Lee said that, in all work, there is a clear distinction between art and craft.  When a potter goes to work in his or her shop, it is usually to sell something.  A product must be made that the customer will surely like and be willing to spend money to own.  This means that the potter must make something with consistent quality.  A set of dishes, flower vases, or coffee cups must have uniform size and shape to make an attractive set.  This takes craftsmanship.  A craftswoman/man (nowadays called an artisan) must be able to deliver consistent quality in order to feed a family and pay the bills.

On Saturday, however, the artisan can go into the shop for fun; to create.  This is when the artisan becomes an artist.  Art, by most definitions, is solely for the purpose of beauty and does not come with the expectation that it be functional.  Employing a craft feeds the pocketbook (and the stomach), art feeds the soul.  Lee said that writing clever advertising is a craft.  He knows how to use the tools of his profession to produce a product of consistent quality.  He also said that, every now and then, he gets to create art; that piece of writing that transcends the other daily work.  Being a good craftsman brings satisfaction, art brings joy.  Satisfaction comes from a job well done, from being able to do every day the day thing you were put on the earth to do.  Joy comes when you elevate what you do, when you make something more than what it was when it was given to you.  Even better is when art and craft blend, making the craft beautiful and the art functional.

People have a skewed vision of art vs. craft.  We see art as something separate from the daily world; as a reward for when the real work is done.  If we work hard enough and don't spend our money foolishly-if we are industrious artisans-then we reward ourselves with a little art treat.  We go to a movie, a play, comedy club, concert, or sporting event.  We watch a game of football hoping to see the occasional glimpse of the artist within the athlete.  As the game progresses we are merely satisfied by the skillful techniques that get us step-by-step closer to victory, but we ache to see the break-out moment when a play goes beyond the textbook, when the players elevate the game to the next level.  We watch a comedian and are satisfied with time-tested material that makes us laugh, but we are excited when we somehow sense that he has gone off script and is now creating on the fly; taking us into uncharted territory-into art.

It is not a failing of people that we seek art as a reward.  It is a failing not to recognize it in our daily work.  If craft feeds the stomach and art feeds the soul, then the soul of every employee must be likewise fed.  The floor salesperson uses craftsmanship every time he or she takes a customer smoothly through the process, giving the guest exactly the right product to solve the need.  The sale becomes art when the conversation steps out of the norm, when a connection is made and a relationship is born.  A landscaper can employ 90% craft in developing a pleasing design for a corporate headquarters, but add 10% art by telling the client, "I was thinking about this all night.  What if, instead of what the plan says, we do this?"

A company manager becomes the artist when, instead of pacing through a PowerPoint presentation on the new company initiative, she finesses the emotions of the group so that they leave feeling elevated, not just informed.  Even auto mechanics-a profession people would only associate with craft-can become artists.  It happens when the mechanic puts down the wrench and talks to the owner of the car.  How long does the owner plan on keeping the car?  What kind of driving does she do the most?  The mechanic does more than just fix problems, he knows this car.  The artist in the mechanic can finesse the wires and steel so the owner gets what she needs for the life of the automobile.

Art can happen in every profession, but it cannot happen without intention.  It cannot happen without direction.  Discovering the artist within your profession does not happen by accident.  The image of the suffering artist is not a cliché (highly creative people often suffer from bouts of depression), but the suffering is not due to low wages and little chance of success.  The suffering of an artist comes from the absolute need to go beyond just "getting it right."  An artist elevates the work.  An artist has the need to separate the work from the mundane.  Artists suffer, not because of external difficulties, but because they are never sure they have done their best work.

A reporter delivers the facts; an artist brings the facts to life.  A nurse dispenses medication and monitors a patient's progress; an artist knows the mood of the patient and can finesse that mood so the patient feels at home in an entirely un-homey place.  A customer service representative reads from a script to ensure the customer "knows we certainly appreciate your business and are sorry for any inconvenience blah blah blah;" an artist turns a bad situation into one the customer knows was really no one's fault, and will return to that company again in the future.  A C.E.O. creates profits, an artist leaves a legacy.

Managing artists is difficult.  Craftsmen abhor mistakes.  Errors equate low quality, an inconsistent product.  Yes, consistent quality is crucial to the survival of any business, which is why craftsmen work Monday through Friday and practice art on Saturday.  Too many craftsmen forget about Saturday.  Art doesn't just produce mistakes, it demands them.  Nothing is elevated in an atmosphere of fear.  Artists don't fear mistakes because they don't recognize them.  The artist fears-and is depressed by-not stretching the boundaries far enough; not taking enough risks.  Playing it safe is for the artisan, not the artist.  Those who manage artisans need to encourage side-time to discover how to elevate the work.  Mistakes must be made in a safe environment.  We must pose the question to ourselves and those who work for us, "Have you elevated the work?  How can you become the artist within your profession?"

Stevie Ray is a nationally recognized corporate speaker and trainer, helping companies improve communication skills, customer service, leadership, and team management.  He can be reached at www.stevierays.org or stevie@stevierays.org .

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