The Newspaper Test

In my previous blog, I reviewed three takeaways from Captain Michael Abrashoff’s book IT’S YOUR SHIP. Taken together I consider them to be a powerful resource, a road map when things are going your way but indispensable when a plan or project begins to unfold poorly. I also suggested using them as a performance assessment tool when evaluating your leadership capabilities.

This blog, I’m turning my attention to the subject of Public Relations as outlined in Captain’s Abrashoff’s book - will what you do help or harm your and your team’s efforts?

Cue the NEWSPAPER TEST. And it’s as simple as it sounds.

If what you’re about to do were to appear in major newspapers around the world tomorrow AM, as a leader would you be proud or embarrassed?

As trivial as this test might appear to be, it’s an efficient and effective filter to run your action plan through. It’s inevitable that occasionally, even when we have the best intentions, we’re forced to make decisions and take actions that prove to be unpopular and generally misunderstood. This is just a fact of life and of business. But there are also going to be opportunities to cut corners or side-step responsibility while at the same time putting yourself in a better position. From a moral stand-point, we know it’s wrong and that the action plan should be reassessed. But what if no-one were to know.....?

Captain Abrashoff’s recommendation is that you take the time to evaluate each individual action plan through the simple and quick Newspaper Test. You’ll then have the comfort of knowing that your decisions and actions will line up with your values as a leader and, even more importantly, with the values of your team. You can then feel confident that whether your action plan succeeds or fails, you can be proud of it, no matter who becomes aware of it.

So if having the curtain pulled back on your opening act would make you quiver in embarrassment, it might be time to go back to the drawing board and re-assess your game plan.