Insights From the HOW Design Conference

After an extended trip back to my hometown (Boston, that is) for the HOW Design Conference, I'm feeling super focused. I've spent the last six months or so mulling over Roughstock and my own goals, and the conference put a lot into perspective for me. Instead of a lengthy review or analysis, I'll just note some of the key takeaways I was left with that I think apply to all organizations...

Challenge yourself to think atypically.
We're all conditioned to take the path of least resistance, but if we give ourselves the chance to step off this path, the results can be incredible. There was no better evidence of this than speaker Bill Strickland's discussion of his journey transforming a failing inner city school into an educational powerhouse for arts and leadership. If you want to lead the competition rather than play catch-up, you need to step outside your comfort zone, challenge your own assumptions, and take a few calculated risks.

Work smarter not harder.
This is one of those nuggets of common sense that seems to always fall by the wayside. It goes right along with measure twice, cut once. Whatever you're doing - whether it's designing a direct mail piece, completely rebranding your company, or giving a speech - think about each small step along the way. By making active decisions with a larger goal in mind, the fruits of your labor will yield bigger and better results.

Play.
As the child of workaholics, it's very hard for me to separate work from personal life. But with careful practice, I keep discovering that the more I invest in my personal world, the better my work becomes. After all, the human mind is not a machine. It's an organic, responsive mess o' brains that needs exercise and excitement. Trips to Fenway Park, Charlie's Kitchen, the Museum of Modern Art et al. provided me with color palettes, patterns, lighting techniques, compositions and insights that I never would have gotten with my eyeballs pinned to a computer screen.

Remember why you do what you do.
Chances are, you've gotten so caught up in the logistics of your work that you've forgotten what drew you to it in the first place. Revisit that attraction, and ask yourself if you're doing exactly what you want to do. You don't have to drop everything and hit the high seas on a sailing ship, either; try asking yourself how you can adjust your businesses practices to better reflect your own values. As I practice this myself, Roughstock's future becomes a motivating goalpost rather than a logistical nightmare, and opportunities are already poking me affectionately in the ribs.

I love that just a few days of mental and visual stimulation can make such a difference in both my personal and work lives. Sharing stories with colleagues, meeting new people who I've only ever heard of before, and absorbing the experiences and values of others has been powerful. I can't wait to see it all seep into my work over the months ahead.