Some Texas Wisdom

By Craig Miyamoto, APR, Fellow PRSA

(This is an expanded version of the 2001 Third Quarter issue of Public Relations Strategies, a quarterly publication of Miyamoto Strategic Counsel)

I get a lot of jokes in the mail, which is not unusual � everybody with email gets them. Once in a while, good stuff comes along, like the email with a list of �down-on-the-ranch� wisdom that apparently has been making the rounds for quite some time. As I read through them, it dawned on me that the wisdom they carried could be applied to public relations. The list is called Some Texas Wisdom:

• Never slap a man who's chewin' tobacco. Activists and other �enemies� of your company or organization have ways of embarrassing you (see Alinsky�s Rules for Radicals). You know what these weapons are. So, why unduly provoke the other side in an adversarial confrontation, and run the risk of them inflicting invective on you?





• Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment. In other words, if you don�t give yourself the opportunity to fail, you are denying yourself the opportunity to succeed. Good public relations comes from good judgment, and yet, for every success, someone who tried that strategy or tactic failed � but learned something valuable. There was a time when oysters were thought to be poisonous; yet one person with bad judgment ate one and now they re considered delicacies.





• Lettin' the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier 'n puttin' it back in. Remember the Public Relations Trilemma (know all, keep it secret, tell all)? There are times when it pays to keep one�s mouth shut. In public relations, we operate in a business climate where everything that�s said and done affects the company�s/organization�s bottom line. Public relations people need �judicious lip locks.� We are wordsmiths, we cause change with our words. Always � ALWAYS � think about what you say before you say it.





• If you're ridin' ahead of the herd, take a look back every now and then to make sure it's still there. There is nothing worse than plunging ahead with your plans without checking to see if the organization is behind you, or if it�s what you really need. That�s why mid-campaign evaluations are so important. They keep you on track, and more importantly, they ensure that your support is there.





• If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around. Don�t tread on allies� toes by exerting undue pressure. Just how smart you are depends on what part of the country you�re in, and your expertise and experience just might not work in a different setting. So be humble, and rely on local �on-the-ground� experience to prevent getting bitten by the other person�s dog.





• Never kick a cow chip on a hot day. This is like that �don�t wrestle with a pig� axiom we use when giving media training. You know, the one that ends with �You�ll just get dirty and only the pig will enjoy it�? It�s like lifting the lid of a garbage can. Maybe there�s nothing inside, but maybe it really stinks in there.





• There's two theories to arguin' with a woman. Neither one works. In other words, don�t butt your head against a stone wall. There is no changing the minds of those who are adamantly against the organization. Even if you do succeed in changing some minds among that group, you will expend too much energy doing so. A college professor gave this advice: �Never argue politics or religion. Nobody�s mind will be changed, and both will end up being pissed off.�





• If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop diggin'. If a public relations campaign is taking you in the wrong direction, pull the plug. If your spokesperson is saying the wrong thing, interrupt and call a break. If you can�t figure out what to do next, step to the side and seek help. Plain and simple. Cut your losses.





• Don't squat with your spurs on. Human beings in general � and public relations practitioners in particular � sometimes forget that we carry on us the tools of self-destruction originally meant to be helpful, but dangerous if not used carefully. The lesson here is to cover the details. Don�t let your own rules get in the way of being effective. Don�t hurt yourself. (And, watch your back, okay?)





• It don't take a genius to spot a goat in a flock of sheep. If something isn�t working right, it should not be difficult to identify it. Don�t you think?





• Always drink upstream from the herd. If you�re relying on others, make sure that what they�re feeding you (e.g., information, assistance, advice) is reliable and not just washed-over regurgitation. Whenever possible, research should be formal and primal, the materials you buy should be pristine, and the reputations you create and protect should be untainted.





• Never miss a good chance to shut up. One can learn more about stakeholders and target audiences by listening before speaking. Just like the adage, �Measure twice, cut once,� pubic relations people should listen, listen again, and then listen one more time before creating the message. If you keep on talking, you run the risk of saying something that will greatly diminish your chances of success. �Loose lips sink ships.� �It is better to remain silent and look like an ass, than to open your mouth and prove you really are one.�





• There are three kinds of people: The ones that learn by reading, the few who learn by observation, and the rest of them who have to touch the fire to see for themselves if it's really hot. Public relations professionals need to be all three. There is so much knowledge available; the trick is to know where to look. There is so much one can learn by watching others at work; the trick is to watch the right people. And yet, there are times when it�s necessary to get your hands dirty, so see for yourself if what you think is true is actually true and can be applied in your work. Read, observe, touch.