Lessons Learned From The September Issue

Over the weekend I watched The September Issue, a documentary about Anna Wintour and her role as editor-in-chief of Vogue magazine.  For the uninitiated, Anna Wintour is notorious for being unbelievably powerful in her industry and also for her “Ice Woman” reputation.

Despite what other reviewers thought of her, I found her to be someone I could look up to and learn a few lessons from.  As an aspie I’m told to pursue my talents, yet as a woman I’m expected to mind others’ feelings.  What I like about Anna Wintour is that she’s not afraid at all to go after what she knows she’s good at, regardless of what anyone says about her.

Lesson 1: She’s not afraid to be good at what she does.

Too often we are given reasons to hold back our talents.  It might make someone else feel inadequate, so we don’t want to hurt their feelings.  Can you believe that over time I’ve learned to add grammatical errors to my writing?  People seem to find it more relatable, but it makes me feel like I’m giving up a piece of my soul.

Anna, on the other hand, knows her talents and isn’t afraid to use them.  She understands that her job is to protect the brand and promote an industry by selecting only the best work, so that’s what she stays focused on.  She sets the bar high for her employees and will cut as many pages as she needs to in order to create the product she has in mind.  Without a doubt this causes a lot of hand-wringing and upset among the employees, but when you separate their emotions from the situation you can see how talented she is and how much better the end product is because of her.

Learned: Stay focused on your passions and don’t compromise yourself.

Lesson 2: She’s unapologetic about who she is but gives credit to those who are different from her.

While reviewers are taking this opportunity to indulge in some good old-fashioned Anna-bashing, they’re singing the praises of the magazine’s creative director, Grace Coddington.  For all of Anna’s precision and terseness, Grace envelops you in sentiment.  Personally, I got the impression that it might require a full-time job just to put up with Grace’s whining.  But…I say whiny, you say “warm and languid“.

Anna is careful to praise Grace’s talent and credit her influence while acknowledging their differences.  Who knows what she really thinks or if this is what she does IRL, but she’s figured out that when it really counts (like when a film crew is following her) it’s important to show an appreciation for the way different personalities and talents work together.

Learned: Show an appreciation for the diverse roles people play in your life.

(Sidebar: Yes, I did use the words “aspie” and “talents”.  You can feel free to substitute the word “autistic” in there.  Anyone can have passions, and everyone has something they do best.)