Generally, I can empathize with the control freaks out there, because I am one so much of the time. But communication control freaks, it’s time to let go. Actually, it’s way past time to let go of the idea that the communicator is the center of the universe doling out little pearls of priceless information to a grateful public like a parade grand marshal tossing candy to the spectators from the comfort of his or her top-down convertible.
The spectators are willing and incredibly able to toss back what they don’t like. And when they do, it’s just a bad idea to sue them for it.
The latest example of this reality popped up in my hometown of Chicago this week. An apartment management company is suing a tenant for libel after she posted an allegedly defamatory Twitter post about them. You can read the Chicago Tribune’s coverage for details, or search “landlord sues” on Twitter for a glimpse at the numerous tweets on the issue.
Suing someone for a post, rather than the more enlightened approach of engaging with complainers, is downright retro. It makes a company looked closed off, out of touch and old fashioned. Think of the time, energy and money this company has put toward lawyers, lawsuits and probably endless meetings grousing about a 16-word post. What has it gotten them? Imagine if they had instead focused a fraction of that time, energy and money on simply working with the tenant to determine if there were problems and how to fix them.
The idea that you might be able to control your audience has always been a fiction passed on from one generation of communicator to the next. Once and for all, let’s all agree to let go of the illusion of control.
Barbara Govednik launched 423 Communication in 2001 to helps its clients tell their stories through freelance writing services, coaching and editing services, and employee communication consulting and implementation. Read Barbara’s Being Well Said Blog.
