One Take with Jonathan Harries

👉 The Scoop – Jonathan Harries impressed everyone at one of FCB’s worldwide meetings by adroitly combining the creativity needed to drive consumers to the brand with the rigorous needs from some clients to meet research objectives. Today, Jonathan applies the same discipline to combining historical research with creativity to sell novels. He is now working on the tenth one, so, evidently, his method works.

👉 Decisive Moment #1 – After being essentially pushed out “into the provinces” by the Draft/FCB merger management, he is offered a global position by the new incoming CEO.

👉 Decisive Moment #2 – Decides to retire at 65 to pursue his writing career. Jonathan invoked what a friend of his called the 10:30 rule.

👉 Unexpected change or event – Jonathan found that, as technology overtook advertising, what young creatives were talking about in meetings and what they were doing seemed to be very far from advertising itself.

👉 What did they do? – One of his friends in South Africa had a rule known as the 10:30 rule. He would give parties but, at 10:30 sharp, the party would end. Because “nothing good happens after 10:30”. Jonathan saw the same thing and, at 65, retired.

At 65 he pursued a career that he had also loved for years: writing. He is now into his 10^th book and will end the year with 13 published books.

👉 About older workers – Experience, of course, is one thing older workers bring. But, combine experience and maturity and there is a degree of calmness that is welcomed in turbulent times.