Last week She of We spent a day at the self-proclaimed basket capital of the world. (We’ll wait while you look it up. We can’t tell you everything!) Among the acres of baskets, table accessories, wrought iron, pottery, and more and more baskets were acres of baskets, et. al. signed by the constructing craftsman. That takes pride in one’s work to put one’s signature on it.

Signing work is nothing new. Proof marks, builders’ marks, foundries, and forges have through the years identified themselves proudly on the goods turned out by their artisans. It is through these marks that many of today’s antiques treasures can be confirmed treasure and not just old. But not so much today. Now it seems that along the assembly line a robot pastes a sticker somewhere inside your car that claims it was “Made with Pride” by whatever union local finished it up. No name, no signature, not even an “Inspected by No. 7” graces that finished product.

Back to the baskets. Or more appropriately, to the weavers. Can you imagine the quality of hand made products if everyone who had a part in their construction claimed their piece of the work? Can you imagine the quality of machine made products if everyone who had a hand in prepping, aligning, calibrating, and finally running the machines claimed his or her responsibility for that assembly? Companies are always talking about accountability but other than that limited warranty everyone prints on the package (and in real small print), just what are they taking account of?

The basket weaver, pewter smith, wood wright, or one of many other artisans knowing he or she is at the top of the game and is really making it with pride will take accountability. So much so that he or she wouldn’t think of not signing the work.

Maybe your work isn’t of the type that you can literally “sign” what you do, but you can work with that same amount of pride that at the end of the day you can proclaim that your work is worthy of your mark. Would you rather be a sticker hidden inside the door frame just waiting for a recall to happen, or would you rather be a signature, as large as John Hancock’s, proclaiming to the world that what just happened you will always recall as your best? (We’ll wait while you decide. It shouldn’t take long.)

Yep, we thought so.

Now, that’s what we think. Really. How ‘bout you?

Written with pride by She and He.