They Threw Me Into "Public"

I am glad there is such a large emphasis on public relations these days, for two reasons. First, I believe maintaining a good public relation is something that a good leader owes to him or herself, and may be a reward that is overlooked otherwise. Second, because public image is so important, the actions of an entity (especially a large company) are carefully scrutinized, enticing the entity to respond to a problem more admirably than otherwise.

Praise is deserved for those who are doing a good deed; this is not a hard concept to understand. Often, however, people will flaunt their righteousness in the face of those around them. After a time, everyone knows all too well what that person is doing correctly, and are sick of hearing about it, especially if the “good news” is blown out of proportion.

I have found that, just as often, people do a good job and seek no reward for it. Being humble is certainly admirable, but occasionally it becomes a handicap. I have observed people responsible for great success be passed over by their superiors because they didn’t claim their work; the good they did seemed to magically appear and was forgotten by those involved.

Some might claim that the only reward they require is the satisfaction of doing the right thing. If this is truly why you do what you do, then you owe it to those you serve to share with others your charge. People around you will probably want to help by way of supplies, expertise, or space, allowing you to do even more good.

In any event, be sure you claim the good that you do, it’s healthy and deserved.

The other side of this coin is the accountability produced by needing to maintain good public image. Here, I am referring more heavily to companies and public figures.

The first example that comes to mind is the juxtaposition of the corporate response to the Exxon Valdez spill and the Deepwater Horizon Oil Rig spill. When the Exxon Valdez oil tanker struck a reef in 1989 and dumped a huge amount of oil into the ocean, Exxon was slow to react and blamed the ship’s captain for the disaster. Possibly learning from this anxiety-ridden and slow response, BP instigated a massive containment and cleanup effort very quickly following the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion in 2010.

Other tragedies, such as Hurricanes Irene and Sandy, were reacted to very quickly by the American Government, perhaps in fear of the same backlash FEMA received for its slow response to the Hurricane Katrina crisis.

It is for these reasons that I believe those in the media spotlight should continue be very mindful of their relation to the public. Not only is it a healthy thing to watch after, it is a great source of learning.