Are designers paid to think, or paid to do?

As designers, are we paid to think, or are we paid to do?

Successful client relationships will be those where the client is aware that we're paid to think, and understand the benefits. These will be the clients who look for their design consultant to lead them.

Some clients may assert that we're paid to do (the same who argue that "We paid for it, it must belong to us." ) It's the work-for-hire mentality.

No doubt about it. We're paid to think. The doing is the execution of how we think, and what we think of, and one can't come before the other.

Worth considering: Lombardi weighs in on the topic if Design vs. Management Thinking. He asks "is design as the new management consulting?" His point? Let's not think too highly of ourselves.

He also asks: What is design thinking?