaries and expect you to be a value-add. Unfortunately, this diminishes your value.Have a Deep Understanding of How Your Client Makes MoneyDo they make it in retail? B to B? Online? Subscriptions? Overseas? It really helps to understand what makes the cash register ring. It will affect how you approach your work no matter what department that you’re in. And clients will weep tears of joy if you actually understand what they’re up against.Moving on to #3…Share InformationShare it and share it at the right time. When you hold off sharing pertinent information, projects or deadlines and people receive them at the last minute, you are immediately public enemy #1. And you deserve it. It still amazes me that people forget to share the right stuff at the right time. That’s not saying that you should have diarrhea when it comes to these matters, and share everything all the time, just share what is needed when it is needed. Knowledge flow is key. It keeps a team working smoothly. Trust me, there is nothing worse than someone dropping knowledge on you at the last moment when they’ve had it for days or even weeks. You don’t want to become that person.#4: Give Credit Where Credit is DueSee a great idea on a pitch wall? Leave a post-it saying so. Hear a great idea in a meeting? Support it. Wherever you find them, and no matter who created them, if you believe in great ideas then fan their flames. Be their champion. You help raise the bar and help young talent rise. Or more seasoned talent remain. Do this and people will appreciate you and praise your good ideas, too. And they’ll take your criticism more seriously as well. Face it, if bringing others down is the only way to bring yourself up, then you should probably look for a new line of work. It’s much better to have generosity of spirit than the kind of competitiveness that refuses to recognize when others do well.#5: Create Something Outside Your Job DescriptionStart a public speaking club. An agency “university”. A podcast. A blog. A book. Bring in a speaker. An event for clients. You don’t have to be part of “leadership” to be a leader. Anything worth belonging to is worth leading. Worth caring for. Worth trying more for. And it will give you good experience and a good reputation. (Or do you prefer “personal brand”?)#6: Mentor and Reverse MentorHave a special skill or knowledge? Offer to share it. Reach out to someone who’s less experienced or struggling. Also, don’t just mentor newbies and juniors. Hold events to open the minds of senior leaders, too. Or make them mixes to help them stay current with what’s popular today. It will be good for them and it could be good for you.#7 Work on Your Presentation SkillsEver notice how most of your lea...

Welcome to Episode 36 of Navigating the Fustercluck—a podcast full of snackable insights to help you navigate the unpredictable world of creativity & marketing.My name is Wegs, like eggs with a W, joining you from Deaf Mule Studios in Dallas, where we’re here to talk about 9 things you need to stop right now. I doubt that you’re doing them all right now, but if you’re doing just one of them, you’re doing one too many. None of them are going to advance your career or improve the quality of life. Number One:No Fish in the MicrowaveGodfrey Daniels, Mother of Pearl! I know it’s kinda funny, but…C’mon people, if you’re aiming to be hated, there’s no quicker way than to send fish smells waffing throughout the whole office. I’m serious. The bigger point is this: You share your space. You’ve got to take the feelings and olfactory senses of others into consideration. If you’re willing to be so careless with your food, then imagine what other thoughtless things you’re doing. Consciously or unconsciously. If there’s something fishy about your leftovers, there may be something fishy about you. Oh, and in the same vein, remember…Your music is your music. Keep it to yourself. Next…We Over MeI’m here to tell ya…People, we’ve got a pronoun problem!Too many people using I instead of me. Maybe they’re afraid of not getting their due credit.Maybe they’re just thoughtless.Or at worse, maybe they’re just megalomaniacs.Whatever the case, ya gotta stop it.It’s We over Me, people. We over Me.You want to build a team?You want to earn trust?Then you’ve got to share credit and spread the wealth.I, I, I isn’t going to win you any fans or allies.It’s just so obvious.Instead, be the one touting the accomplishments of others.You’ll find that they’ll tout yours.But it’s no quid pro quo.It’s just the right thing to do.Plus, pronouns are confusing.By the time someone finishes a story of any length, I can’t remember who “they” is or whether “us” includes me or which him or her is to thank or blame.What’s the easiest way to solve this? Curb your use of pronouns. Stop using them as much as possible. It will clean up your storytelling and emails.Moving on to #3…Stop Telling Everyone How Busy You AreI’m so busy…Thanks for reminding us all all the time, Great Advertising Martyr. Do you expect us to carry your cross? Really, we’re all busy virtually all the time. Now, of course there are times that you’re especially swamped. When that happens, quietly figure out with your boss or colleagues how to lighten your load. And volunteer to do the same when you sense that someone may be drowning.But it’s annoying to hear someone constantly carping about how no human being has ever been dumped on more than you. It brings everybody down.#4: Don’t Hookup with Co-WorkersDon’t care how hot she or he is. Don’t care how much you had to drink. Don’t hookup with co-workers. It’s the quickest way to office drama, HR nightmares and problems at home.20 years ago, I didn’t understand this and I wish I had. Could have avoided a lot of awkwardness. You don’t want to be doing the walk of shame into the office and past a colleague who is now a hookup. Because there’s no way of hiding from one another.That said, office romances can lead to serious commitments. Even marriage. If you’re heavily gravitating toward someone, step back and take the proper steps. Coffee. Cocktails. So on and so forth.And if something sparks between you and someone else, do yourself a favor and just inform the person you’re supposed to tell. Your boss. HR. Whoever. May sound rigid. But I’ve done it and it has made things a lot easier. Weird? Kinda. But it really does help.#5: Be Nice to Admins, Maintenance People, Everyone!!!As the old restaurant saying goes, if you’re not nice to your server, you’re not really nice. Same in advertising. Any business.

Welcome to Episode 21 of Navigating the Fustercluck—a podcast full of snackable insights to help you navigate the topsy/turvy world of creativity. My name is Wegs, like eggs with a W, joining you from Deaf Mule Studios in Dallas, and we’re here for our last thoughts on mentorship…Today, you’re getting a break. A well-deserved break from my voice. Because this episode features our very first interview here on Navigating the Fustercluck.My guest? My most influential mentor, Tom Hansen. I met Tom over 20 years ago when I was a junior copywriter in Chicago. Along with his art direction partner, the Mighty Tim Murphy, better known as “Murph”, Tom immediately impressed me as someone different. His mind was flexible and fast. Lightning fast. He also could talk business with any client. In fact, eventually, Tom would become the CEO not only of his own agency, but of a major corporation. His writing was crisp. And no one to this day has impressed me more as a presenter than Tom Hansen.So, when he slipped into my office with Murph and closed the door, I was all ears.We’re starting our own place, and we want you to come with us. But we’ve got to know now.Without pausing, my answer was Yes.Great, we’ll give you the details later. Hans and Murph closed the door. Five seconds later, Tom opened my door again, and said, By the way, we’re doing it in Dallas.Dallas?! Good thing Tom took off so fast or he would have seen my jaw drop to my chest. It was 4:30pm. My jaw didn’t close until 4:30am, as I laid in my bed trying to figure out how to tell Tom & Murph that I was not leaving Chicago for Dallas. I grew up with Chicago as my dream city. I had never been to or planned on going to Dallas. But after staying up half the night, I decided I trusted those guys. Plus, I had never lived outside the Midwest, and it might be nice to try somewhere else.As a mentor, Tom was amazing at motivating people. Why? We all knew that he cared about us.When he told me how much he was going to pay me, I admitted to him that he was giving me 50% more than what I had ever made before. I also admitted that I wasn’t sure that I was worth it.You’re not, he said. But you will be. And you’ll get there a lot faster if you’re not worried about covering your rent and where your next meal is coming from.Man, that gave me confidence. And be damn sure that it cemented my commitment. And when he heard that my creative partner, Bernard Park weren’t sure that we could afford airfare back home for Christmas, we found roundtrip tickets on our desks the very next day.Kind acts weren’t all that Tom gave us. He taught us about really thinking strategically. Editing. He’d sit down and work with you. And it all paid off. Our little company took off.It’s been awhile since we last worked together, but I continue to learn from Tom in so many ways. That’s why I’m excited to introduce you to my greatest mentor, Tom Hansen:Thanks, and welcome to Navigating the Fustercluck, Hans!You’ve been a great mentor to me and many, many others. Who was your best mentor, and what was the most important thing you learned from him or her?You’ve been around advertising a long, long time. What needs to change and what should never change?You’ve been both a creative and a client? What do both need to understand to make the work better?Tom, you’re the best presenter I’ve ever seen. A lot of people struggle with presenting. What’s the first thing you’d share with them?When you think of the best creatives you’ve worked with, what traits/habits have you seen in them?How do see creatives taking full advantage of data?So, as you look back on when you first entered the world of creativity, what do you wish you knew then that you know now?Let’s Take a Short Breather… (EXHALE.)…We’re here at Deaf Mule Studios to remind everyone that this is Navigating the Fusterc...

Welcome to Episode 34 of Navigating the Fustercluck—a podcast full of bite-sized insights to help you navigate the up & down world of creativity & marketing. My name is Wegs, like eggs with a W, joining you from Deaf Mule Studios in Dallas, TX where we’re here to talk about onboarding and exiting an agency. According to the most progressive HR person I’ve ever met, Steve Drotter, 90% of what you need to know about a company is how they bring people on and how they see them off. I couldn’t agree more. Yet, when it comes to the front or the back end of your stay, how many agencies make a real effort? Honestly?  Think back. Besides a bag of swag and some paperwork, how have you been greeted on the first day of a new job? Shouldn’t we go beyond a logo-adorned t-shirt, mug and trucker hat?  Here are some things I’ve seen that might spark a thought or two for you. A Book Digital or paper…some agencies have “How to Work Here” books. Culture books.Most suck. Filled with platitudes and written like a Valentine card to themselves.Some are actually pretty well written but aren’t adhered to. Or the office politicians figure out how to twist it for their own gains. I’m not sure which is worst. Mehhhh, office politicians are the worst.  Another book that I have seen help is a short book full of tents that the agency believes in. For example, if you’re a Multicultural agency how do you think about assimilation? Acculturation? Language as a tactic? Other agencies may be most concerned with the best ways to work with influencers. How do you choose the right celebrity? The right athlete? When is an event called for? And what kind? What makes for great shopper? PR. Whatever it may be. What you want to do is have everyone singing from the same hymnal. Reading from the same page. Whatever cliché you choose to use. So if a client has a question about one of these things you know how to respond. The book I helped pull together for one agency served as both an agency piece but a plane & train book for clients as well. Companies like P&G would call every so often asking for more copies to give to new teammates or those they hoped to influence. It also was a great piece to share with sister agencies to create new opportunities to work together and collaborate… and maybe even help drum up a little new business. And after all, there ought to be something that we all believe in. A philosophy. And cornerstone to the collective culture. Should we know what the agency believes in? How we’re expected to get the job done. Without it, you have no hand on the tiller, and a default culture. Default cultures are rarely headed anywhere interesting. Lunch Stan Richards of the Richards Group has lunch with every new employee who comes on board. And as the owner of one of the largest independent agencies in the country, that’s a helluva effort. I’ve worked at another place where the senior leadership team has one or two lunches a month with newbies. Interviews One place required that within your first month that you conduct a 5-minute interview with every single person at the agency. I rather liked it. Gave me real insight into people. Also gave me a pretty good clue as to who could be counted on to collaborate and who couldn’t. You also hear about whose sleeping with you and where the bodies are buried, etc.,etc., which can really help you from stepping in it. Onboarding Celebrations We celebrate birthdays monthly. Why not new teammates? Monthly. Every other month. Whatever makes sense. Let people introduce themselves. Tell people what you do. Share silly facts. Things that help bring us all together, not just physically, but emotionally. And can we please, please, please reveal what clients and categories everyone has worked on. Shocking how many times new business pitches are nearly completed on...

Welcome to Episode 33 of Navigating the Fustercluck—a podcast full of snackable insights to help you navigate the turbulent world of creativity & marketing.My name is Wegs, like eggs with a W, joining you from Deaf Mule Studios in Dallas, where we’re here to talk about JOMO.Now most folks know about FOMO- the Fear of Missing Out. That anxiety inciting state of mind that makes us ignore our friends because our phone may have something even better in store for us. That no matter how good things are it’s not enough. FOMO is the Fear of Missing Out. Missing out on that call from her. That text from him. Breaking news. Or whatever else you think may be more interesting than whom you’re with or what you’re doing at the time. FOMO is the very thing that takes you out of the moment. Keeps you from being present. And at times makes you annoying as all get out. Quite honestly, it’s twisted.Seth Godin sums it up in a great way…If we give an isolated community access to the internet, very quickly, the quality of life will improve. Time will be saved, research into proven solutions will produce value, and people will become connected to a larger population. Those connections will lead to productivity and learning.And, then, soon thereafter, they will become less happy.Not because they’re worse off, but because the dominant media narratives that arrive exist to make them feel insufficient, inadequate or simply jealous at how green the grass is over there.Our narrative defeats our surroundings, every time.It’s a perfect example of what Teddy Roosevelt warned us about:Comparison is the thief of joy.Yet, we’re the ones that keep unlocking the door for the thief.Keeping up with the Joneses is nuts.Yet marketing people are almost all FOMO folks. Constantly in search for the latest and greatest new thing. The latest app. The latest band. The latest show. Always searching. Never satisfied. And it’s tiring. Exhausting. We’re like junkies looking for their next hit. Am I overexaggerating? I don’t think so.Worse, is that at our worse, we create FOMO for the people who interact with our work. Some would say that we’re in the FOMO business. Leading to… Too Many People Buying Things They Don’t Need With Money They Don’t Have Trying to Impress People They Don’t Even Like. But we’ll save that one for another day.For now, let’s remember that for every action there is a reaction.FOMO is not immune to the Law of Physics. And in the case of FOMO, there’s JOMO- the Joy of Missing Out. Living without the obsession to be ahead of the curve. Instead they take their time. Make their way. Their own way. Have you heard the story of the Mexican fisherman?It’s based on something Heinrich Boll, a German writer, wrote in the 60’s.And it goes something like this:An American investment banker was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked.  Inside the small boat were several large yellowfin tuna.  The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.The Mexican replied, “only a little while. The American then asked why didn’t he stay out longer and catch more fish? The Mexican said he had enough to support his family’s immediate needs. The American then asked, “but what do you do with the rest of your time?”The Mexican fisherman said, “I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siestas with my wife, Lourdes, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine, and play guitar with my amigos.  I have a full and busy life.” The American scoffed, “I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat. With the proceeds from the bigger boat, you could buy several boats, eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats.