Say you are working on a substantial website job with a difficult client. The work has been going on for months, and the website is now overdue for release. Your client is making substantial last minute changes, and your team is packed with other work.
You are weary of both the project and the client, and you know you are not pushing the work through as hard as you might ordinarily do.
You get a call from your client who says they feel they are not a priority anymore, and that you don’t care. Are they right?
One trait that separates a great design studio person from merely a good one is a strong desire to care.
You will care about your clients and their needs; care about your team; care about business outcomes for your studio; and care about the work.
How much you care will show in your actions and your attitude. Your colleagues will see it, and your clients will sense it. They will notice when you do care, and they will most definitely notice when you don’t care.
In an industry crammed with long hours, pressures, demanding clients, and fighting fires, the seemingly endless grind can often wear you down. You may feel like it is easier to care less because the less you care the less you will be disappointed. No-one can be positive all the time, but beware of the day you stop caring — it is a sign that something needs to be adjusted, and quickly.
Try to do at least one thing – every day – to show your colleagues and clients that you care about your job, and you care about them. Being intentional about caring is a good practice to adopt, and will help to see you through the down times when they inevitably come along.
Photo by rawpixel.com on Unsplash
Sarah Ritchie has been in the design and agency world for over 25 years. Originally a graphic designer, Sarah has also worked as a design teacher, agency account manager, and now enjoys a wonderful life in recruitment for agencies. Sarah is also the Founder of AM-Insider — a website full of tips, tricks and resources to build account management superstars!