People should have manuals too, especially at the workplace.

Every person works differently. My lord, I would have saved myself so many hours and pointless discussions if I would have realised this sooner. I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately and decided to write myself a ‘user manual’, a guide on how you can work with me.

At first, it was mainly something I did for myself. It helped me understanding when and how I do my best work, what makes some projects run really smooth for me and what doesn’t, and so on. But then I started sharing it with some colleagues and people I started working with. It has helped speeding up these relationships (especially new ones) and has had a massive impact on teamwork. It makes it easier knowing who should do what and how to handle each other.

From now on, I always ask people I’ll work with to write one too and will share mine upfront. It is a bit scary because there are some things in there I’d rather not share or tell anyone. But I do believe that being open about it will only be positive in the long run.

So, here it is. If you have worked with me and miss something in this document, please let me know.

Never let go of advice given by smart people

I have the enormous privilege of being mentored by Vicki Holgate. Vicki used to be FCB Inferno’s Chief Strategy Officer which is how we got to know each other. On one of our calls, I was confessing to her that I was struggling with a strategy.

I didn’t feel comfortable sharing this struggle with my team and superiors which made me even more nervous when working on that specific strategy. Even though she wasn’t prepared for this question, Vicki gave me an excellent motivational speech right away on the phone. It was so good that I instantly noted it down and then turned it into this image, which now sits framed at my desk.

Thanks Vicki.

10 things I wish I knew as a young strategist

Man, my first years as a planner have been filled with hard learning. I was taught something by my superiors but still it often felt like assembling my plane when I was already up in the air. 

Even today, I discover things I’ve been thinking and doing wrong for a pretty long time. A couple of weeks ago I had to teach a group of young strategists, which made me ponder a bit about the things I wish someone would have told me when I was in their seat. 

So hey, here they are. Ten things I wish I knew when starting out. 

1. Develop and express your own theories. Create your own points of views and share these with people. Put them out there.

‘I might be wrong but….’ or ‘So I have this theory that…’ are great pointers.

Even if you’re not 100% sure, you can let other people build. Never be un-opinionated and grey, always be black or white. Strategists that don’t share their theories are weak.

2. Master your focus and attention. Being a young planner in this era is hard, there is distraction everywhere.

Our true value comes from deep work, the work you need focus for. Being able to do this, will be a huge differentiator in your career.

3. Get out of the office and into the real world. You won’t Google your way to great strategies. 

Get out, talk with people, go undercover, see how people behave, observe and learn. Always remember you and your behaviour is not the norm.

4. Know yourself and the way you work. You are not obliged to copy the way other strategists work. Find your own way of working and communicate this with others.

Be transparent about it. Ask others to tell you how they work best too. You could go as (nerdy and) far as writing your own ‘user manual’.

5. Find people with whom you can share and discuss strategy. Our work is only going to get more complex, so find your allies. 

These allies could be colleagues, friends or mentors. A mentor as in ‘someone who can give you tips and help with questions you don’t dare asking your colleagues’.

6. It is okay to not know the answer. Don’t ever feel pressured into ‘constantly needing to know it all’ which is utopia. 

Just read this little text when you’re feeling overwhelmed.

7. Ask questions. The power of a strategist often lies in creating new perspectives. Questions are your portal.

Ask ‘so why do we do this?’, ask more than Five Why’s, wonder ‘why does this thing suck?’ and you’ll instantly find yourself in more interesting discussions.

8. Know the basics. Effectiveness, the impact of marketing on business, the minds of humans and so on.

Study the things that won’t change and study them often. Repetition is king.

9. Take control of your career. Make your own career plan and discuss this with your boss. And get them to shut up about how ‘difficult millennials are to manage’. We’re not. We just want to grow and it is their job to help you with that.

Don’t let your company turn you into something you are not. Watch out for the boxes they’ll try to put you in.

10. If you don’t feel it anymore, leave. Break-ups can happen. Discuss your feelings and thoughts with your superior.

When it doesn’t work, don’t blame yourself or them, it is simply not how it should be. Assume blindly that the best will fall into place and operate in the present.