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It's here! Our annual Salary Survey we do with AIGA is up as of today.

And just so you don't think the whole thing, in light of the current economy, is all doom and gloom, the survey "found designers were indeed affected by the weakened economy--especially those who had been working for corporations or advertising agencies, many of which reduced staff and outsourced design work to freelancers during the economic downturn. However, the good news is that nearly a third of respondents to AIGA's Confidence Survey of Design Leaders believe they will be more likely to hire new designers in this quarter than last."

There's also some encouraging words from AIGA Executive Director Richard Grefé: "Individual designers can increase their value through consistent training and professional development that allows them to move up in the range of responsibilities they assume. This is not unique to design--continuous learning is critical for all professionals in a rapidly evolving business environment. But by applying design thinking skills in solving clients' more complex strategic problems, designers create even greater value for clients--warranting greater compensation."

The interface and layout for the survey are all really nice - so when you have the time, grab a cup of coffee, tea, or Monster-type beverage, and have a look see!

The standard definition of a linchpin, according to The Free Dictionary, is "a pin placed transversely through an axle to keep a wheel in position".  Without the linchpin, a wheel could shake off the axle, spinning into oncoming traffic, undermining the stability of the entire vehicle.  Just think of it: one small piece of seemingly insignificant metal is actually more important than it seems.

That's one idea which stuck with me after attending a lecture last night from best-selling author Seth Godin.  For companies, every person is essential to running of the business -- from the clerks in the mailroom to the person answering the front desk phone to the Vice Presidents and the CEO.  Without the mailroom clerk, incoming communications, letters and junk mail might never reach their intended destinations.  Without the front desk person, calls might not be transferred to the correct people or a potential customer may drive himself mad trying to mine his way through the automated directory.  And so on.

But simply being a mail clerk or a Vice President isn't enough.  Anyone can do those things -- another point brought up by Mr. Godin.  Since the advent of Henry Ford's assembly line, workers have become interchangeable.  To paraphrase an example from last night, the cashier at the local grocery store who scans the items, reads aloud the total, takes the money, makes change, up and quits.  For the store, it's not a big deal.  Finding a replacement shouldn't prove too difficult because most people learned those basic tasks and not much effort is required to do them.  Chances are, not too many customers would even notice the change in cashiers.

Now, take that same cashier.  As you approach the checkout, he or she greets you by name, tells you that one of the items in your cart is on sale that day, counts the change rather than simply handing it to you, wishes you a good day as you leave the check out.  None of those things are written in the company manual; the cashier decided to do something different, something outside the normal routine.  The result might be a happy customer who will return again, or who will recommend the store to friends.  Which in turn makes the store more profitable.  By doing something different, that cashier has added value to his or her position, making her indispensable to the company.

Another example Mr. Godin used was the release of Steely Dan's "Pretzel Logic" album in 1974.  Releasing a mix of pop vocals and extended instrumentals (Wikipedia), the music was unlike any other sound on the radio at that time, and the album became a critical success and a classic for music lovers.  If they hadn't released that album, if they'd succumbed to self-doubt and fears, if they'd stuck to the music mold of the time, would they have been just another pop band of the 1970s that faded into history?

That's what workers should do.  Rather than sticking to the same old routine, why not look for a new way to finish a task that might use less time or expenses?  Why not take a risk and put a different idea out into the marketing or design ether?

To become indispensable is to take those risks, to ask questions, to go that little extra step even though it's not necessary.  Even though it goes against all the information that's out there.  Be creative.  Be innovative.

Image from Wikimedia Commons.