The title is a poor bastardisation of that famous line. Sorry, I'm not David Abbot.
'A poor workman always blames his tools'.
The idea that it's the skills, craft and effort of the person that makes or breaks a project.
This is true, up to a point.
But while tools can't cover up lack of talent or experience, they can enhance them.
I work on a high end cookware brand.
It doesn't make someone a better cook logically.
But the history, craft and sheer stories behind the brand.
Mean that when you use it, you feel you're part of a tribe of capable cooks.
I've seen eyes light up, shoulders straighten and kitchen tasks just flow.
Because when people FEEL capable, they become capable.
I worked on a hair straighter brand that was built on female empowerment.
I saw women in qual research, miming running a straighter through their hair like it was a magic wand.
Women walking out of salons like titans.
No conflict between beauty and brains, beauty makes one feel more powerful.
And there's nothing more powerful than being underestimated.
I layout pad and sharpie doesn't think of ideas for me.
Yet is makes me feel I can have ideas.
I'll let you into a secret.
I moved from account handling to planning while I was at a small independent agency.
It took a while for others to take the ex-account handler seriously.
It took a while for me to take myself seriously too, despite 'doing planning' was the only way I survived as a suit!!!
But when stole things like the McCann Brand Footprint (still useful by the way).
When I wrote briefs in the same style as W+K Honda briefs I got hold off.
When I thieved the BBH brief structure.
When I mimicked the story of some case studies.
I felt like a real planner, so I actually became a real planner.
Just as cooking with a the cast iron favourite of a generations of great cooks makes you feel like one too.
Now, obviously don't confuse a process or framework with actual thinking.
They are useful tool to make the chaos and uncertainty of ideas look predictable to clients.
Just don't let a process become the point.
But while everything you need is already inside.
The right tools bring it out.
Gives great ideas hooks to hang on.
Form to fog.
So that original quote was right - don't rely on tools, you make it happen.
But tools can be a conduit to get the best out of yourself.
A way to overcome the tyranny of the blank page.
The conduit for ideas that cut through the chaos.
You are enough.
But with tools used wisely, you can be more.
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