What will 2011 Bring For You?

With less than a week until we "ring" in the new year I've started wondering what next year will bring. I vowed years ago not to make any new years resolutions ( to date the only resolution I've kept by the way).

I expect 2011 to bring about many changes both on the personal and professional front.

I'm tired of feeling tired and I want to do something about it. I'm scared and excited about a new business idea and I can't wait to tell the world about it.

More travel is on the agenda with a trip back to Doha during the first week of January.

And a journey towards more of a life outside of the office is tops on my list of to do's in the coming year.

What can the collective "we" expect in 2011?

Looks as though the Feds will hold off on pushing for an election. While still desperate for a majority government, I think the PM knows Canadians don't want another election right now.

I think each of us is desperate for leadership but have lost faith that we will find it. Someone was remarking on the popularity of Danny Williams recently and his folk hero status in Newfoundland and Labrador. That's what we are all looking for - a folk hero who understands that people just want to be the best they can be.

Provincially we will see how our new government fairs. Early days are mostly positive but the new tarnishes quickly with a fickle electorate. We will also see if the provincial liberals have what it takes to rebuild a decimated party. Pick your leaders wisely - there is no second chance in politics.

South of the border, we will see if president Obama can pull himself out of the popular opinion basement and show Americans why they voted for him in the first place - real and lasting change. It's funny how many people and organizations claim they want change only to do everything they can to prevent it from happening. Change is scary but so is staying in the same place.

Be brave. Pursue happiness and joy. Never give up or back down from defending something you believe in. Demand real leadership.

Live life to it's fullest.

Dance like no one is watching.

Say Goodbye To Monaco

Well all good things must come to an end.  And so it is with my brief stay in Monaco.

Following 2 exciting days of covering the IAAF World Gala of Athletics and interviewing some of best Athletes (past, present and future) in the world it is time to set sites on Doha, Quatar and my work with the Asian Cup organizing Committee.

The IAAF World Gala is much like the academy awards of Athletics.  Celebrating the greatest moments of the year, reliving the dramatic highs and lows and continuing to celebrate those who were pioneers.

Attended by over 600 people and presided over by His Serene Highness Prince Albert the II of Monaco, the Gala was a once in a lifetime opportunity.  Thanks to the IAAF and YN for forcing me to come.

To the athletes I had the privilege of talking to - you are amazing.

To the Country of Monaco which is so easy to fall in love with - We will be back.

To my new friend Wilson - Keep the dream alive.

To Ben - only four more sleeps til daddy comes home.

A Rainy Day in Monaco

The day after celebrating Prince Albert II's birthday, the principality of Monaco is quiet at this hour as shop owners get ready to peddle their wares and dog lovers walk man's best friend quickly through a light morning rain.

While here for the IAAF World Gala where the world's top athletes, past and present, will be celebrated Sunday night, one can't help but steal a little time to stop and take in the breath taking sites and sounds of Monaco.

Monaco or Monte Carlo (Officially the Principality of Monaco) is the second smallest city in the world (only the vatican is smaller) and can only be described as a city that has become a favorite for the rich and famous.

When walking to the IAAF press centre (my home for the weekend) I passed rolls royce and Bently dealerships.  (The working class can only afford to drive BMWs!!!)

Littered with shops and cafes, Monaco's most impressive feature is its architecture.  Amazing stone buildings overlooking the Mediteranean Sea.

Another thing that really catches your attention is the small of clementines and limes which grow on trees that line the streets of the city.

Monaco is beautiful place.  A place that can foster dreams.  A place that makes you feel at home even though you know you could never afford to live here.

I've travelled to many places in the world and this one rates near the top.  A place you would come back to for fun.  A place that will not soon be forgotten.

World Gala of Athletics

Day one of travel and preparation. It's been a while since I've been an active journalist - usually one of the folks assisting journalists and being on the other side of the microphone.

For those that don't know athletics, it's really the foundation for all other sports. The basics of run, jump and throw are the principles upon which all other sports are played.

In North America we refer to this sport as track and field (really the only place in the world to do so) and it remains a relatively new sport with a small and dedicated base.

In other parts of the world, athletics and football (our soccer) dominate sports pages and the viewing channels of armchair pole vaulters.

Events like this past summers World Junior Championships began to change that. People got a chance to see first hand how amazing these world class athletes are and how exhilarating these lesser known events can be.

This weekends celebration is the culmination of another successful year in global athletics - a year Moncton made a huge impact on the world stage.

Moncton is represented by familiar faces Bill Whalen and Ian Fowler, both played key leadership roles during Moncton 2010

In speaking with Moncton 2010 President Larry Nelson he was clear that moncton's presence in Monaco is the culmination of years of hard work and amazing results by hundreds upon hundreds of dedicated volunteers.

Over the next few days we'll share our Monaco experience. We'll talk to people about the Moncton experience and how such a small community (globally speaking) was able to put on the event it did. More importantly we'll look at future opportunities that might be available and what would need to be done to bring those to canada and, if all the stars align, New Brunswick.

If you have Moncton 2010 memories share them so we can share those with officials and athletes here.

Until next time keep running,jumping and throwing toward!

Mike Randall
Mike Randall Communications
(506) 878-3025
www.mikerandallcommunications.ca
Mike@mikerandallcommunications.ca

Sent from my iPhone

Real leadership Comes from the Heart

President Barack Obama just finished his address to the nation from the oval office since becoming president.  Obama outlined several items that show just what a crossroads the United States and indeed the western world faces as we move forward in a global society with conflicting issues, opportunities and thoughts.

Agree or disagree with the President's positioning, you can't argue with the genuineness of this commitment to making the United States a better place.  A place of hope.  A place where everyone believes that better days are ahead.

The President is smart enough to know that people's spirits are down.  The economy is in the shitter.  Job creation is virtually non-existent.  People are struggling.  Yet he knows that people are resilient.  We are able to take a lot as long as we have "hope"

You can't fake the sincerity and belief that we can come together to do better.  You need to believe it, run our life like it and continue to inspire others to do it.

True leaders understand this.

President Obama couldn't have had a tougher time since becoming president.  he created so much hope that he forgot the key rule of managing expectations. As a result he is being blamed for all he inherited and not being able to fix problems that were created over decades in months.

Yet he still can deliver a speech of hope.  A speech that will inspire those who were willing to leave behind the rhetoric and listen.

Closer to home, while running for the Provincial government in New Brunswick is not comparible to being the leader of the free world, all those offering for political office should take note.

New Brunswickers are going through the same tough times.  Job creation is at a recent low.  The debt is rising.  The polls clearly show people are discouraged and fed up.

Now more than ever we need someone who can inspire, create hope and make us believe again that better days are ahead.

Now more than ever we need someone who is willing to drop the rhetoric and rise above.  We need a leader to step forward to say - "its time to turn a page"  Forget how we got here.  Forget whose fault this is and lets look forward together.

That's the leader we want.

It's the leader we need.

A Tough Decision

After a decade of serving on the board of the United Way of Greater Moncton and Southeastern New Brunswick I have decided to step down.

It was a tough decision and a lesson on why we do things and recognizing when our desires outlive our usefulness.

I joined the board 10 years ago when my boss at the time was chairing the annual fundraising campaign.

Since then I have worked and pushed and yelled and pushed and questioned and pushed - all in the name of moving the organization forward to a proactive community builder that responds to the real needs of our community.

I've been known as the dissenter.  The guy who couldn't let it go.  A dog with a bone.

My theory was this.  I believed we needed to change the way we approached giving.  No one could give me a solid reason as to why not other than we hadn't done it that way.  So I continued to push.

In the end the path is set and changes will continue to take place.  

I'm not saying it was me.  It was dozens of committed volunteers who ensured that we took the right path, considered all the elements and considered the impact on all the stakeholders.  They wouldn't allow my bulldoze mentality to run rampant and for that I have learned so much.  There were times, looking back, when I continued to push when it didn't make sense but I needed a win after so much opposition.

There were times when I acted inappropriately because my passion clouded what I know is proper decorum.

Stepping back I think my experience with this remarkable organization is a lesson we can all learn.

What's my role?  Am I contributing something worthwhile or am I impeding development and evolution?  Sometimes its a fine line and can be tough to determine.

My advice?

Follow you heart.

Know your community, your organization and the people who have committed themselves with you.

Know when its time to push more and when its time to keep your mouth shut.

Remember the rules you learned in Kindergarten about respect and listening before you speak.

Know when its time to fade off in the sunset - hopefully long before you have outlived your usefulness.

Finally - and most importantly - continue to give.

    

My ipad kind of life

So today is a day where I'm completely consumed by green envy. The
long celebrated and anticipated iPad launched in Canada today sending
future shop Shopping techies into a frenzy of gotta have it.

I've researched, know the model and accessories I want. I even know
the first 200 apps I would download.

Yet I can't for the life of me come up with a decent arguement as to
why I should fork out a cool grand on nothing more than a status
symbol. My mac laptop, iPhone and netbook can do all the things the
ipad can do. Yet I start at the pretty silver case and dream of
reading the great novels of the world while sitting in my business
class seat, flying to some exotic local.

It's funny how our mind works and how stuff defines us.

As a guy who lost all my stuff just over a year ago I've written and
preached about how stuff doesn't matter. It's the other things -
family, friends - that mean everything.

I think leaders of organizations, who prop up the myth that these
latest gadgets or social media channels will change your life, need to
redefine the why.

A colleague and popular blogger wrote in his paper column this morning
that he couldn't live without facebook.

My son tells me he needs the latest wii game.

I HAD to have the iPhone I'm writing this on.

We don't need these things and companies who sell them know it.
Instead of making me feel bad for not having it they need to consider
marketing to me the fun and pleasure I'll derive. it's more honest,
more compelling and probably more successful a marketing tactic in the
end.

Just in case you don't agree my birthday is coming and I still want
the iPad. Howard Stern has one you know. He says it's amazing!!!

Sent from my iPhone

Sent from my iPhone

Mid Winter Ignorance

So it's here.

My Mid Winter Ignorance.

The time where work and life have completely consumed all waking (and unfortunately most of the sleeping) hours and I have become oblivious to what's been happening in Fredericton, Ottawa, and other places where our so-called leaders spend time making decisions.

It also seems that a quick review of question periods in both Fredericton and Ottawa today has revealed that the Mid Winter Bla's have also hit our capitols and have made our elected officials rather grouchy.

We already know this is an election year in New Brunswick and the opposition Conservatives smell blood.  The real question is whether or not leader David Alward has the parts to lead his party across the finish line without stumbling.  My bet is no and that Premier Graham will hang on to government.  He will however get the scare of his political life and he will take a long hard look at the way his government has been communicating to New Brunswickers.  He'll also remember that the best communicators are also the best listeners.

An election federally is seeming less and less likely.  Prime Minister Harper is riding a wave of national pride following Olympics and para-olympics (8 medals and counting - GO CANADA) and opposition leaders are arguing about who's the real king maker in Ottawa.  Canadians aren't that crazy about another election this year and would probably rather spend the year basking in our olympic success and limping out of the recession before being asked which political party we despise the least.

So as I sit here amid my Mid Winter Ignorance I wonder -  Should I take the time to find out what's going on or should I remain blissfully ignorant.

After all, its Ignorance that has worked for so many of our elected leaders.

Still Searching...

Give Me A Break

Ok

You won't find a more patriotic and proud Canadian than me following
our country's amazing presentation and results during the last 2 weeks
in Vancouver. The entire world has gotten a glimpse just how amazing
this country and all of our people truly are. Sure we have more gold
than any other Country ever. Of course our athletes overcame personal
tragedy. There was never any question which nation owns "our game".

At last nights closing ceremony we also gave the world another look at
being Canadian - the ability to make fun at ourselves.

From Bill Shatner to Mike J Fox to floating blowup moose and giant
blowup beavers and Mounties we poked fun at all our Canadian
stereotypes. I haven't laughed that hard in a while.

Imagine my surprise today while driving from NS to NB when I heard the
regular talk-show phone folks talking about how embarrassed they were
at the amazing presentation last night. GET A LIFE folks!!!!!

Humour and particularly the ability to make fun of ones self is a
fantastic and endearing quality many in the world would find
appealing. For anyone to think that last night was a serious
representation of canada are also the same folks who consider the Fox
Network as real news.

Please folks - stop complaining and get a life. Perhaps your just
jealous that you're not getting some in the back of a canoe as it
floats quietly down one of our beautiful lakes or rivers.

Jeez!!!!

Mike Randall Communications
Mike@mikerandallcommunications.ca
(506) 878 3025

Sent from my iPhone

Commitment to Social Media - Commitment to Life???

So sick days provide opportunities to re-evaluate, to reconsider where you are and where you want to go.

Sick days are also great for remembering you have a blog and that you have not posted in 2 months.  I know the power of Social media.  I counsel clients on its benefits and its ability to reach many stakeholders who are connected to you in one of many ways.  The question I am asking myself in my drug induced, semi conscious state - Do people care if I have a blog and whether or not I have anything to say.

It's not a tool to reach my stakeholders.  It's not even used that much to communicate with friends.  So here's the question.  If Life Lessons were discontinued would it matter?  I'd like to think my thoughts are informed (if not slightly Liberal) in their presentation.  I'd also like to think that my words can inspire thought and even potentially hope.

Would people like to see more blogs on leadership?  Communications?

I'm asking myself the same questions and I'll provide the answer in the next couple of days.

Still wondering....

M