Collaboration Requires Democracy.

One of the most important things I learned in college wasn’t in a classroom—it came from a mentor, who told me, "Let the best idea win. Always."

This hit me hard, because up until then, I operated under a different mantra: “Let my idea win, because I really want it to win.” I terrible mantra, I know. But I’m a designer, not a mantra writer.

The truth is that being a good designer—especially a collaborative one—means learning to let go. You’ll pour your heart into a concept, only to have a client say, “Hmm, what if we make it purple and change the font to Arial?”

It’s tempting to dig in and get defensive, to become a martyr for the cause of good design. But often a client’s idea, even if it’s not “high art,” has value. Clients know their own story. They know their people. And if we’re smart, we’ll listen.

More than once, a client’s offhand comment has sparked a breakthrough I never would’ve reached alone. Because when you stop being precious and start being curious, you create better work. And more importantly—you create work that works.

So now, whether I’m in a pitch meeting or on a late-night Zoom call, I try to keep that mantra in the back of my head.

Let the best idea win. Always.

Even if it’s not mine. In summary, being a good designer is, at its core, problem-solving. And problem-solving is a team sport.