Hey. It’s Wil.
I write about the intersection of communications and technology, especially for those looking to build new ways to communicate with their B2B clients. Learn more about me. Thanks for being here.
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Happy holiday weekend for those in the United States.
(Over the last seven days, that’s 69.9% of visitors!)
No long article this weekend. Rather a handful of pieces that have resonated with me – either this past week or from over the years.
Happy Sunday, wherever you are reading this.
19. Who is Oregon?
That to be here now is to not have a frivolous, fly-by view of the tastes and sights of the state. It is to understand the place deeply right now, to feel anger about its past, to look directly into the darkness that plagues it and know that there can be a resplendent rebirth ahead, only if we don’t get tired of trying.
This article focuses on the governorship of Oregon, and who cannot run for the office.
It’s the right now part of the quote that got to me. Defining how we arrived here – our individual, our local, our regional stories – is critically important to understand who we are today.
How we shape our future is not dictated by our past. We have an opportunity for change and, when needed, that change likely comes from the outside.
And sometimes, that outsider is even an insider. See Pat Gelsinger’s Intel journey as a current example.
Where are our design heroes?
What’s missing is a sense of pride in our work. A desire to learn a craft, master it and practice it with passion. And I don’t speak of work in the sense of “hustle and grind.” I mean the the work, the output. The devotion to honing a skill and creating something beautiful and original. The delight of looking at a design or product and knowing whoever made it had something to say.
Most of all, I miss the simple messaging and positioning structures from clever advertising of the past.
Bill Bernbach and Volkswagen seemed to have been a perfect advertising match. I have a few of his VW pieces and, outside of some Guinness pieces, they are my most memorable.
The modest leadership style of Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr
But for all those advantages, Kerr’s biggest asset ultimately may be his own leadership skill. In analysis after analysis, a picture emerges of a coach who is humble, detailed and curious about the world. He gives his players opportunities, asks for their input and tries to keep the joy of the game. Most of all, his character, which has been at least partly formed by personal tragedy, remains calm under pressure yet still fiercely competitive.
This is my favorite leadership article.
Partly because I grew up watching Kerr as a player. And, after living in San Francisco for a few years following the Golden State Warriors, to see what he’s done as a coach is incredible.
Leadership is hard.
Doing it in front of tens of thousands of fans must be even more difficult. Using experience and trust in your team to do the right thing helps leaders plan for the future.
Which ultimately helps the players.
Sources and references
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presidents’_Day
- https://leahsottile.substack.com/p/19-who-is-oregon
- https://www.fastcompany.com/90722058/intel-pat-gelsinger
- https://vanschneider.com/blog/young-designers/edition-204/
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinessdevelopmentcouncil/2018/07/10/what-leaders-can-learn-from-steve-kerr
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