Why So Formal?
What’s the best way to get to know someone? How do you truly connect with clients and the brands they’re passionate about? If you said by asking them to put on their most uncomfortable clothes and sit in a boardroom for two hours … well, I could only assume you sell office chairs or orthopaedic shoes…
For most of us, the communication starts flowing when we are comfortable. Sampling the coffee at someone’s favourite cafe or having a laugh over a couple of beers can change everything.
Collaboration happens when you speak openly. Inspiration sparks when you’re comfortable to say what’s on your mind. It’s not just about making friends, it’s getting to know someone properly --- and, in a collaborative world like design, that is a big deal.
Setting the Stage for Inspiration
Creating the perfect brand is about tapping into someone’s vision and expressing an idea that goes beyond words. And, the whole thing is a lot easier when you take the time to build a relationship and get to know the brand and the person or people behind it.
In my experience, formality creates a barrier. You’ve got to sift through all of the business jargon and forced small talk to find out what someone is actually trying to say.
Long story short, my humble request is to cut the crap. This is no royal affair. Let’s just chat like ‘normal’ people and ask real questions that get real answers. And, I’m not alone here. From techie nerds in hoodies to psychologists, a whole lot of people are finding that formality is nothing more than a pain in the arse.
The Psychology of Formality
Dr Stuart Watt (who probably wouldn’t like us referring to him by a formal title) penned an interesting piece on how formality reflects far more than just tradition and office culture.
Watt notes that “formal language emphasizes differences in status.” We sign our emails as Head of Marketing. CEO. The Honourable Gentleman Doctor Mr Jones. Whatever. You probably already knew who the email was from before you finished reading it but now you know their official title and have maybe even seen a jpeg of how their posh name looks in calligraphy. And for what?
Formality is used to create a divide. Watt notes how it creates “distancing of relationship and emotion… In formal writing, the feelings and personality of the writer fade away.” If you still remember from English classes at school, we are not supposed to use “I” or any other emotive words. We are meant to use the passive voice, which means that you can’t say “I don’t give a f*ck,” but should instead say “a f*ck is not given.”
Casual Friday Every Day
Most of the crew at Design-Hungry come from a big agency background. We are used to those formal meetings that could almost run on a script, and we just don’t believe it’s the way forward. And we’re not alone. The world is becoming a more casual place. Hell, even the men of Wall Street are showing up at work wearing their old t-shirts from uni.
Along with level statuses and ping pong tables, this formality is something that is falling by the wayside in start-ups and with younger workers in general. We’re ditching the 9 to 5 and all of the constraints that came with it. We’ve discovered that creating a comfortable working environment where people can communicate informally and easily is foundational to success.
Side Note: Nothing is one size fits all. While an informal setting enhances collaboration and sparks creativity, it doesn’t work in every sector. A study of communication in the manufacturing industry found that errors increase when communication networks are informal. Good old fashioned company memos and automated reminders get the job done when your work is ultra-precise and must be done according to specific requirements.
Why Designers Should Want to Get Up Close and Personal
We creatives have never been a particularly formal bunch and we’re thriving under the new rules of the game. In the world of design, getting rid of formality is a true asset.
Clients often wonder how the whole process works (we did a handy blog post on How to Get Started with a Graphic Designer too if you want to dig deeper). While there are a lot of boxes to tick, the bottom line is getting to know the brand and the people behind it.
Aesthetic is notoriously tricky to verbalise. Everybody wants a design that is “different” or “clean” or some impossible-to-nail-down adjective. Can you give us something that pops, they ask. And, it’s only natural. Just because you’ve got an incredible idea for a start-up or could sell sand in the desert doesn’t mean you’re a natural-born artist or understand the design process or principles. Even if you did, it’s just not possible to express some concepts verbally.
There is, however, one core element that (almost) every entrepreneur and the dedicated brand head does bring to the table and that’s passion. Understanding what drives a brand and getting a sense of the people behind it is fuel for creating the perfect branding.
Getting Out of the Office
Ask someone in the office why they love their job and they might tell you they’re questioning the reason they even got out of bed today. Pull ‘em out, buy a round of drinks, and get them into a fresh headspace then everything looks a bit different. You get to see them as real people, not just another office worker.
Design is about creating a story with feeling and then projecting it. You know how you can see something in a shop and know that it’s just perfect for someone in your life? That’s the way good design works. You get to know the brand and the people behind it, you’ll get a bloody good knowledge of what will work for them. It doesn’t come from reading a laundry list of preferences but rather knowing someone, outside of the boardroom.