Bait and Switch

I worked for a creative director at an ad agency. I wrote some ad copy and showed it to her. She would always rewrite everyone's copy (and make it worse:) and she did it this time as well. I told another, much more experienced, writer about it and he said when you show her the copy update, show her the copy she wrote and tell her it was the original copy you wrote. Then show her the original copy you wrote and tell her it was her great edit, with just a few small tweaks. I was so nervous that she would catch me trying to pull one over on her, but he told me to just do it. And… she chose my copy (thinking it was hers) and was full of compliments about how much better it was.

Having seen first hand how much one's ego (mine as well) can affect one's judgement, I learned that complimenting others really goes a long way in helping to sway people in your favor. AKA you get more bees with honey than vinegar. Maybe not the most ethical route to that life lesson, but I got there.