You’re only as good as your word.
If you promise the moon and fall short, you disappoint (and mar your reputation). But manage expectations and over-deliver, and you’re a hero.
The pressure to perform is intense. As long as you succeed, your legend endures. Stumble and it shatters.
This applies to your personal and professional life. For many of us, those worlds are intertwined.
It can be as happy as planning a vacation or birthday party. You’re asked to do it because you’ve never let anyone down before. It could be as serious as defending (or accusing) someone of committing fraud.
Sometimes it’s preventive such as sidetracking an issue while it’s small. Others it’s already late in the game before you’re called in to clean up the mess on aisle three.
How do you know what you promise is correct? How do you know that you can deliver on your promise?
First, you must be a keen observer. If you miss a detail in your analysis, your entire projection could be way off. Second, you should have no dog in the fight. Attempting to separate yourself from an issue you’re involved in is extremely difficult and clouds your judgment. Obvious solutions are seldom obvious to those involved.
As a colleague recently observed, “A wise man knows what he knows. A wiser man knows what he doesn’t know — and surrounds himself with those who do.”
To celebrate the launch of our two books, we’ve made the Kindle version of each available for only $0.99! Check out A Board Member’s Guide to Crisis PR and A Lawyer’s Guide to Crisis PR (Second Edition) on Amazon.
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You can reach Roger Gillott and Eden Gillott directly at 310-396-8696.
Gillott Communications is a Los Angeles-based public relations firm that specializes in high-stakes Crisis & Reputation Management with more than 50 years of expertise in strategic communications, corporate public relations, and working with the media.
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