Be a change maker

The belief that one person can do his work in his way, no matter how “strange” that way is among the current norms.

Last week I had a conversation with an advertising man. He told when he first joined the industry, it was boring. The advertising industry in Vietnam when he first jumped into — 2011 — was boring. The lack of creative, disruptive and cultural works disappointed the fresh man a lot.

Fortunately, his boss at the time, was the one who did something to change. He left the agency for a while to spend several years studying abroad. When he backed, he applied to that agency what he learnt.

The advertising man I talked to, being inspired by that boss’s will, then was brave to create and present disruptive works. One day, by good luck, the client say yes to one of his effort. That bold work, later on, came to reality and gained a big attention. The success instilled confidence about approaching advertising in his way.

Now the advertising in Vietnam is less boring — there has been more open, disruptive and local works. He is one of factors of that transformation, I believe.

The story he told gives me a new look at the role of a specific person working in any industry. He fuels a belief that one person can do his work in his way, no matter how “strange” that way is among the current norms. Then change the norms.

I think about the industry I am working on — journalism. It currently has some norms that, (used to), disappoint me a lot. Open an online newspaper and it’s no difficult for you to find a rough, over-reported or even fake story.

But it is no help being disappointed. Being like that advertising guy, creating and presenting well-qualified works is more helpful. Who knows, I can be one of factors that change this industry?