Sempe Fido: Workplace Secrets Revealed

The drawing pictured above was made by Jean-Jacques Sempe. It is the first thing I look at , when I go to my desk in the morning. It's obvious that the little dog has been taking a bit of a beating. It is also equally obvious, at least to me, that he is far from finished and that whatever or whoever has tested him should not underestimate him. Also, he has just a touch of scoundrel and a mischievous whimsy about him, despite a round or two of setbacks. Sempe Fido (apologies to the Marines).

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I have a sign on my desk; it says:

DON'T LET PERFECT RUIN GOOD

I borrowed this from the business writer Harry Beckwith as a daily reminder that being a perfectionist is a neurotic trait. If you want to get something done that might be helpful to other people and to yourself, get to work, have a high standard for the work, then get it out there. Do the best you can; if that is good today, instead of perfect, good. Done. Tomorrow's another day.

I don't have this next sign sitting on my desk or worktable, but it's in my mind anyway and related to the one above:

PRACTICE IS PERFECT

A great jazz player said: "If you practice scales religiously and practice each note firmly, with equal strength, certainly you'll develop a certain smoothness." Amen.

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This drawing, signed KME, is a new addition to the desk. It is there to remind me not to always take myself or other people too seriously. It also reminds me that the Creator had a sense of humor, hence the buzzer at the moment of Creation, which by the way, is still going on as we speak. Lighten up, only Hollywood, Washington DC and the "Media" take themselves seriously 100% of the time, which is what makes them all so funny.

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I made a series of collages last year using the simplest objects I could find from everyday life. I based it on a book by Paola Antonelli, MOMA's Curator of art and Design, called "humble masterpieces."

I called the series Too Small To Fail as a reminder that the best design in art, business, government or education is often the simplest. The bandaid remains one of healthcare's best tools, for example. When humans get complicated, it's usually because they have lost their sense of humor and proportion. Don't.

In Icelandic, the word for complex also means "loaded with debt."

When I get too complicated or forget to look at life in a quirky or humorous way, like right now, I look at Too Small To Fail. Usually, it gets me back on track.

TSTF #5 Self Portrait 2009