Sometimes I’m asked how can we rally the troops? You know, get the people on our side. Renew their commitment to the “cause”.
Of course, you’re already on the side of good and justice. You’ve got the right message.

So how do you get them. On your side. Following you?

Its easy. Just be right! Everyone follows the person in the know, in the right.
Right?

Well I’ll share with you how one person attempted to rally. Against me.
But first there are a couple of things to know.

1. Everyone first must drink the same juice, the kool-aid.
In other words, everyone needs to be a believer of the cause.

Then…

2. Everyone needs to hear the same message.

Once they do then…

3. They are now in position to be rallied. Just give them the words and watch what happens!

There you have it. 1-2-3.

Here’s what happened once to me.

I’m negotiating a contract. A big one. The union and their team are all against me. For their purposes, they are all believers in their version of truth and justice for all…of them. They are in position to hear the same message. They are ready.

Here’s more or less the actual conversation:

Them: JT, you sure stirred up our team with what you said.
Me: What? What did I say?
Them: You said you were proposing to abolish all basic human rights. All of them. And you don’t like babies either!
Me: What? I never said that. Ever.
Them: We all heard you. And now, you are going to have walk it back and reassure our team that you never meant to say any of that.
Me: But, I never did say that.
Them: Well, I understand your position, but it’s already “out there” and you’ll have to explain.
ME: I never said anything like that!!

So, a week or two later, I read in a news report that the other side sent out a bulletin to all of their members claiming I said I wanted to abolish all basic human rights! Yes, their bulletin to their members was also leaked to the media!

It didn’t matter. The other side wanted to stir up, I mean rally, their troops by claiming that I had said something so offensive to their way of living . A message designed to get them angry, upset and willing to follow their leader.
All over something I had never said.

When I had told them it was false they still went out and told their troops.
Why? To rally them to continue the fight. And prepare them if our negotiations stalled or broke down.

When I denied I ever said anything remotely close to what they thought they heard, their guy said “Well whether you did or didn’t say it, the point is your proposals have the “effect” of abolishing all basic human rights.”
That’s how I knew. That was to be the rallying cry.

The next time I met with the union they were angry. They yelled, they screamed, they even chanted at us. At one point they screamed for us to leave the table. So we did. Told them we’ll continue when they calm down. And we made them wait.

Their anger didn’t calm down until the second day when I launched an angry but controlled response. I walked them down the truth memory lane and informed their team that when I first heard this “rumor” I immediately corrected the misunderstanding and expected the matter dropped. I asked why they would send the bulletin after I had corrected their mistake?

And just like that, they decided to end the discussion. Suddenly they weren’t angry anymore and said we should get back to the business at hand.

Mission accomplished. Their troops were alarmed and rallied around.
And now that the truth was out, it was time to change their messaging.

And for me?
Somehow I knew there’d days like this..

JT