Hick versus Sheik

Recently, I noted a comment from someone responding to one of our many blogs. Although not the essence of their comment, they suggested, that most technical intellect resided with the masters who live in the city and that regional based organisations like ours, possesses less knowledge or talent than metro agencies. While I accept that this is a popular misconception, I think we should perhaps enter the debate, not so much in defence of where we live but more generally to ask the question, exactly where does commercial intellect reside?

It was interesting that our commentator was, at best a poor speller, who chose to offer a most fundamentalist approach to the many ideas we suggested. He also left a bogus email address and never bothered to state his credentials. But all that is neither here nor there, because he is not alone in his regional misgivings. Yes there are many country businesses who lack expertise and some may be accused of naïvety but on the whole people in the regions live there for a very good reason – lifestyle. That doesn’t render them any more incompetent or unskilled than those who inhabit the city skyline, in fact to some, it may suggest that they are a damn-sight smarter. So what is it about city perceptions and their various assumptions that leads them to consider that nothing original or innovative can ever be generated in a regional centre?

My take is that those wise men from the city believe that if we regional residents were any good at what we do, we’d be found working amongst ‘big business’ CBD. That assumption requires that we all believe that money is our only motivation and that our existence is based on how much we earn. Well for those who think this way here’s a message for you. I left the city and an excellent salary package, not because I wasn’t smart, capable or because I was inadequate. Instead I replaced my two hours of stress packed driving for a three minute doddle. I work at my own pace and surprise, surprise all the crew at the box, enjoy the same benefits. They are all highly qualified, all could easily acquire jobs in the city and all possess high intellect and special skills. All that did not disappear when they moved to a regional centre. Some of us just believe more in family, fresh air, open space and lifestyle.

We all know we fight a battle to convince major organisations that our work and our expertise is every bit as good, if not better than our city counterparts, but knowing that we ‘know’ has to be enough.

So to our commentator and other left brainers who think that we in the regions are a few corncobs short of a crop, beware! You are suffering from an excess of car fumes if you believe that you are the only people on God’s good earth who can successfully navigate the depths of the mind to such an extent that you can walk and chew tobacco at the same time.

Creativity is not the exclusive possession of geographic genetics, nor is a precinct the absolute province of intellect. It is arrogant in the extreme to believe that where you live, work and play is the central focus of all cognitive thinking and it is even more egotistical to suggest that ambition and motivation are the domain of a sub set of city business culture.

For those who are not aware, Jack in the box is a courageous boutique agency that is exceptional, not because it does or does not abide in a coastal country town, but because it is driven and directed by intelligent, highly skilful people who are what they are, no matter where they lay their hat.