Little nuggets of knowledge at Wal-Mart
I saw this little sign in the home décor section of a Wal-Mart recently. (I shop big, I know.) On a shelf in a big-box retail store, a surprising little reminder of what I think is the number one rule of communications:
If honesty is the best image, and I’m certain it is, it requires us to avoid doing things that we might not want to talk about. And it compels us to do things that bring proof to the things we want said about us.
What does that mean in English? If we’re a nonprofit engaged in some important philanthropic endeavor, for instance, it might mean generating measurable results in our chosen field of work while avoiding embarrassing little stumbles along the way (think lapses in financial stewardship). If I’m a celebrity who wants people to think I’m a stand-up family man, it might mean I’ve got to keep my pants on unless my spouse is in the room. Boring, but true.
Of course, we’re all human — and all humans goof up on occasion. Thankfully, Americans are a forgiving lot when mistakes are owned fully and forthrightly. But you can’t fess up to only half of what you did. And no matter what, you can’t then make the same mistake twice.