A few days ago I heard the excuse from a senior ex editor of a major US newspaper who had just completed a report on the future of the industry. While we just about have necessary resources for Report journalism we no longer had sufficient for Investigative work (Of course the article I referred to was investigative). The solution was for everyone else to pick up the responsibility.

So what, if any, is the future role of commercial journalism? Frankly I would guess that the direct source of much of today’s reporting is citizen journalism.  In fact many world events are tweeted first.

Is it any surprise that everywhere people are being seen taking action into their own hands whether it is on the roof of the Houses of Parliament in the UK or in the corridors in Ottawa. No longer can one rely on the press taking matters up on our behalf. Just like Citizen Journalism, one must expect to see an increase in activism. Unless the press is actively seen to be the representative of the person in the street and they re-establish themselves as an essential player they really are doomed. Here in Canada I watch with interest the new CBC news, which supposedly is an example of re-invention – or is it?

It’s all very well and good the inventor of the internet marking our card and a regular contributor to one of our major newspapers pointing us in the right direction. But what difference does that make? Is there any indication that this Government is going to start planning for our knowledge based future? Is the CRTC going to suddenly have a new mission? Is a political party in the wings going to make this a key pillar of its strategy for improving our economy? Or should I pinch myself and wake up in a new world?

There are many activist groups on a variety of subjects who are making their views known on a National basis. But I did not see one in the Communications Industry here commenting on Sheridan’s article by indicating how we should support them to make these changes happen. We know that the major consumer ISPs will just shape our supply a little more to ensure we don’t ask for too much. When I add this blog as a Twitter link will our most important technology thinkers who can make a difference do so? I can just hope so. Because for our next generation of young Canadians, in this area more than almost any other, we desperately need action.

When in the future we want to have a great Case Study of how not to plan and then having got it wrong how to get the Crisis Management totally wrong we have no better example than the current Government handling of the H1N1 Vaccination program. In this case it is so bad that one could probably write blogs for weeks on the matter (I suspect someone will write a book). But all that we have to do is look at the UK at least to see how an alternative approach may turn out to be significantly better. Don’t forget that it is just a few weeks that we were being told that the Canadian Government had it so right that while other countries were floundering we had enough doses for everyone who wanted it.

Obviously what went wrong was in the original plan. Canada chose to allow the general public to decide whether they wanted the shot or not, rather than having a controlled situation. In the UK for example the system is being administered through peoples GPs who are sending out appointment letters initially of course to the high risk groups including pregnant women. Can we really believe that our much vaunted production volumes suddenly dropped because we did not know the impact of producing a different version for this latter important group. First management lessons: thorough planning. But more importantly, be in control of the situation. And the famous marketing axiom – do not generate demand that you cannot satisfy.

Secondly, just like SARs we had to provide clear messages to the general public as to whether, if you were not in a high risk group, you needed to have a shot or not, and if so under what conditions. This requires at the appropriate time a very simple decision tree and then tight control of the media by daily totally clear updates. I did receive a sheet from the Province but it seems several weeks ago. I assume it provided an easy method for those with English as a Second Language (incredibly important in Canada) to get the translated versions. I say “assume” because it was sent out weeks ago. The timing was certainly not appropriate. And frankly, unlike previous outbreaks here, any daily press conferences have only added to the confusion. Next message, when planning a major sales campaign, make sure you have excellent communications.

Next we come to the media. I do hope that as a result of the panic and confusion you have caused, you sold a few extra newspapers or added a few minutes of watching time to justify to the advertisers. You certainly have not helped the general public. Instead of clear reporting some small pieces of which might have been somewhere in the morass we have been inundated with every version of the message. This morning alone one TV program happened on a Virologist at an Ottawa vaccination clinic who suddenly became the new expert and a major newspaper covered its front page with 9 different celebrities all with different views – that will certainly help us decide. Message, if using PR make sure the message is clear. If employing  professionals you still have the responsibility to make sure that they have got it right. Don’t abdicate.

Well we now have a full blown crisis. In such a situation the person at the top must take control. Do we see any of that here. Well certainly not this Prime Minister, nor the Minister for Health. The Maple Foods crisis was terrible but there was no question that Crisis Management had been used and the man at the top was and continues to be front and center, to his credit. Once again in this case,  abdication. Message, if you unfortunately get into a crisis, then use Crisis Management which requires the person at the top to be front and center with everything including often needing to be the official spokesperson. If not, when the dust settles and your organization has probably tanked, it is time for heads to roll. Let’s see what happens with this one.

However recent personal experience has shown that this is only one aspect of Waiting Time. Because if one has a potential problem, say a cancer and one is tested to establish whether this is the case, what is next is the wait to hear the result. To compound the problem the tester will often tell you how long it will take for the results to be available. So on that defined day one knows that one’s result is available but how does one gain access to it. These special tests are the purview of the Specialist to whom one has been referred by one’s GP. So the communication is between the Specialist and you. But Specialists almost by definition here are extremely busy people. So naturally gaining access to them takes time.

What goes on in the mind of the waiting patient? I am sure that studies have taken place to understand the roller coaster of emotion. Or have they? And has anyone measured the stress? And has the stress killed anyone? And not just oneself. Because waiting with you are one’s close family. They too are finding their lives disrupted imagining the worst. There is nothing worse than uncertainty. In the mean time the Specialist is drowning under his or her load. If they were aware then they would be well advised to switch off as they juggle their own priorities. And the patient and their family defocus from their normal lives, waiting. And what is the impact of the delay in treatment? I am sure we would be told that if it were serious, action to treat would take place. It would be nice if the patient knew that.

So we put in the massive effort to shorten waiting times. Well that has saved lives. We have done what is necessary. In some cases we have. But in others, with that other waiting time, who knows?

For those who are not seniors in Toronto I need firstly to let you know that whereas adults enter the system using little dime sized metal tokens or swipe cards at automatic machines we seniors have to buy paper tickets which are dropped into containers at the ticket wickets where of course there is a narrow entrance. In the last week I have been shouted at by two TTC ticket staff because I have requested to be allowed to pass by lines of people waiting to pay for entrance to the system even though I have my prepaid tickets. What right have I as a senior to be in a hurry? I suppose I should have retorted by asking why I should give them my money in advance only to be sent to the back of the line. Instead I just pushed by like a grumpy old man and got on with my day.

But that’s not all. A few months ago in heavy rain I arrived at a station I had not used before only to find that the particular entrance only allowed automatic entrance, you guessed it, using tokens or a card. Where should I go with my paper ticket to find a manual entrance with a wicket? Your guess was as good as mine. Suffice to say I only got it right on my third attempt after a significant walk. When I foolishly complained to the ticket attendant at the wicket asking him to pass on my complaint he really gave me a piece of his mind. And here is the rub. Why did he lose it with me? Because he explained he had complained up the line about the fact that the security cameras were not working and he had been ignored. So why pass on my message? No, I did not give up. I wrote in to the City but after having passed around my complaints too were just fobbed off.

So, yes there is the message that as a Senior I am to be treated as a second class citizen. But in addition, I cannot complain about the staff on the front line. If they are fobbed off by their bosses, as was I, then we have a culture which ignores the client. And the message is – the culture always comes from the top. Treat your staff as you would want them to treat your clients.

In the last few days I have seen two important and I believe related reports. Firstly it was pointed out that here in Canada SMEs (Small/Medium sized Enterprises) were far less affected by the recession than the major corporations. Canada is a country of great small/medium businesses, especially here in Ontario. Secondly comparing unemployment by age we are seeing that the greatest unemployment is in the 18-30 year age group.

At MaRS, where I act as a Volunteer Advisor, we are helping creative people develop what are initially SMEs a few of which will grow into large organizations. Many of these entrepreneurs are quite capable of developing, selling and marketing their products and/or services or running their company. But there are some who, while they can create their offerings, do not have the additional skills necessary to convert their great ideas into a commercial success. That’s where those young people with the necessary development, engineering, sales, marketing and management skills might come in to join the team.

Of course these are not what might be considered as normal jobs. The companies are start ups. In their early stages they have little money but great opportunities. They need people therefore who will work initially for low salaries. Salespeople may have to work on a commission only basis but for success it can be very rewarding. The hours can be long. Key staff, however, may become part owners of the business. These roles are not pushovers. Start ups are roller coasters. They are often on the edge of disappearing, they go through tough times, are demanding and require staff with great flexibility; but they are usually exciting, and great fun for people prepared to contribute more.

If you think that this is an environment in which you can thrive why not drop me a resume at talent@marsdd.com. And if it is not, you might well know someone for whom this environment and their skills might make a perfect fit. So let them know.

However it did cause me to think about the value and purpose of the professional commentator, especially commentary in newspapers. Daily newspapers have long since lost the pole position on the news as they have been overtaken firstly by TV and in the last few years by users of the internet who can provide information within seconds directly from where it is happening, almost certainly a major source for most journalists and far more voluminous than the News services. So their major role has to have become one of analysis and comment. But just how good is the analysis, occurring so quickly after the event. Can it be any better than a weekly magazine where the journalists have had a chance to research their facts, and obtain considered opinion, not instant reaction. I don’t know the answer but I doubt it.

We are then left with the true Commentators, employed to write a more “in depth” piece about some current event or if they cannot, then just come up with their thoughts about something. For example, Margaret Wente in the Globe and Mail today wrote about the green comparison between downtown and suburban living, the kernel of an extremely important set of subjects.  Is the Commentators role purely to amuse, which often they do, or is it to make us think?  And once having thought, often about important topics is that enough? Do individuals or businesses or politicians re-think their approach or views as a result of one of these pieces? Does it matter? Or as they say , is it just there to sell newspapers and does it any more in sufficient quantities? I think we know the answer as more and more newspapers go to the wall.

I know many people have written about this subject more eruditely than I. But as I thought about my blog I decided it was my turn. More than that I felt it does matter. Not the news which I get elsewhere. Or even the instant analysis available on a few Radio and TV programs. But the pithy pieces, much shorter than a TV documentary, that make me think about items related to current events in my world and very occasionally make me do something about it. I will miss that. What’s the alternative? And it does not have to be print media.

More than just congratulating the Brazilians on winning this bid I think every sales organization and in particular every entrepreneur should study their campaign. It appeared to me to be a picture perfect strategic sell to a major account. They established their Unique Selling Point, articulated it clearly, resourced it well with just the right figurehead in Pele, took into account what the opposition might try to do and allocated their own resources (President da Silva) accordingly and timed to perfection, ensured that their whole organization (the Country) appeared to be behind them (as opposed to Chicago) and made every meeting count including the casual discussions at the G20 dinner.

Congratulations Rio on running a great sales campaign and winning. We can see just how deserved was your success.

This is part of a series of “Lived It” lectures in the program, sessions that offer a great opportunity to hear firsthand and ask questions about the experience of starting up an innovative company