Part 4: Being the Best Version of You

By Alex Goh,Associate Strategic Planning Director,

M&C Saatchi, Kuala Lumpur.

11 Unforgettable LessonsOn AdvertisingFrom AnArchitect

Image credit: Getty Images

All image contents is credited to Alexandros N. Tombazis, a Greek architect, from his book “Letter to a Young Architect.”

A quick guide to this deck1. (Almost) All instances of the word “Architecture” has

been deleted (leaving only the “A”). What is most striking is that by merely replacing all mentions of “Architecture” with “Advertising”, the advise given is still relevant in its entirety. Try it yourself and see.

2. I have also included personal notes/tips to make the advise applicable to the practice of advertising. This will be denoted by ✪ .

This deck features a compilation of advise to young architects that came about as a result of a series of lectures given mostly to students of Architecture in Greece and abroad.

ON S

PEND

ING

TIM

E W

ELL ✪ The crucial distinction for me is the fact that

“occupation” is focused on how well we spend (occupy) our time vs. a “profession” which is how well we convert our time into money we can spend.

#1

ON L

IFEL

ONG

LEAR

NING

✪ Be it Creatives or Planners, one needs to strive to continually learn more and more, yet at the same time keeping the humility that comes from realising there’s still so much more we don’t know.

#2

ON “E

NABL

ING”

HE

ROES ✪ Better relationships lead to better results: Always focus on defining

the problem excellently. Too many people in the business want to be problem solvers and thus wants to be the “hero.” Instead, be a “diagnostician” – listen and understand your client’s business challenge, distill the problem and only after that, by working together, develop the solution. Enable the client to be the “hero.”

#3

ON C

ONVI

NCIN

G PE

OPLE ✪ Convincing people isn’t about imposing your “answers” on others. But

to aid people in coming to their own conclusions. That means, at times, we need to come up with better “questions” rather than better “answers.” Just be mindful to ask questions that expands (rather than extracts) people’s views. Search “powerful questions”/”appreciative enquiry” to learn more.

#4

ON T

HE N

EED

FOR

FEED

BACK

✪ Being better at anything – from advertising to baking and even gaming – requires feedback. You need to constantly take stock of “Where am I?” vs. “Where do I want to be?” Competition opens your eyes to your personal gaps, providing the crucial answers to “How do I get from here to where I want to be?”

#5

ON H

ARNE

SSIN

G LI

MITA

TION

S

✪ “If Youth knew; if Age could.”: As you learn, use your vast experience and knowledge to harness “limitations” to expand rather than to limit possibilities.

#6

ON A

SSES

SING

WOR

TH

✪ Always be mindful of how you interpret the value of things, in your general or work life. Be conscious if you are basing its worth on its “price.” Because “price” is nothing more than a “stereotype” – a widely held but quite likely an over-simplified view of a thing.

#7

ON E

ARNI

NG B

Y GI

VING ✪ We can’t deny our need to affirm our ego, our sense of self-worth.

However, your self-worth is derived less from how well you assert your position (or of how well you stood your ground) but from the respect people “gift” to you. And to earn people’s “gift” of respect, we need to accord them the same by listening, and by listening well.

#8

ON M

ODER

ATIO

N

✪ Advertising, as with any act of creativity, is prone to over-indulgence – when the focus shifts from doing something worth the attention of others, to doing something that’s worth your time. Always keep your eye on the eye of the audience.

#9

ON L

IFE

AS A

N AN

IMAL ✪ When asked “If you were an animal, what animal would you be?”, we’re likely to

think about fearsome animals (real or mythical) – lions, tigers, leopards, eagles and dragons. Here’s a thought – be a giraffe.

#10

ON P

URPO

SEFU

L AC

TION

✪ Too much of what surrounds us is focused on “What” we do and “How” we do it. Too little ask us the hard question of… but “WHY?” Time will age the legacy of “What” and “How” we do things. But our “Whys”, that’s what will live on. Watch the next video…

#11

Now, go be the best version of you.

By Alex Goh,Associate Strategic Planning Director,

M&C Saatchi, Kuala Lumpur.

alex.goh@mcsaatchi.com.my

Part 4: Being the Best Version of You

11 Unforgettable LessonsOn AdvertisingFrom AnArchitect