I recently left Instrument and took a job at Wieden+Kennedy. The transition forced me to stop and think about a few things — things I think are worth sharing.
It’s hard to leave something you love for something you might love. Maybe that new pasture is a little greener, but what if it’s filled with jagged rocks, or tons of cow shit, or something even worse? I guess it’s impossible to know until you cross the fence.
It was about two and a half years ago when I started at Instrument. I remember feeling like I won the lottery when Vince offered me the job. On my first day there were about 35 people, we had a motorcycle shop in office and the strategy team consisted of Justin’s brain and Vince’s tweets.
It’s impossible to share everything I’ve learned during my time at Instrument. Some lessons were expected and others were a total surprise. Some were the result of success and others were the result of failure.
Here are a few that I'll never forget:
- Listen more than you talk
- Volunteer for work that’s outside your comfort zone
- Ain't nobody got time for a bad attitude
- Ask more smart questions
- Be nice to everyone
- Learn to lead from any position
- Check the snack drawer early and often
- Radiate positivity to your team
- Let your action speak louder than words
- Go to lunch with co-workers
- Pitch ideas with courage
- Never be afraid to say you don’t know something
- Say hi when you come in and goodbye when you leave
I'm only three days in, but this new pasture is looking good so far.
– R