Mary Schmidt Marketing Troubleshooter

The recent shameful mess (and media pile-on) re the firing of Shirley Sherrod is yet another example of otherwise intelligent people blindly reacting.  Instead of taking time (in the Google age, this could be – gasp – long minutes) to do some research and find out the truth and context of Ms. Sherrod’s remarks, the USDA went into full political panic mode (“We’re under attack”  “OMG, Sherrod is racist!”)…and to add insult to injury, they forced her to pull over to the side of the road and submit her resignation via her Blackberry. (?!!!)

She is reportedly uncertain if she’d go back to work for the USDA (or any other government post). Well. Duh.

So, this is a “learnable moment” for all of us.

When confronted with an issue (first make sure it IS an issue.)

Stop.

Breathe.

Think.

Then don’t rush to the keyboard or phone.

What’s the outcome you need from this?

Then proceed.

(Me?  Sometimes I wait a whole day, before doing anything…maybe even the weekend! World hasn’t ended yet.)

P.S. Sometimes it’s best to do or say nothing.  A radical concept in today’s tweeting, you-tubing world, I know.