Two Arrivals, Two Coasts, Two Different Stories...

Two international leaders arrived in the United States today. One arrived at Paine Field, north of Seattle and the other landed at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland. Both men will be covered intensely by the press and scrutinized by pundits and social media. It will be interesting to see the narratives for each man. I’m guessing the stories will be very different.

Pope Francis, who seems to receive rock star treatment wherever he goes, is visiting the U.S. for the first time. We all hope he has good things to say about us. President Xi has been here before, but our complicated relationship with China generates a very different tone.

I would suggest that if you are watching the news and listening to any analysis of the events over the next few days, gather your information from several different sources. These are three-dimensional men and their impact and power is best understood from many perspectives. Read or watch how international media covers these stories versus our U.S. media.

Listen to what they each leader says. Pay attention to your own built-in biases. And don’t make up your mind based on just one source.

Communication is not a soft skill and you will see very dramatic proof this week.