Real-Life Communication
You have just spent hours on a racy, hard-edged cartoon. It involves
Mayor Newton Figgs, whom you heard was caught accepting bribes from local
businessmen for certain economic and political favors.
You heard wrong.
Only
after the cartoon ran did you learn the truth about Figgs -- that he shut
down a group home in favor of funding a retirement home. It's one thing to
be a good, sharp-witted editorial cartoonist -- and you certainly are -- but
it's another thing entirely to be off the mark with your facts. Accuracy and
excellence go hand in hand.
"Obviously, communication is essential
in conveying the idea in the most concise and dramatic way possible," says
Mark Giaimo, an editorial cartoonist from Naples, Florida. "Plus, you have
to communicate with editors and co-workers on all sorts of issues relating
to your job. Most importantly, you have to be able to accept criticism."
Your
cartoon depicts Mayor Figgs standing under a tree labeled "Town Moolah" that's
raining gold ankle bracelets, yelling "Aloha Hawaii!" As you now know, Figgs
didn't take bribes from town businesspeople, but merely diverted town money
from one worthy cause to another.
Well, the cartoon caused quite a
stir among the townspeople. First came a number of angry, threatening calls
from city hall, then a call from the mayor himself. On the phone, he is very
calm.
"I will expect an apology from you personally in the form of
a letter -- I will keep it on file -- and a public statement in tomorrow's
paper clearing my name. Good day to you, sir!" And with that, he hangs up
in your ear. He is angry and he has a right to be.
You know what you
have to do. First things first -- a letter for his files. Keep it short and
sweet.