Control the "Cocktail Talk"

These days "cocktail talk" isn't just relegated to cocktail parties. Lies, slanderous accusations and deliberate falsehoods can be spread, digested and transmitted to others so quickly that during high stakes litigation- a client's reputation can be critically damaged in a matter of days. I am reminded of the quote by John Tudor, "A rumor without a leg to stand on, with usually get around some other way".

With the popularity of consumer generated media and people connected like never before it is critical communicators keep control of a message by keeping up with what is being said about them on the Internet.

A good example of the danger of this was found in my inbox just this morning here it is:

Compensation Packages of Detroit Auto Workers
According to Forbes:

Labor cost per hour, wages and benefits for hourly workers.
Ford: $70.51 ($141,020 per year)
GM: $73.26 ($146,520 per year)
Chrysler: $75.86 ($151,720 per year)
Toyota , Honda, Nissan (in U.S. ): $48.00 ($96,000 per year)

According to AAUP and IES, the average annual compensation for a college professor in 2006 was $92,973 (average salary nationally of $73,207 + 27% benefits).

Bottom Line: The average UAW worker with a high school diploma earns 57.6% more compensation than the average university professor with a Ph.D., and 52.6% more than the average worker at Toyota , Honda or Nissan.
Many industry analysts say the Detroit Three, must be on par with Toyota and Honda to survive. This year's contract, they say, must be "transformational" in reducing pension and health care costs.

We ALL have problems paying for our Medical Insurance - but the Democrat leaders in Congress now want us to pay the Medical Insurance premiums of folks who have RETIRED from Ford, GM and Chrysler.

Not a good deal for us.
How about Chapter 11 - and getting rid of these ridiculous union contracts? If you care about this issue send the TRUTH to at least 5 people.

Did this information really come from Forbes? Is any receiver of this email or viewer of this information on a blog or website going to do some due diligence and find out? No. It is up to the people hurt by the message of the email to set the record straight. How does one do that? By setting a Google alert for their name or industry topic keywords in Google alerts. Also, important websites, online periodicals and blogs in a Newsreader, so you will be alerted and can respond accordingly with a concise rebuttal of your own.