Your organization is viewed in one of three ways (2 of them are not good):
1. Positively
2. Negatively
3. As an afterthought
This story of a California rail worker illustrates the power of perception. This man was sent to check on some freight in a refrigerated boxcar. While inside the car, the doors shut accidentally, trapping him inside.
When the man failed to check in at the end of his shift, a coworker found him dead in the boxcar. The following words were written on the walls:
No one is hearing my cries for help. My hands and feet are getting very cold. I don’t know how much longer I can last.”
The eerie truth of this story is that the boxcar wasn’t in use because its refrigeration unit wasn’t working properly – it wouldn’t get cold. The temperature outside was in the eighties, and although the temperature in the boxcar was slightly lower, it wasn’t even close to freezing. There was also plenty of air for the man to breathe.
But the man’s perception of freezing to death was so strong that, in fact, he died.
How do your constituents view you? Do they think of you as a provider of great customer service, as caring, and as transparent in reporting back to them?
If not, set to work today to change that perception.