The for/with question

Who do you work for?

The answer to that question isn’t as simple as it used to be. Once, I could name my employer, or my immediate supervisor. My boss, if you will. But when you run your own business, the answer becomes more complex.

From an business standpoint, I work for myself. The only boss that supervises my comings and goings, who determines whether I’m working hard or hardly working, is me.

From a personal standpoint, I find that I derive great satisfaction from a job well done. I like doing the work. And I keep working because I enjoy that feeling of satisfaction. I work for it, in fact.

Then there’s my family.  Most of the money that comes into the business (after expenses) goes to support myself, my wife and our children. In a very real sense, I’m working for my family—for their direct benefit.

And there are my clients, and the work I do for them on a daily basis. Whether that work takes the form of designing a logo, an ad, a brochure or a marketing strategy, the work I’m doing benefits them and their companies. They may not be my bosses, exactly, but I’m certainly working for them.

That said, working for someone typically implies a hierarchy, with one party placed in a position of power or authority over another. Master/Servant. Management/Labor. Employer/Employee. Whether the sentence is “I work for you” or “you work for me,” the verb work only applies to one party.

But what if we change the preposition from for to with?

Working with someone, well, that makes us equals. Yes, we may bring different things to the table, different strengths and weaknesses. We each contribute something unique. But when everyone works together—when we work with each other—great things are accomplished.

My best work, the work I’m the most proud of, the work I show off to others, has come about working with people. Writers. Illustrators. Photographers. Font designers. And, yes, clients.

I believe that we work best when we work together. So, while I’m always willing to do work for you, I’d rather work with you to create something extraordinary.

Who do you work with?