Self Interest

It is hard getting people to see beyond their own noses; by that I mean look past their own interests. Make no mistake, this is as true of me as it is any one. Believe me, I make no claim of having a monopoly on being magnanimous. But that aside, from a communications standpoint this reality represents a difficult challenge. We all pretty much approach each day with the idea of doing what is best for us and our immediate lives, feeds our interests, and gives us the most pleasure or satisfaction. There is, of course, nothing wrong with that. At the same time, however, this raises the level of challenge for communicators who work to persuade various publics to take certain actions or support various positions they might not otherwise take or feel. How do you do that, particularly if you are committed to doing your work in an ethical, values-driven manner?

The bottom line is it is tough. But one significant way to crack this particular nut is to develop a thorough understanding of those with whom you are trying to connect. What are their interests? What are their concerns? What are their dreams? What are their primary sources of information? Answers to these and other similar questions can provide the communicator with an opportunity to better connect with others. It can also improve the communicator's chances to gaining the influence on behalf of his or her client that is being sought.

While people are not oblivious to what is going on around them or what is or is not happening to others, they view these matters through their own lenses and from their own perspectives with the fundamental question: "How does this affect me?" It is the communicator's primary challenge to try and answer that question. If successful, then any one of us will be much more open to taking a particular action or lending our support to a cause or point of view. This is the public relations professional's ultimate and ever-present challenge.