Truth - It's Not That Difficult

I was thinking about two movement campaigns tonight: Truth and It Gets Better. These two campaigns take a message that has not been heard or hasn't wanted to be heard or is hard to hear or whatever it is that keeps people from positive action vs. negative action, and yet they do it in very different ways.

The Truth campaign goes for shock value. The message tries to make you react to something and react at that moment. It isn't about creating a feel good moment that you will remember and hold on to. It is about rocking your current train of thought and derailing it in order to move you.

The It Gets Better campaign is powerful because it plays on human emotion. It is raw. It is real. It is truth. This type of movement campaign doesn't try to shock you (not always) into movement, but tries to humanize a tough issue that many people refuse to see as a human issue.

Both of them tell the truth. Both campaigns are not afraid to tell the truth and do not beat around the bush. The American Legacy Foundation and Dan Savage were not afraid to talk about the tough topics in a way that was both direct and effective. So why is that so hard for others? Organizations? People? Leaders? Everyone wants to hear the truth. Sure, sometimes you have to deliver it according to target audience, but regardless, you will be respected so much more if you speak truthfully, honestly and with integrity.

I have interacted with many people and organizations who/that refuse, for whatever reason - mainly fear - to be honest. Your donors, supporters, volunteers, friends, lovers, children, families and even strangers know (for the most part) when you are being honest and transparent and when you are talking out of both sides of your mouth.

Want to be successful? Want to be respected? Want to lead a movement? Want to be trusted? If you don't want to be involved, say so. If you don't want to raise money, say so. If you are feeling under valued, say so. If you don't feel as though you have the information you need, say so. Be honest. Be truthful. Have integrity and work with those around you to do the same.