On ICT law, politics and other digital stuff
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After the Fay’s-related online ad goof, Repubblica.it did it again with the picture of a dead immigrant child published together with a Benetton ad.Of course this is not intentional, but nevertheless it reinforces the general perception that nobody actually cares about the merit of the news. |
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A widespread mantra in the digital-related world sounds like “You ain’t no cool if you don’t use the latest digital gimmick”. So it is frequent to hear public outcries because the public administration X doesn’t run a proper website or the telco Y still asks for fax to change your billing plan.
But technology is about effectiveness, and “coolness” more often is just a costly inertia generator. So, mimicking the old saying “if it’s not broken, don’t fix it”, we might say that “if something works, don’t change it”.
Even if that means don’t buying an Ipad or an Apple Watch.
A couple of days ago I got an message from a perspective client in the food industry whose need was data-protection consulting services : he didn’t feel like accepting my proposal, so he kindly turned it down.
I should have been saddened by this lost opportunity but I was actually not.
Before sending the quote for my services, I met the client in his plant, talked extensively about his company’s situation and needs. We had different opinions about what were the issues to fix and what the related time and costs would have been.
Yes, I could have had the costs fall as he asked, and the services “reshaped” according to the customer perception of his condition. But I did not.
A fair consultancy work can be done only with a full agreement with the client and a clear mutual understanding of goals and methods. If it isn’t so, then is better not to take the assignment because the client will finally be unsatisfied and the consultant’s professional reputation is hampered by what is perceived as as a cheap and poor quality job.
At the end of the day, then, we both won: no time has been wasted, money has been saved, and a business relationship has been preserved.
Don’t take it personal. This is the mantra we’re all taught when entering the professional business. By don’t taking things “personally” – cognoscenti say – we are more independent, target-oriented, able to better work in a team.
But in the meantime, by not “taking things personally”, assignments are something that ends daily at 5 p.m. no matter what, ? companies are just a place to leave from as soon as a well paid (in power or money when and if a) job is found, work is not filled with passion, creativity and personal involvement. Greed and Laziness become your best buds and complaints become your only conversation topic.
On the contrary, if you “take it personal” the pivot of your world become the exploiting of your creativity, appreciation for a well done task and sharing your wisdom with your peers. As an accomplished craftsman or artist you put yourself in the things you do and things you do speak about you better than any fancy written CV.
Think of it, next time somebody hints you not to “take it personal”.
Life begins to fade when you start talking about what you did instead of what you will.