11.
NEVER LIE ABOUT ANYTHING IMPORTANT

Everybody lies. And some lies — “I don’t mind, really.” “Yes, I’ve read Moby Dick.” “No, we’re busy tonight, sorry.” — are harmless.

But a lie about serious matters — about people and work and events and family — is like a cockroach: When people see one, they suspect hundreds.

If the people you work with suspect that you lie about anything that they consider important, they will not trust you.

And unless they trust you, they will not give you their hearts.

And unless you have their hearts, you cannot ideaize them.

I remember one creative director I worked for who continually lied about when we had to have work ready to present to the client. Once, an art director and I spent all weekend at the office working on a campaign that he said was needed on Tuesday, only to discover on Monday that it was not needed this Tuesday, but Tuesday next.

Suffice it to say, we did not give him our hearts.