grab bag blog

No. No, we don’t take clients like that. No, that’s not part of what we offer. No, that market is too hard for us to service properly. No, I won’t bend on this principle. No, I’m sorry, I won’t be able to have lunch with you. No, that’s not good enough. Will you please do it again? No, I’m not willing to lose my focus, and no, I’m not willing to compromise.

This is the latest blog post from uberblogger Seth Godin, who has been dropping Zen-like pearls of wisdom on his blog for years and years. I read one of his books once and rather enjoyed it. This post, however, baffles me on many levels. Perhaps it’s the complete lack of context for these comments. Perhaps it’s the outright negativity. Or maybe it’s because it goes against everything I’ve ever been taught as an artist and as an actor.

As an actor, we’re always taught to say yes to possibilities. As an improvisor, the rule is to respond to anything with “yes, and…”, thereby accepting what you’ve been given and adding to it. In this way you keep the ball rolling. You keep creativity moving and flowing. Perhaps you’re not presented with the best idea in the world, but by reflecting and shaping the energy, you keep the conversation moving in the hopes of landing on something better. To say “no” onstage means that you stop the energy without offering anything up yourself.

Similarly, as an artist with my own business, such comments are antithetical to getting more business. If someone comes to you with a request you can’t handle, don’t just shut the door in their face. Suggest one of your colleagues for the job– you’ll get goodwill from both your colleague and the client. If you can’t fulfill a request, suggest another way that you might be able to reach the same goal. If someone gives you a wildly idiotic request, you can even say “Yes, I see where you’re headed. If we do this other thing instead, we can get there faster and better.” This sort of thing is a basic customer service skill: if somebody is coming to you for something, give them something, even if it’s not exactly what they want. Give them direction, suggestions, hope. If you’re not even willing to entertain their ideas or comments, then you’ll never know if maybe they are smarter or better than your own.

Perhaps this sort of reflection is what Seth had in mind when he wrote the post. Or perhaps he was being a jerk. I have no context to know. So I say to you: read it as a warning of what NOT to do. That path will only leave you lonely, clientless, and empty of ideas.