Number 46 of 52 Lifelong Communication Lessons: Too bad, so sad.
November 16, 2015 |
| Mayor Rob Ford and Mark Towhey (Photo credit: The Globe and Mail) |
The year was 2012.
Obama is re-elected, Lance Armstrong is stripped of his cycling medals and Gangnam Style goes viral. In BC, Amanda Todd takes her own life after posting a video on YouTube describing how she was bullied.
As with most of the nation, I was watching the Toronto Mayor, Rob Ford's disastrous life unfold. It made me terribly uneasy. Reading about his drug induced events felt wrong on so many fronts. I remember wondering at the time how the people closest to him must be feeling. Aside from his family, I could not understand how his communications staff stood by and watched the drama unfold.
Having done my share of crisis communications work I know how difficult people in power can be, especially when under pressure. Adding drug addiction to the mix would be intolerable. There was one CEO I wanted to resign due to his "uncontrollable" temper but was reminded that I would be impacting many other jobs in the process. I stuck it out but we had many testy meetings. Funny, he did not seem to want to fire me. Eventually, he was fired. Could not have come soon enough as far as I was concerned.
I could not fathom working for Rob Ford. As part of my ongoing study of highly sensitive issues I read Toronto star reporter Robyn Dollittle's book, Crazy Town, on the subject. A reporter's viewpoint can be insightful yet I know there is always much more going on behind closed doors. When Mark Towhey and Johanna Schneller's rendition of events came out in the book, Mayor Rob Ford, Uncontrollable, I could not resist spending the 20 odd bucks downloading the e-book. I wanted to understand what kept Mark Towhey in his roles including chief of staff up until the day he was fired.
Well, I finished the book yesterday and the only thing I can surmise is he did it for the money and, perhaps some feeling of having an impact. After all was said and done, he was still in great debt and had given up a big chunk of his life to promoting and supporting someone who treated him like dirt. He shares his depressive state and that of other former employees in the last chapter.
As much as I had some compassion for them, I still felt like taking a long, hot shower. Reading his take on the inner workings of Toronto's city hall left me cold. It was nasty. The author seems desensitized to acceptable behavior. Of course, he laments the obvious crazy antics but he normalizes other actions that are just as distasteful. I think Mr. Towhey wants us to see him in a good light. However, it all just plays out like a third rate movie with a bunch of bad actors. Sad story, all around.
Communications (Life) Lessons:
- Don't compromise your values for anyone.
- Your reputation is easily tarnished, guard it carefully.
- Have critical voices in your life to keep you in check.
Fast Forward to 2015:
Rob and Doug Ford continue to make headlines and probably will for a long time. I only wish they would use their infamy for good. Wouldn't it be wonderful if they would use their airtime to talk about how to help others with drug addiction? I know, I know - expressing my inner Pollyanna.
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