When I was a kid, I had a teacher who used to always tell us that how is the most important word anyone could ever consider. There’s not much I remember from those early years, but this has always stuck in my mind (probably because the first time we heard her saying it, she was telling us off!).
Her statement stuck in my head because it sounded quirky, but I didn’t give it much thought at the time. Anyways, surely it wasn’t true – how could a three-letter word be that important?
Early lessons
However, I began to notice the different reactions we get from people depending on how we consider them. For example, I wouldn’t get the same response from my classmate if I asked him for a crayon, compared to if I simply took it without asking. The same way my friend would respond differently if I asked her what was her favourite candy flavour, or if I gave her the lemon one without asking.
As I grew up, I started realising how significant the how is to everything we do.
Until then, I thought that it was the what or how often we do something was way more important. But the truth is that how we do the things we do it is what stands above everything else.
Enjoy the process
No matter your field of work, the how is present at every stage of the process. When starting a task, one of the first decisions we make is how we’re going to treat it. This decision, be it conscious or subconscious, will always show up in the final result.
When a task or job is treated with genuine care and attention, the process becomes that bit more enjoyable. And when you enjoy what you’re working on, that will always show in both the final results and in the relationships built throughout the process. When it comes to the advertising industry, it not only improves your campaigns, but it strengthens relationships with clients – your passion for their brand will shine through.
Teamwork makes the dream work
Getting to work as part of a team that treats every single project with care and passion is a privilege. Something curious happens – the feeling becomes contagious. There will always be both big and small briefs, but the determination to do great work should always be the same. When you always try to produce the best possible work, you will truly enjoy the journey and make every project ‘your own’.
Some people refer to this as the importance of a job well done. Others talk about the value of doing things right. My teacher called it how, and I don’t know if it’s the most important word, as she said, but it certainly matters a great deal, especially in our industry. And I hope not to forget, since it’s taken me this long to fully begin to understand what she really meant.