People form an image of us based on part of what they see and hear. That picture may be incomplete or wrong, even when we have carefully explained our intent.
If the wrongful claim involves an important relationship or actual harm, it makes sense to respond and present the facts. However, we cannot correct every assumption or follow every conversation in which someone mentions us.
It is useful to determine where the answer can make a difference. For the rest, we can save the time we need for work and people we trust. Responsible behavior remains our task, while complete control of other people's impression is not possible.
Comments