DON’T BECOME BURDENED BY CONSENSUS
Another great line uttered during the 99 Percent by Scott Belsky.
I’ve freelanced most of my life. Whether I was doing a play, producing a video, or creating a design, I’ve always lanced freely. After a number of years of this I started to feel as though I was autonomous simply because I wasn’t burdened by a corporate structure where I had to create buy-in and consensus. While my clients had needs and desires that needed to be met to keep my job, I tended to feel as though my unique ideas were more important than what the client wanted. Compromise was out of the question.
The classic disgruntled artist. If they didn’t like my idea, well then they just didn’t understand it. They didn’t understand me. I’m special. I’m artsy. And no I’m not going to water down my idea just for you and your organization, that would take away a piece of my soul. If my idea is compromised, I. Might. Die.
Not so fast.
Now that I find myself inside a rather large organization, no longer freelancing, I’m learning that I choose to either be burdened or stretched by consensus. To be clear, certainly there are times where your idea just can’t be watered down and instead must be fought for tooth and nail. But not always. Sometimes bits and pieces of your idea will have to be given up in order to better the project, the organization, or perhaps yourself - even if you disagree; even if you pout.
So what to do and when to do it?
Figure out what is sacred to your project (that one shot at the beginning, that one note that goes a bit higher, that one hue, that one arm movement). Hold onto that little nugget as tight as you can, and know that in and amongst the rest of your piece there will be compromise.
The trick is knowing when and where to give in. And there’s no better way to learn than to practice. So, suck up your ego next time you pitch. A little compromise won’t kill you.
