It’s more important for us to get it right, than for me to be right

Creatives are told not to be precious about their work.

Don’t get overly protective, sensitive or attached to your artistic output. Be open to criticism, feedback and changes, in the name of making the work better.

Because for all you know, there are alternative perspectives and approaches you didn’t think of.

This philosophy can be highly effective, depending on what your goals are. If your currency is strong quality and solid collaboration, preciousness has to go. Especially if you’re working on a team. When you’re doing business in the marketplace of ideas, the best idea should win.

It’s the rising tide that lifts all boats.

Every time I send my work out for review, I usually tell my coworkers that I’m not precious about version one. That upfront humility invites them to find better solutions that I might have missed. Which becomes a win for us all.

My ego is definitely involved. How can it not be? Of course I want to do useful work that my team is excited about, so I’m less likely to get fired. Of course my feelings get hurt when people rip my efforts to shreds. But at the end of the day, with a team, it’s more important for us to get it right, than for me to be right. Huge difference.

And so, whatever vision I had when I started, will likely be a distant memory by the time we publish. \Years ago I ghost wrote a book on behalf of our three startup founders. And the day I completed the first draft and sent it out for edits, right before pressing send, I said a little prayer.

My mentor once taught me that you have to say thank you before you say goodbye. So I acknowledged the muse for the inspiration thus far. And then I bid farewell to my version of this book, which I knew would never be heard from again. The dreaded red pen would come out the next day, and that was okay.

I was not precious about it. Hell, my name wasn’t even on the book. I was a ghost.

What did I care?

Ultimately, this antiprecious mindset allows creative projects to find their center of gravity, so they can become what they need to become. It’s the only way to enable high quality and collaboration.