Dining with Della: Margot White at Fanny Bay Oyster Bar
September 26, 2016
Margot is currently shifting gears and leaving Vancouver to help out family members in Toronto. She will reside in Leslieville - to be specific - a lovely sounding neighbourhood close to The Beaches.
After raising her son and daughter in Vancouver and being a major player in the communications biz, Margot will be missed by many. She says this next phase will be an open exploration, expanding on what she has been doing but not locked into any one thing. She expects she might come back one day but right now she is focused on looking forward to what might unfold.
As long as I have known Margot she has embraced change. We worked together in the early days of life sciences consulting and, while it was a whole new world to us, she took it on with gusto. I have a feeling this move will uncover another new world for her.
What one bit of communication impacted your life?
Margot had a moment in the past decade where she was struggling with how to handle something difficult and work related. She was conflicted about what to do so she went to her dad. Describing her father as a man with a strong background in business and a good head on his shoulders he said, "When all else fails, fall back on common sense." It seems like simple advice but as Margot says, "Sometimes we get so wrapped up in an issue we tend to overthink and over-complicate things." His advice helped her go back to the basics and come up with a common sense solution. It also made her think what her grandmother would do.
(Note from Della: Funny how much this happens in life. We get twisted up about stuff and analyze it to death, then look back later and see how common sense should prevail. Thanks for the reminder, Margot.)
What did not work...
This next story from Margot is classically Canadian. It involves hockey and politeness.
Margot was working in public affairs at Wellesley Hospital in Toronto. It was the early 90s. Harold Ballard, iconic and controversial owner of the Toronto Maple Leafs took ill while on vacation in Florida. The cardiologist at the hospital outfitted a plane with a nurse, some medical supplies and went down to fly him back the next morning. The word got out he would be coming to Wellesley. The police from the local station contacted Margot to see if she needed any assistance when the ambulance arrived. "No," she replied, "we are fine. I have competent staff and we can handle it. We've got it covered." As you might expect, the situation exploded. Media were everywhere, out of control. One even tried repelling from the roof to get the story. Rumours were flying that he had died causing even more craziness. Even the stock price was impacted. Her pager was beeping non-stop (This happened pre-cellphone and social media).
Needless to say, she called the police back to say they were right.
Her big lesson was to never let your ego get in the way of asking for or accepting help.
However, it does make for a great story, Margot!
What if...
What advice would you give to your younger self to enhance your ability to communicate with others – and why?
Margot felt this was an easy one to answer. It is all about listening. As she says, listening is underrated. It is really about hearing what is not being said and paying attention to all the clues and subtleties. Listening is an art.
Also understanding the "why" when people are asking questions or requesting something from you can be revealing. For example, when she found herself overextended professionally by agreeing to take on an extra project, she had to drill down to figure out her motivation. Did she do it to be respected? Not to say she would not enjoy the work but understanding the "why" was important. It is also important to understand the "why" when people ask you for something. Knowing their motivation can help you make the best decision.
(Note from Della: Margot is so right. We can easily end up doing things for the wrong reasons. I am going to focus more on the "why" from both perspectives from now on. People often ask me why I do this blog. Margot's advice has prompted me to share my reasons. First, the concept is to share knowledge. We learn from each others successes as well as failures. The other is to acknowledge people in my life and give them a platform to express their thoughts in a safe, positive environment. As Margot gets ready for her move, this blog will serve as just one of the many tributes and good wishes going forward. Here's to new beginnings!)
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