As the last of my “spec work” falls off the grid, I reflect again on the habits I’m arresting – and the new ones I hope to form.

Through these posts I’ve discussed many of the classic problems that seem timeless in the art world,  most stemming from a personality that (as a very wise person once said) never wants to “put any skin in the game.”

And now I propose the following for your own reflection:   turn your thoughts toward the relationships that you lead, such as with those that support you – even staffing.  Are you training and developing well, or just “well enough?”

I paraphrase Reagan: “surround yourself with those who are good at what you aren’t, and let them do their job.”  Ask yourself, “When it comes to my own goals and strategy, am I forcing others to be that which I cannot?  Or am I recognizing limitations and allowing for a limited growth?”

It’s counter-cultural to be patient.  There’s even an increase in a.d.d. symptoms as more people try to master multi-tasking.  Fruitless efforts are met with a drop in I.Q.

Maybe the “skin you need to put in the game” is not only patience for the right outcome, but even for the right person, limiting yourself (and even potential growth) to that which you can completely command.  

As my own worst enemy I need to keep cogniscent of such a tendency.  If I can’t do “perfect” on a small scale, I certainly can’t do better by overcompensating.

I absolutely work for a living. 

I am a success by my own definition and on my own terms, I have no regrets, and I am hope-filled for the future.  I love what I do, but I need to do it.

There are times where business trends leave the sounds of crickets chirping around the office.  It’s a scary experience.  But I also know the trends well enough to plan accordingly.  In those times I joke that “I can’t even afford myself!”  Because we strive to be the best, we have established premium services and can command a premium rate.

The joke has another connotation though – if I could afford us, would I?

I challenge you to think along the same lines – and be objective.  If you had a choice in service providers and even if one was considerably cheaper, would you still choose your company?

Are you a “get what you pay for” provider or are you “all we can afford, so we’ll overlook a few things?”

It can be as scary a revelation as the crickets chirping.

I’ve heard “do your best” or “give it 110%” or the classic sports version “hustle!” but I don’t remember anyone recognizing that those are relative. 

If I’m too short to dunk a basketball, I may be giving my best but will probably never be giving Michael Jordan’s best.

If I have no sense of rhythm, I may be trying hard to keep count, but will never be giving Fred Astaire’s best.

Then again there are exceptions – if I’m terrible at math, I may or may not be giving Einstein’s best.

But it is the exceptions that I think too many people focus on as the norm – as if it’s easier to expect the same from everyone instead of taking the extra time to direct each person towards their strengths.

Granted, success stories are great inspiration and should be seen as the spirit of tenacity bringing dreams to fruition.  There was a time when Jordan couldn’t make the basketball team, when Astaire was a clumsy kid, and when Einstein flunked math.

A key difference is passion.

I’ve never met any successful person in any walk of life who didn’t work hard to achieve – ignoring nay-sayers, adversity, or just popular opinion.  Successful people aren’t super-human or from a distant planet, they just wanted it badly enough.  Sometimes a special teacher, coach or parent was involved.  Sometimes it was over many years of development.

On the other hand, every successful person I’ve ever met also recognized (or had astute help with recognizing) their destiny - it wasn’t a hopeless dream.  They knew they had potential - even if it didn’t make sense at the time (honestly, have you ever met a really good accountant who knew since childhood?)

And so I offer this challenge to you – are you soaring with your strengths, or trying to fit an Einstein into a Jordan?

Life is too short to try and recognize someone else’s potential and deny your own.  Work towards change starting today!

A lot of  people need to work.  Many take jobs they don’t enjoy and are even humiliated in the process.  While I sympathize with their pain, this post is not meant to address their situation. 

This is for the affable.

The Everyman wants to work hard, be successful and generate as much business as possible.  That’s a respectable ethic.  However, there is a balance.  In a need vs. want mentality, you shouldn’t favor the latter.

Maybe you didn’t plan on being this way.  Life sneaks up on you and you may wake up with more than you don’t need and less of what you do.

If you’re finding priorities becoming re-organized or obscured altogether to fit the whims of your clients, consider it a warning sign of things-to-come.

If you find that your business calls or e-mails are un-returned – even from common courtesy – you may be trapped in a devalued state.  Of course some prospects will hope you “get the hint” with their silence, but the other possibility is sickening.

The status quo is a tricky concept to maintain.  However, pretend it’s to your advantage and your clients need your attention.  extend the time between calls or e-mails a little.  Give them a little space.  You may be surprised that the next time you reach out, it’s a more appropriate timing.  They may even have just planned to call you!

Reflect upon which are loyal to you – those are the ones to keep, and the personality to look for in prospects.   Those types deserve your dedication – and within reason.

Loyal clients will also appreciate you as a person.  They’ll understand your commitment to excellence, but also to your family (for example.)

Before too long, you may find a new balance in your life and a new success in your business.

The only thing you have to lose by trying this approach is a lack of respect.

I’ve been in creative services for most of my life.  The last 10 years have been through my company, TAG Art (www.tagartcompany.com) While it may sound cliche, I’m very sensitive to the quality of service we provide for every event – and when it comes to private parties, I’m borderline O.C.D.

Children are like sponges – they absorb everything from their environment.  From the things they see and hear, to the people they interact with.  When you consider the limited context they can put experiences in, it can make you paranoid to realize who may be teaching your children by their example.

So apply this to a private event you may be having.  Perhaps you’re interested in hiring entertainment for your child’s birthday party.  You may have an idea of what you’d like, but who do you trust?  Ultimately referrals are only as trustworthy as the person making them, and even then your experience will vary because you have your own preferences.  

I have heard many party horror stories about bad service in a number of ways.  They make me cringe as a provider and a parent.  I can only pray that what I represent stands apart.  But the stories have also provided me with a checklist for finding quality when I need the best for my budget:

Firstly, it’s nice to go with a name you know and trust.  Loyalty breeds loyalty.   As an entrepreneur, I like to encourage like minds and sometimes am tempted to give someone else a chance.  But, the right resource will always see repeat business as an honor and do their best to live up to it accordingly.

Next, I will not be caught in a bidding war.  While a quality entertainer will like to be sensitive to your budget, “no one barters for a burger” – sometimes quality just costs what it costs.  I would be suspicious of under-cutters.  They’re usually desperate for money and only see you as dollar signs and not a person trusting them with their children. 

I will also not insult quality talent by expecting a ridiculous deal.  Devaluing is all ready a problem in our society (has your job been out-sourced?) without it being applied to talent.

A degree of humility is important in those with talent.  Whether they credit it as a gift from God, a product of hard-earned experience, or both, they will always be grateful for your interest – even if it’s just a compliment.  As an artist, I can tell you the perfectionist nature is always there.  I’ve drawn more than 250,000 caricatures alone and still worry about quality. 

Those I would hire love what they do!  They’re living a dream, have no problem with talking with me about their influences, showing samples of work, and giving options.  In any field of work, there are those who have limitless passion and energy and those who should have retired years ago. 

Lastly, quality associates with quality.  Because I work hard to be the best at what I do, I only align myself with like-minds.  It is an honor for me to refer business to people who I know will represent my faith and trust in them.  Ask providers you have hired who they would recommend.  They’ll understand why you want “something different” and even offer to arrange an introduction.  I belong to The Creative Network (www.thecreativenet.com) and each member likes to work and works hard.  We’re not an agency and we seek to help each other grow our businesses strong.