Have you turned it off?

I was recently at a conference and a speaker forgot to turn off the lapel microphone. He coughed whilst out of the room and it was broadcast. Fortunately, someone got to him quickly and asked him to switch it off. Imagine that you had a lapel microphone that broadcast everything you said to the people who know you. You would need to be careful about what you said. You’d probably say more positive things than negatives ones and you would stick to what you knew to be accurate or true. The media can make negative comments about people on page one and retract them on page ten several days later. The damage is done. Mud sticks.

Try imagining you have a lapel mike switched on for an hour, then a morning then a full day. If you don’t have an opinion say so. If you don’t agree with a comment made about someone in their absence, disagree rather than remain silent. Would you want someone to speak up for you in your absence? Do the same for them.