Have You Found a Way to Say Yes Today?

David Meerman Scott has a great post on Web Ink Now about legal departments.  The gist is that too many legal departments are completely unhelpful -- they are slow, they say "no" for no good reason.

I found myself thinking that some of the same things could be said about many corporate PR departments.  How many of us have been working on something with a client or a partner only the hear the most dreaded words: "Okay, I'd love to [give you a testimonial, participate in a case study, speak at a conference with you].  I just need to check with my PR department."  Ugh!!  And the bigger the company the bigger chance that the request will die a slow and painful death in that PR department.

What's most puzzling about this is that those same PR people are often on the other side of the desk, asking for something.  You'd think they'd see the connection.

I did see the connection and had a complete epiphany because of it.  I was trying to work with a partner on a release and was getting nowhere with the PR folks.  At the same time another partner was asking my company -- in the form of me -- for approval on a release.  I was going to say "no."  Or, to put another way, I was trying to figure out if there was a good reason to say "yes."

And then it hit me.  I should absolutely say yes!  I should always say yes.  Unless there was a big, obvious reason to say no, I should say yes.  And I should say it fast.

Now I say yes to every request that is reasonable.  And I try (*try*) to turn these requests around within 24 hours.  At the very least I do it within the week.  I hope that it will bring me good karma -- that when I really need something the PR gods will smile upon me.  Not sure it's worked out that way, but it has made my overall life more pleasant and happier.  Saying yes is fun!  It makes people happy.

It's often said that it's easier to say no and that is why companies, especially big companies, do it so often.  But I think saying yes is easy.  And when you get in the habit, it just gets easier and easier.

Join me in making the world a better place.  Find a way to say yes today!