Perceptions

Perceptions - according to nearly every manager I encountered in my business career - are everything.   Even more important than reality.  Imagine that - what people think is often more important what they know. As curious as that sounds, it was often proven true in business.  Here's  an example -

 As a salesman I was often told to "sell the sizzle", giving the impression you really understood the product when in fact you simply hit a few high points and close hard. Personally I found that process offensive as hell. I have never liked being treated that way s a customer and so I refused to treat my customers that  way. Considering I counted the Hell's Angels in my client base, I think my readers might see the reasonableness of that attitude. Ahem.

While I was rarely at the top of the sales lists my return rates were the lowest. My net sales were excellent. My  buddy Mark Stout was an example of the best of both worlds. If he could close a deal quickly selling the sizzle he did so. But the reason it worked was simple - Mark KNEW the products inside and out and there was nothing  he could not answer.  Mark taught me everything I knew about computers when we worked together.  I imagine every salesman can share a similar experience.

Things get dicey though when perceptions meet politics. When does power speak to truth?  In an ideal world politicians would all speak the truth. Unfortunately, the truth in politics is most often in the full-spin zone. Read the tweets of POTUS 45. Fact check them yourself if you do not trust the media. I think you will find  POTUS 45 uses a different dictionary than the rest of us, With a falling approval rate it appears he is no longer considered the honest agent of change he claimed to be. Personally I never bought it as his behavior was so outlandish. Luckily his opponent was the (IMHO) most rightly reviled politician in the USA.

To date POTUS 45 has offended our 3 strongest allies, but he is still trying to build that wall. But I doubt anyone thinks Mexico will pay fo it. And his attempt at repealing and replacing "OBAMACARE" will remove 24 million people from the insured rolls. Ironically many - if not most of those - are from counties won by POTUS45. Somehow I do not think this will go down well. And I also personally find his labeling of the mainstream media an enemy of the people to be dangerous and offensive. I think he is well on his way to a one-term presidency unless he steps in some magic dust soon. 

I wish I was wrong but I think my perception of POTUS45 is accurate. You see - he is my president and I and my grandkids have a huge stake in his success or failure.  

This weeks topic was offered by Pravin. See what my cohorts have to say at Ramana, Pravin 
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