Gaining Broad Perspectives

It is that time of year when all of us are hitting the shopping malls in search of holiday presents for family and friends. Not only does this annual effort challenge our checkbooks, but it also tests our patience. Waiting in lines, trying to find a salesperson, competing with other customers, and looking for a parking space have all become part of the annual ritual of holiday shopping for that special token of our affection and regard for people in our lives that we hold dear. Recently, while out shopping and trying to deal with the challenge of finding a parking space I was reminded of elements of good communication that public relations professionals and provide clients. Let me explain.

Driving up and down the rows of parking spaces I finally spotted one driver who was beginning to pull out of their space. "Great," I thought. "They'll zip out and then I'll zip in." As it turned out, there was no zipping to be had by either one of us. The other driver was very slow in backing out. Very deliberate. Many little stops and starts. If a car could tip-toe, then that's what this car and driver were doing. Obviously, the driver was making sure they did not collide with any other driver that may be passing by or did not back into another parked car. From my vantage point, I could see no other cars were coming and that the driver had plenty of space so there was no chance their car would bump into any others. My perspective allowed me to see the situation in a way the driver - the person in the center of the action - could not. Had I been a public relations consultant, then I could have given my client advice that enabled them to successfully navigate their own through this situation.

We all, of course, have our own perspectives on any situation. We see something and immediately form a particular opinion based on our biases, interest, wealth of knowledge and history. These are not the only arrows good communicators have in their quiver. Good communicators can and should have a good sense of what those "arrows" are for others, including their clients and other publics with which they are striving to connect. Having this kind of well-rounded information is essential for making good decisions and recommendations that are equally well rounded and sound. The ability to see things from other perspectives is not a gift that people either have or don't. Rather, it comes from approaching each situation anew and talking with and listening to what others have to say. In short: it is part of he kind of fact finding and research that all public relations professionals should make part of their communication process.