How many of you, Moms and Dads both, have a personal public-relations program? While you’re thinking, we’ll answer for you in this way – every one of you, and so do your teenagers.
I may not know you, but …
All of us have a personal public-relations program. Every time we walk out of our house, our public-relations program kicks into gear. People are watching us, hearing us and forming perceptions of us by how we act and react in the world around us.
Perception is indeed reality. If we look over at you on the road and you’re texting while driving or cutting in and out of traffic at a high speed, we don’t know you – but we think you’re a fool. You may be a wonderful person, but all we see is someone who is risking the lives of everyone on the road. In our book, that makes you a fool.
If we hear you being loud and obnoxious in a restaurant and others have a hard time carrying on polite conversation, sorry, we’re gonna label you a jerk. We don’t know you – and we don’t want to know you.