How to stop a panic or where is Sheela Basrur when we need her now

Sheela Basrur, who died last year from cancer, was Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health but her chief claim to fame came during the 2003 SARS outbreak. At that time Sheela was Toronto’s first medical officer of health for the newly amalgamated GTA. It was her voice we heard day after day on radio and TV. She was calm and knowledgeable and reassuring and the public listened to her every word.

This was in contrast to the official spokespeople who were speaking on behalf of the provincial government. Their messages were confused, contradictory and upsetting. It soon became apparent that it was Sheela Basrur who was if not officially at least tactically in charge of the medical response.

Sheela understood the basics of public speaking. She knew that it was her job to get out in front of the news. Sheela understood the basics of mass communications during a time a crisis which are tell the truth, tell it as often as possible, repeat the message, repeat the message, repeat the message. And do this without every succumbing to fatigue or frustration. Answer every stupid question that you’ve heard 100 times before as if it’s the first time you’ve heard it.

So have we learned these lessons? So far, during the current H1N1 outbreak I’m not so impressed.

Now I realize the deaths this week of two young healthy people has super-fueled the anxiety of families with young children. Line ups at health clinics are hours long. This morning some people began lining up as early as 4:30am for a 10am clinic. Yesterday clinics closed almost as soon as they opened as the lineups were so long. There’s talk of running out of the vaccine. Police have been dispatched to attempt crowd control. For the most part once you do arrive it seems most clinic setups are chaotic at best. And then you get to stand in huge crowds of upset parents, whiny children and old folks who can’t stand for hours in line.

And then we have our provincial government official spokespeople who sound apprehensive, defensive and unsure of what’s going to happen next. Their on-the-air interviews on radio are less than impressive or helpful.

If I was the PR guy on this one I’d collect all of the radio interviews that Sheela Basrur did during the SARS crisis. I’d lock all of the official government spokespeople in a room and play these tapes over and over again until they figured out how she managed to avert a panic by the force of her simple words of reassurance and calm.

 

Upon the formation of the Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion on March 8, 2008, it was named the Sheela Basrur Centre. The following month she was inducted into the Order of Ontario for public service. She died on June 2, 2008 and the province of Ontario is much the poorer for it.

Old dog – new tricks

So why did I call Deborah Bartucci an old dog? Well it’s  not my fault. That’s what she said about herself. Read all about it here on the First Oakville Toastmasters’ new blog posting put up by our own Deborah Bartucci who is one of the most seasoned Toastmasters around. Anyway I won’t spoil the suspense. Head on over to the First Oakville Toastmaster blog to see what Deborah has to say.

Boys to men

My friend Owen Williams is at it again. This time he’s helping out a group called BoystoMen program which helps mentor boys into their adult life. Wish somebody had done this for me when I was growing up in my alcoholic home. Of course if it wasn’t for Dad’s drinking and my reacting I’d never have gone to Al-Anon or joined the men’s program in Toronto or met Owen or sent this email So it all has meaning and purpose.

Owen is one of Canada’s best relationship coaches (and he runs one hell of men’s group too. I was blessed to have started my journey in men’s groups with Owen and recently I spend two years of Thursday nights sharing a men’s circle with him.

Now he’s donating the profits from his new book The Relationship Revolution (which I bought a copy) and can highly recommend to you all. And this goes especially to you folks who are struggling with your relationships. You know who you are and I’m urging you to do yourself a favour as well as Boys to Men and order Owen’s book today. It’s cheaper than two-yeas of counselling and quicker too.

Tell you what: Anyone who wants help with their relationship coaching can call me and we’ll donate my regular fees for four hours of coaching (at $75 an hour) directly to Owen this month (October). Just send me an e-mail at solutionfocus@gmail.com for details and we’ll arrange a free first consultation.

Social media guru gets published in old fashion medium

Mitch Joel, author of Six Degrees of Pixelation, is one of the social media gurus out there but that didn’t stop him from doing a great interview with The Globe and Mail today. I’m reading Six Degrees right now in preparation for a workshop I’m giving next week on social media to the United Way agencies of Oakville. Mitch has written an important book about social media. He’s kept it simple and writes very clearly. This is the book you want your clients to read as they consider whether or not to enter the world of social media. Congratulations Mitch and keep up the good work. (Too bad the G&M didn’t create a link to this article which is on page E5 Small Business.

Out of work? Here’s help that really works!

I don’t recommend too many career coaches (aside from career coaching is similar to the type of coaching*) I do on occasion) but I can recommend Melissa Martin.

So why Melissa? First of all she’s one smart coach. Second: she’s one nice human being. Third: she’s had a lot of experience working with the military and civilians out in Kingston. Fourth: I spent a lot of time with Melissa as we both went to the Solution-Focus Counselling program at the University of Toronto and I grew to appreciate her deep insights into the art of coaching and her compassion for the wellbeing of her clients.

Now Melissa is just a telephone call away. Her new web site “Career Coaching by Phone” is a great place to check-out Melissa.

I’m a firm believer that we have to do it ourselves (get work for example) but you can’t do it alone. If you’re sitting at home wondering what to do next, why not give Melissa a call? That BTW is a solution-focus coaching tip. If what you’re doing isn’t working — then do something (anything will do) else.

* I still offer solution-focused coaching to selected clients who have tried everything else. Solution-focused coaching works regardless of circumstances and resources. There’s no trick to it. It’s hard work but it works every time with everyone who commits to making it work whether or not they even believe it possible. Solution-focus coaching builds on what is working right now and what is possible in the present moment. After all, right now is the only moment we truly have. So go call Melissa – right now

Reflections on the speaking life

I’ve changed the description of The Toastmaster blog to read “Reflections on the speaking life and human interaction”.

This change follows my thinking that this site should move up in my group of sites to a higher profile that more accurately reflects my own thoughts of what’s really important in this life. And what’s really important is to be happy and to be happy regardless of circumstance. We all can accomplish this happiness. (The Dalai Lama tells us so.) Too many of us wake up everyday to a mind-numbing sameness and we work with others (either in person or via social networks) who are likewise as dead inside as we are.

So what is the answer to living a more meaningful life?

Roz Savage, a 38-year-old, single, homeless and very isolated woman has found what works for her.

Some years ago, Roz wrote her own obituary based on how her life was going (over-weight, unhappy marriage, working in a cubicle for just enough money to pay the bills) and she didn’t like what she had wrote. So Roz wrote a second obituary based on what her life could be. And what it is that life? Well she lost 30 pounds, dumped her husband, and so far has spent 103 days at sea rowing across the Atlantic and now she’s heading across the Pacific Ocean.

Here’s the link to the Globe and Mail article in today’s paper.

Yes We Can

There’s an interesting article in today’s Globe and Mail that says Canadian Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff needs to take more risks. When you consider that the major part of his job as leader of the opposition is to speak I’d recommend that what Michael needs most is a good dose of Toastmaster public speaking skills. Now I am as apolitical as you can get but when a leader falls so short I find it painful to watch.

Michael embarrassed himself and didn’t do his party any good during a CBC radio interview a few days ago where the interviewer kept bringing him back to his deficiencies (real or imagined) and he kept apologizing for his shortcomings. Michael never got on message and was easily lead down the garden path. Trust me it was not pretty.

If I was Michael’s PR guy…I wouldn’t know whether to laugh or cry in frustration.

Let’s take a moment to compare Michael to one of today’s great orators: Barack Obama. A relatively unknown black youngster has the audacity to think of himself as president of the United States of America. He comes up with a simple slogan: “Yes We Can.” Notice he didn’t say “we can” but “yes we can” as if answering a challenge. The words of his “Yes We Can” speech were turned into a song by Will.I.Am  of the music group Black Eyed Peas and sung by a host of young people. The black and white video is one of the most moving pieces of music I’ve ever heard. It is the voice of a generation speaking out. I can not hear this piece without tears welling up in my eyes.

For when it comes down to it all we really have are our words. They emerge from our mouths but are born in our brains and hearts. They float up like bubbles in champagne and burst in the air as they come into this world we call reality. And there are those who will tell you that we cannot change this world. They will say it is what it is and in that they are correct. But I hold that this world has the potential to be much more than just the sum of its parts. It believe that our thoughts change the reality of today into the promise of a better future tomorrow. We are not alone in this world. We share it with others and like it or not they are our brothers and sisters.

Right now millions suffer. Drinkable water is scarce in many places. Students in many countries have no electrical lights to aid them in their studies. Conflict and war is ever with us.

So changing the future will not be easy. But it is not hopeless. It is not about taking more risks Michael. It is about what is in your heart and mind. It is about a vision of a better tomorrow and the tenacity to create it. It is about articulating that message and the soliciting support of millions of Canadians. Once you understand this my friend, you will have the potential to change everything.

Yes We Can Michael. Yes We Can.

Social media and small business

Small businesses are missing the mark when it comes to social media. A national survey suggests that while more than half of all Canadians are using social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Linked-In, blogs and YouTube a fraction of business owners are online using social media sites. In fact, many companies ban the use of social media sites by their employees when at work claiming that surfing the web interferes with productivity. Of course, social media smart employees just whip out their IPhones and Blackberries.

I’m conducting a workshop on social media for the United Way of Oakville and we will be looking at how to use all these sites and more to garner increased memberships and donations for these agencies.

First Oakville Toastmasters has a blog

First Oakville Toastmasters Club (2245) is one of the most successful clubs in this world-wide organization. After more than 50 years of providing educational and social opportunities for our members to become better speakers, better listeners and better leaders, the Oakville Ontario club is more popular than ever. Where some clubs struggle to get a membership of 20 or more so they can get a charter from Toastmasters International, First Oakville’s membership has been hitting 40+ for several seasons now. Over the years, other clubs have been formed from the membership of First Oakville and yet there seems to be a never-ending demand for this wonderful program.

First Oakville’s success is due in no small part to its executive team which is voted in each year. This year’s team, much like last year’s and the year before, is on fire!! Schedules, meeting reminders, membership lists and other materials were sent out at the appropriate times and, as a result, every night we see anywhere from a couple to a half a dozen guests sitting with us.

So if you’re interested in Toastmasters and you live anywhere near Oakville come and visit the club. In the meantime, go an visit the club’s new blogsite. It’s being run by one of our most dynamic and energetic members, Michelle Gillies. Well done Michelle.

Don’t be duped (and it can happen to anyone)

Marion and I got the call last night from our bank that our account could be compromised and we should change our password right away. It’s the first thing we did this morning. You see we’re a little sensitive to having our bank account hacked after an online phishing scheme almost cost us a couple of thousand bucks a few months back. Now comes word that it can happen to anyone.

This piece comes from the Gizmodo site.

Seems FBI Director Robert Mueller has admitted to nearly being duped by an email phishing scam. He told Commonwealth  Club of California forum attendees that he recently responded to an email that appeared to come from his bank, stopping only when he was asked for his password.

If you get a telephone call or an email asking for your password or any other personal information delete/trash/vapourize immediately.