EDITOR’S NOTE:

Years and years back, I was considering enrolling in portfolio school. (It’s kinda like getting a Masters in advertising. Kinda.)

So I scheduled a tour.

A week later, I was in the school’s lobby. Someone came to greet me. She was wearing a shirt with a caricature on it. 

“Eddie?” she said.

“Yep, hello.”

“Hey, I’m Rachel,” she said. “I’m a copywriting student. I think you’re shadowing me today?”

“Yes,” I smiled. “Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too.”

“Hey who’s that on your shirt?”

She looked down, stretching the shirt out flat. “Oh, it’s Rory Sutherland,” she smiled. “We’re discussing his TED Talk today.”

I never did enroll in portfolio school. But Rory’s work has been with me ever since. 

Last week’s Micro-Interview was with renowned copywriter, Drayton Bird. This week’s is with another icon of the copywriting world, Vice Chairman of Ogilvy & Mather, Rory Sutherland.

I feel very lucky indeed to have him on. 

In only 133 words, Rory shares: 

• The book that helped him most over his career...

• What’s more important than your IQ (besides your EQ)...

• The #1 thing that helped shorten his copywriting learning curve… 

And more… 

Please enjoy this special piece. 🙂

Thank you, Rory.

Let’s get started:

1) “What’s your work routine?”

Random. Deliberately so. We are in an unusual job, where we have to surprise ourselves, so I find eccentric patterns of behaviour help. This is not true of everyone, however. Some people thrive creatively on routine. 

Sadly I'm not one of them.

2) “What do you know about your work now that you wish you’d known when you first started?”

Behavioural science — which both expands and explains the need for creativity.

3) “What did your biggest professional failure teach you?”

Resilience.

4) “What’s the #1 thing that has helped you shorten your craft’s learning curve?”

Working with wonderful people.

5) “What book has helped you the most over your career?”

The Economic Naturalist by Robert Frank.

6) “And your parting piece of advice?”

A change in perspective is worth 80 IQ points. Alan Kay.