Great Ideas

I was once pulled over by a police officer as I was driving along a busy road.  When he approached my truck window, he was very stern and gruff.  He explained that he pulled me over for speeding.  As he spoke, I had a million thoughts running through my mind, from "I want to crawl into a hole and die because people are driving by looking at me like a common criminal,"  (or so I perceived) to "Ahhh! Why is this officer so scary?" to "How am going to explain this to my safe-driving-stickler husband?" When the officer handed me the nausea-inducing slip of paper that was the speeding ticket, the only thing that I could think of to say that made me feel somewhat decent was "Thank you."  Yes, I gathered myself up enough to quickly realize that any excuse for speeding would be pathetic and that being flippant, defensive, or mad would just make me look like a fool.  So I said "Thank you."  It was then that the officer looked me with surprise in his eyes and dropped his hard core demeanor. He softened his tone, bid me a gentle goodbye, and went along his way.
Laakea Eating CakeOne PR Fix, or communication upgrade, that I learned at the beginning of my career, is to replace using the word "but" with "and" to soften unfavorable language.  While this has come in handy in business, it's also been useful in my personal communication as well. Before I learned this, I never really considered how the terms "but," "however," or "yet" can actually be negative.  When I stopped to think about it, I realized that they are mainly used in contrary to something and have a subtle way to bring down a conversation.  Why?  Because many times, "but" is used as an excuse or a crutch.  Over and over people use "but" to take the accountability off of their shoulders.  For example, "I did my homework, BUT I don't have it with me because my dog ate it." Or "I would have been on time, BUT I got stuck in traffic."  Even though this is not the case for all uses of "but," the frequency of  using a "but statement" as a justification for a mistake has dirtied the interpretation of the word.
Warthog_06-13There is always a way to graciously address any situation, no matter how uncomfortable. Plain and simple: ignoring the truth or being phony feeds into the discomfort of the most awkward situations and makes them worse.
OprahThe following is an excerpt from “The PR Fix for the Everyday Person” © 2014 by Jenny Fujita and Joy Miura Koerte. Being a host conjures up visions of throwing a party. That may be true but in general, being a good host is about making people feel comfortable, not only when you are a formal host of a gathering, but in everyday situations. When you’re the type of person who makes people feel comfortable, you become very attractive. People will literally flock to you because they feel at ease in your presence. These connections are great for building new relationships or deepening old ones.
THE PR FIX LOGO FINALThe following is an excerpt from “The PR Fix for the Everyday Person” © 2013 by Jenny Fujita and Joy Koerte. We always tell our clients that when they’re asked questions about a situation involving several parties, they must only answer for their own company. The same goes for you. If you’re asked a question about how another person may feel about a situation, pause and then say, “I can’t answer for them but I know that I…”
THE-PR-FIX-LOGO-FINAL1-590x166The following is an excerpt from “The PR Fix for the Everyday Person” © 2013 by Jenny Fujita and Joy Koerte. You plan meals for your family, build a resume to get a job, and make shopping lists to go to the store. Do the same for yourself and take the time to make a big picture plan for your life, a mission statement.
donationIt's that time of the year when people start delivering their holiday cards, gifts and well-wishes for the new year. And every year, it seems to be a struggle when it comes to figuring out what you are going to give or send. When you feel like you have exhausted every option out there, do you ask yourself, "what can I do differently this year?"