I made a mistake the other day. Like everyone, I make mistakes all the time—it’s part of being human. Most of these mistakes are not a big deal. (In fact, I catch many mistakes—though not all of them!—before anyone else does.) But some mistakes are a big deal. Some mistakes have a lifespan to them. … Continue reading On making sloppy mistakes
Category: Working Life
On admitting I don’t understand architecture
Over the past few years, this has become a problem (or an opportunity, depending on how you look at it)—I don’t really understand architecture. As someone who isn’t an architect, that may not sound like a problem. However, as someone who sells architecture—or, more accurately, who sells the experience of working with architects—it's a pain … Continue reading On admitting I don’t understand architecture
What’s in a job title, anyway?
About a year and a half ago, I had an interesting discussion with my boss. He wanted to give me a promotion—woo!—but there was one catch: he didn't know what my title should be. Rather than tell me my title, he wanted me to think about it and then discuss it together. This struck me … Continue reading What’s in a job title, anyway?
On saying “no” to myself
My biggest struggle in life is saying "no." Several months ago, I said "yes" to a new project pursuit. And then another. And then another. And then, you know, another one wandered in and I said "yes" to that one, too. Over the following three weeks, I found myself in a real bind trying to … Continue reading On saying “no” to myself
On being a first-class matchbox
An unstated job responsibility of mine is to inspire good ideas. No one puts it that way exactly, but there are plenty of times I'm in a meeting to ask the right question. Often—nearly all the time, in fact—I don't have the answer. I have NO CLUE what the answer is. I think of a … Continue reading On being a first-class matchbox
On the dismay (and hopeful joy) of a “snag log”
One reason for my prolonged absence from posting is that I've been spending an inordinate amount of time overhauling some of my processes at work. Mainly, this has involved rethinking several steps of my production process for a proposal package through InDesign. But rather than get into the nitty-gritty of InDesign updates, I wanted to … Continue reading On the dismay (and hopeful joy) of a “snag log”
On the challenges of company-wide communication
I've recently spent several hours considering what feels like an insurmountable challenge: How can my company update our communication practices for the new era of hybrid work? Back in March 2020, many of us were surprised at how relatively seamless the transition to remote work was, once our technology needs were met and our use … Continue reading On the challenges of company-wide communication
On the silly shame of getting a job through who you know
My brother recently landed his first bona fide job as a graphic designer, having freelanced for several years. Our family is thrilled for him, obviously, but he was a little moody about one point: "I only got the job because of my friend, though," he said. "If he wasn't there, then there's no way I … Continue reading On the silly shame of getting a job through who you know
On the coolness of deadlines
I am always on a deadline. Deadlines are part of my job—there's always a proposal package or awards submission or groundbreaking ceremony or something that imposes a time constraint. Some people can't work like this, and I get that. We talk about the "daily grind"—the abrasive connotation that work actually wears away at us, like … Continue reading On the coolness of deadlines
The downside of taking verbatim meeting notes
I’m a decent enough typist that when someone is speaking at a thoughtful pace—no word vomit, mind you—I can type their thoughts out verbatim (with plenty of typos and messy punctuation, of course). These typing skills come in handy for one of my key job functions—extractor of information. I spend at least an hour or … Continue reading The downside of taking verbatim meeting notes
Taylor Coe 