Pas de Brief, Pas de Travaille
How has it been 3 weeks already!?!? The gap between my carefree French, Parisian lifestyle and heading back to reality as a Chicagoan is quickly getting smaller and smaller. Now that the initial whirlwind is over, my mission for the remainder of my time here is to take all of my observations of agency/French life (they coincide regularly), and begin to make some sense of it all.
The Ultimate French Bag of Tricks & Tools
Direct Business — or as they say here at the Havas Digital Factory, no bullshit. Which by the way sounds real great in a French accent. I truly admire the way in which the French are able to say no. It’s so simple, yet I think it’s one of the most important tools they use as a catalyst for efficient business. In Chicago, we tend to jump through hoops to do anything and everything our clients ask, no matter how crazy it may be — never taking no for an answer. I find this business completely normal, and often exciting — it really makes me think outside of the box, using every last drop of creative energy I have to come up with a solution. But there is something to be said for a culture that accepts the word no. If something really can’t be done, time is not wasted trying to come up with a solution to the impossible. There is a mutual feeling of respect with accepting the word no from both sides of the equation. If something truly cannot be done, you say no and move on. C’est tout.
Process — Ok, so anyone that knows me well knows I despise any kind of formal process. I feel it has the ability to eliminate creativity and get me stuck in a rut of mundane, daily tasks. However, I do understand and respect the place that process has in turning massive pieces of business into well-oiled machines. When things are done right the first time, we have happy clients. And that’s all we really ever ask for, right? The French seem to create processes in their sleep — expected to be followed every step of the way by all parties involved. My first day at HDF involved a lengthy meeting (all in French, of course) discussing how they could best work the Havas Africa office. This of course spiraled into an even lengthier discussion on how the normal process should be, and WILL BE followed. That’s when I heard something that made me laugh, Pas de brief, Pas de travaille, on repeat. “No brief, No work.” That’s it, and that’s final. This was especially funny to me as working with our Affiperf team in Chicago, I have heard this before… It dawned on me that this process definitely stems from France :)
The Art of the Apéro — Ahh.. my favorite of all the things done here in France. So now you’re probably wondering, what is this fabulous Apéro?
It’s truly a time of day that is accepted, necessary, and frequent. A typical apéro could include anything from just wine and olives, to a full on heavy pre-dinner of cheese, meats, bread, and any other salty snack available. To my coworkers suprise, an American can actually host a pretty decent Apéro :) I organized a little one in the office last night to show my appreciation for all the patience my coworkers have shown me and the culture they have shared with me. I will absolutely, without a doubt be taking this custom back with me… The French have this one figured out.
