You work for a federal land management agency.  For events on the agency’s properties, you always wear a uniform and often provide informative lectures to visitors. You have received an invitation to participate in a large cultural festival far afield from the usual natural history programs that you offer. In addition, you know that your agency’s encounters with these community residents on federal land have usually been antagonistic when uniformed staff admonish or even fine residents for not following rules.  Your superior has suggested you attend to improve community relationships. In envisioning your booth at the festival, you plan to:

a. Bring the standard informational display and come in uniform

b. Bring the standard informational display and dress in street clothes

c. Modify your display to be more in keeping with the theme of the event and still come in uniform

d.   Modify your display to be more in keeping with the theme and dress in street clothes

What do your choices say about:

• the flexibility of the message you can send?
• the significance of the agency’s uniform?
• your sense of comfort deviating from the agency’s way of doing business?
• your understanding of the community’s perceptions of your agency?