We think in terms of external and internal audiences when we craft our messages. But haven't social media made this absurd? The odds are high that our "right" message will land in the hands of a "wrong" audience.
Most of the time this is benign. But more and more often, corporate controversies happen for this very reason: A message we meant for one audience (usually internal) ended up in the hands of another (often an external audience).
The sociodramatic divisions of backstage, onstage and audience may no longer apply. It could be time for a transboundary approach to public relations that recognizes this shift. But this means we must do more than simply craft our messages. We must also craft our behavior.
We must help our clients to accept that the curtain is gone and the audience can see everything we are doing -- and to act accordingly.
