According to a new survey, the average person admits to lying four times a day. People who responded to the survey also reported they thought someone lies to them six times a day. The survey was commissioned by the Online Betting Guide, but it could have easily been commissioned by a journalism school, a media platform, or a political consultant.
Journalists wade through hundreds of press releases daily, quickly deleting those that are obvious lies, puffery, or just hard to believe. Add to that the dozens of opinion shows on broadcast TV, radio, or the internet that massage the truth and I’m surprised the lies are only four times a day. As a result, most experienced journalists have a healthy B.S. detector and are experts at figuring out where the nuggets of truth lie.
If you’re considering launching a public relations program for your company or organization, understand that intentionally telling half-truths will get you nowhere. In my practice, I’ve had to counsel well-meaning executives that if they cannot tell the truth, say nothing. Certainly, you shouldn’t reveal proprietary information, give out personal information about team members or business partners, or jeopardize a product introduction—but truth is always the best approach.
And if you can’t say anything nice, come sit by me and I’ll figure out the best truths about your business, organization, or mission.
If you’re interested, find me at mkathrynschmidt@gmail.com.
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