Number 23 of 52 Compelling Communicators: Maureen 'Mo' Douglas

June 10, 2013



I had the honour of being one of 10 speakers at an IABC, International Association of Business Communicators event. Themed, “If I knew then…”, the organizers asked each of us to share a personal story or lessons learned over our lengthy careers.

 The group were all seasoned, compelling communicators. We were allotted five minutes and PowerPoint was banned. Obviously a creative bunch, people used props or other means to grab your attention. There is a link at the end of this post if you want to watch them all.

As a long time devotee of the wisdom of Dr. Seuss, the presentation by Mo Douglas got my attention. She delivered this at breakneck speed (remember we only had 5 minutes) making it hard to catch every line. I followed up to get the written version to share with you. 

Compelling communicators often use inspiration from sources such as Suess but rarely get in the volume of quality content you see here.


What Do I Know Now That I Wish I Knew Then? 
By Maureen “Mo” Douglas (with inspiration from Dr. Seuss)


I'm here to share wisdom, in five minutes or less
With help from Dr. Seuss, I'm up to the test.

You've probably learned all you really need to know
If you have a copy of Oh, The Places You'll Go

But I've learned a few things, from here and from there
That Dr. Seuss didn't cover, so I've come to share

Oh, the times that I've had. Oh, the places I've went,
Oh, the people I've known. Oh, the emails I’ve sent!

So what do I know now that I wish I knew then?
I looked for some lessons and found I had ten.
~
Enjoy the journey, it's the whole point of life.
The wins and the losses, in fun times or strife.

If you're just starting out, there's no need to worry
So feel free to slow down, don't be in a hurry

Take time to celebrate with coworkers and friends
The moments so special you won’t want them to end

There’s so much to learn, and that’s the best part
You don’t need to know everything at the start.
~
So ask many questions and always keep learning
Many folks have the answers, get your wheels turning.

There's lessons to learn everywhere that you look.
And yes, as you thought, most don't come in a book.

Ask for guidance and lessons from people you trust
Learning from others’ mistakes is a must.
~
Believe in yourself, give yourself a big cheer
No matter what self-doubt whispers in your ear.

Don’t let that inner voice make you self-defeating
Now that’s a lesson that’s worth me repeating.

But if you come to a place where your happiness crashes
Then move onto the next thing, you'll rise from the ashes
~
Because when you're happy, you can reach to new heights
Advance your career, a promotion's in sight

Being happy should be at the top of your list
No one enjoys work when they’re angry or pissed.

We spent so much of our lives on our work
So love what you do or you’ll end up a jerk.

Enjoying your job and the things that you do
Is an important part of you being you.
~
Be a team player who plays well with others
Being supportive and caring is not just for mothers.

Be positive and upbeat in your advice contributions.
Be the person who always looks for solutions.

Behave in a way that you'll always feel proud,
Be pleasant to others, say nice things out loud!

Treat folks in a way that you’d like to be treated,
Then only compliments about you get repeated.
~
Be brave, take some risks and believe in yourself
Let people see what you're made of, don't sit on the shelf.

That’s how you’ll grow to become a strong leader
When you have a staff of your own, be their biggest cheerleader.

And when you’re at the top, lead by example
Be the best boss there is, be the best sample!

If you decide that you want to, you can be your own boss.
(Some of us don't even run at a loss.)
~
But if you mess up, then the truth you must speak.
If a reputation for honesty is something you seek.

Your integrity is vital, it's all about reputation
So do your best not to end up in jail on vacation.

Unless you're a Premier or person of note,
Then your press officer can write you a really good quote.

See, we're in a business with doctors of spin
But keeping up with the lies will do your head in.

The media will pounce, it's their job to dig deep
And serve up more problems in a big flamin' heap

So only ever have one story - the truth that you know
Told well, with respect and a transparent glow.

Of course there'll be crisis and scandal and dirt
But if you tell the truth, then you’ll never get hurt.
~
Follow your intuition and what your gut tells you
Your inner voice knows the right thing to do

You’ll never go wrong if you follow your heart
That’s most important of all when things fall apart.

Because sometimes you'll fall down, you'll just get it wrong
Then it's your turn to learn, it's part of getting along
~
You'll have some crazy days, filled with worry and stress
You'll be tired, overworked, it will feel like a mess

But when things go to hell and you’re on the life raft
That’s when you most need to remember to laugh

A good sense of humour is worth more than money
I’ve survived way more stress when I chose to be funny

A joke or a punch line can help break the ice
And behind the right doors, an f-bomb’s quite nice.

Still, be careful with posts and photos you took
There's a new kind of forever and we call it Facebook.
~
Now we’re at lesson 10, that didn’t take long
Live with passion and kindness, and you’ll never go wrong

Because kindness is something that’s always in fashion
And you need to believe in yourself with a passion

Cause if you have it, you’ll find that others believe
In you and your cause, your ideas and dreams.
~
All there is to know about the road out ahead
You'll learn for yourselves and from some things we said.

I've been lucky enough to enjoy every step,
Most have been easy, a few were a schlep

But the hard times make us stronger for the challenges that come
I'm running out of wisdom and my time's almost done

Take care of yourself, and enjoy your career
And remember most of all you have nothing to fear

You are smart, you are skilled, you will be a sensation
Which gives me great faith in the next generation.

So thanks for asking me to share a few words
I hope they've been helpful, at least for Seussian nerds.
~~~~~~~

Here is a link to the video from Mo's presentation that night. Here’s to Mo and Seuss for fun ways to connect. It never gets old when it is amusing and makes you think.

"Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.” - Dr. Seuss

Here is a link to Mo’s company, Mobilize Strategies. 

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