This short clip of a State Farm commercial makes the point… It must be true if it’s on the internet! As silly as this is, it’s kind of sad, the stories some people will believe that are on the internet or Facebook. They will believe them without putting any effort into checking the source. A good place to verify internet stories and rumors is www.snopes.com. They’ll let you know if the story is real or not. So what’s the point? Be careful when hearing someone in your organization make definitive statements such as “everyone thinks” or “no one agrees” or “they are all having this issue”. When you read an unusual story on the internet or one that is a little hard to believe, you should check it out and consider the source. The same thing goes when you hear broad sweeping statements at work or serious accusations or “the sky is falling” proclamations. Consider the source and check it out. One good way to do this is to ask a follow up question or two. Here are a few examples:
“Everyone thinks this”… Questions: Tell me who “everyone” is (you will often find that “everyone” is just one or two people). Do you have first-hand knowledge of this? (if not, find out who does)
What about an accusation regarding one employee about another? Follow the “share and receive openly” policy. Get both people together and discuss. It’s amazing how clear things become.
Just because you hear it doesn’t make it true… Ask a few questions; Don’t assume; Get first-hand information; and Follow up; These are just a few good rules to live and work by.
