Anyone who serves the public learns how to manage upset customers.
When someone says you hurt them, do not argue. Listen. Apologize. When people are angry, upset, or heart-broken, you must stay silent. Offer support.
There is no other rational response.
Of course, listening has limits. Threats, yelling, or swearing must end the conversation, with help from security if necessary.
Truckers Freedom Convoy 2022
Doctors and nurses deal with upset people every day.
We allow room to express and grieve, even if we do not like or value the content. We embrace expression and limit inappropriate behaviour.
Politicians and journalists should do the same with the Truckers’ Freedom Convoy.
There is only one rational response: help the people speak.
Facilitate peaceful protest.
Hear them out.
Be ready to limit bad behaviour — with force if necessary.
Win or Lose — You Choose Your Own Fate
The only way to win the moral high ground in the face of protest or complaint is to help the aggrieved party.
If the aggrieved party refuses help, you win.
If they refuse to talk or negotiate, you win.
If they become violent or irrational, you win.
If you attack the aggrieved party, you lose. You become a combatant, not a leader.
If you slander the aggrieved party, you lose.
If you try to twist their message, you lose.
If you argue, you lose.
If you refuse to meet and speak with them, you lose.
Let them speak. Even better, help them speak! Amplify their message.
If they speak nonsense, it makes your position stronger with the larger audience.
If protesters speak truth, you win support having helped expose the truth and changed your own mind in the process.
You win either way.
The strength of your argument or the righteousness of your position does not matter as much as your response.
If you attack, slander, dismiss, or silence your enemy:
You. Will. Lose.
Force will be your only option remaining, and that is all people will remember. No one remembers the justice of your cause.
Can Anyone LEad us?
Many Canadian elites have shown an unexpected level of incompetence, in response to protest.
The Prime Minister chose to attack the Truckers’ Freedom Convoy 2022. Listening was beneath him. He slandered instead of showing compassion. He refused to meet. Trudeau only listens to those he likes.
Jagmeet Singh, leader of the NDP, did the same. Many individual MPs hurled insults. The media made us dizzy with spin.
This response eliminates any winning option.
It does not matter if the upset party has no case. You lose the larger crowd if you do not listen.
Even if the larger crowd leans your way, you still risk losing its support — your attack creates martyrs of the minority position.
Of course, listen with limits. Do not tolerate violence or bad behaviour.
But if you refuse to listen and foment frustration instead, the larger crowd watching may turn against you, if they haven’t already.
Losing the Convoy Narrative
The elites may have lost the larger crowd already.
Thousands of regular people have gone to see the Convoy for themselves. They find a happy celebration. They sing and dance and play soccer in the street. They wave flags and exchange high fives. People hand out free hot food on every corner.
Close family and friends return with pictures and videos of a moving, patriotic event. I now have dozens and dozens of first-hand reports from people I trust: this is not a violent protest.
There is only one rational response — only one positive way forward. Let’s hope a leader rises up to guide us there soon.
Our political leaders have lost the room.They maintain the same narrative of vaccines being the way out of mandates when the people now know that is not the case.
UK/Ireland/scotland/Denmark/Spain/norway/sweden/france/Netherlands have all dropped their mandates.
Canada remains … at the back … again.
The public is no longer buying the spin,and want their freedoms back.Turdeau vilifies them,and must resign.This will not end well.
Well said. Thanks for listing those countries.
I agree. This ends poorly, and it did not have to happen this way. Trudeau loves to divide. He’d rather inflame than lead.
Very sad
Thanks for posting a comment, Ram! Really appreciate it.
Cheers
A wonderfully presented read. This Conflict Resolution 101 should be instilled in all the Liberal folk who are running this great land. Aggression breeds aggression.
Thank you, Donald!
As you say, CR 101 … it almost makes you wonder if it’s being ignored on purpose? But that might be a conspiracy theory. As they say, Never attribute to maleficence what ignorance explains well enough.
Thanks for reading and sharing a comment!
Cheers
What an excellent summary Shawn. Well done. The egos of the politicians and the elites are so enormous that they have passed a point of no return. They have to continue to lie. The more they lie, the worse it will be for them in the long run. They have tried to use the MSM to control the narrative, the same MSM that are beholden to government funding and hence once you have partaken from the trough, you have no choice but to spin in the way you are told to. But they will fail because in the era of citizen journalists and social media via mobile phone and tech (drone footage) they cannot manipulate everyone’s mindset (“you can fool some of the people some of the time…..”. The authorities are trying to use the same playbook that the Chinese Communist Party or similar regimes have used but Canada and the west have a history of freedom. It will not work here. The government has more likely than not put immense pressure on GO Fund Me to suspend the Freedom Convoy funds. The government can use the police or military to forcefully end the protest – itself a violation of the Charter. The government, using its extraordinary powers may even insert agent provocateurs, black flag agents etc. into the crowds to “create” unrest to justify their position. The people have complied for 2+ years and watch the politicians lie; the media spin; the medical experts stifle debate and discourse. They have had enough. The youth of Canada (who use social media rather than MSM) who arguably may have suffered the most during the school lockdowns are witnessing this first hand and are rebellious by nature, have their own opinion on the vaccine and mandates, will be likely be experiencing an awakening like no other in their young lives. What they have been told in school is not congruent with what they are seeing. The Rubicon has been crossed. There is no turning back. The Freedom Convoy is just the first step. They can stop the protest. They can win the battle but they cannot win the war. Trust and Freedom go hand in hand. So far only Scott Moe has breeched the line. Erin O’ Toole has been deposed. The next election will be fascinating. The analogy to Star Wars and the Matrix is remarkable. The Rebel Alliance is alive and well.
Brilliant comments, Robert.
I really like what you said about the youth. I have a house full of young people (4 kids between 17 – 23). Your following comment made a ton of sense:
“What they have been told in school is not congruent with what they are seeing. The Rubicon has been crossed. There is no turning back. The Freedom Convoy is just the first step. They can stop the protest. They can win the battle but they cannot win the war. Trust and Freedom go hand in hand. “
My two eldest (the 23-yr-old and the 21-yr-old) were the most eager to go and see the Ottawa protest for themselves. They realize that their future — their ability to pursue lives that interest them — depends on basic freedoms.
This convoy goes deeper than a flash of frustration after 2 years of lockdowns. It touches an existential crisis. Elites who cannot see that are blind.
Thanks again! Great comments.
Cheers
Well said Shawn.
As the old saying goes we have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak ( Epictetus) .
It’s very hard to hear if one party, in particular leaders such as the PM (and much of the media) , refuse to listen.
It takes a certain amount of wisdom and humility to listen and, as Shawn pointed out, in our profession we were trained to listen, too many politicians don’t.
The truckers are simply asking that those in leadership positions listen to them and that simple request is being refused.
A debate is simply an exchange of facts, in contrast , an argument is an exchange of emotion.
Justin has resorted to emotion so to avoid the exchange of facts and insults them , without evidence, describing them as being a “fringe minority holding unacceptable views, composed of misogynistic anti black racists , antisemitic, islamophobic, homophobic, transphobic and who don’t believe in science” …all conversation stoppers completely ignoring their actual diversity and the merits of their case.
Ah, Andris.
You are a genius with quotes, anecdotes, and historical parallels. I’ve said it before, but THIS is your unique strength. Simply brilliant. Most people (myself included) simply do not bring to mind Epictetus: two ears, one mouth. Excellent!
I also really liked this point: “A debate is simply an exchange of facts, in contrast , an argument is an exchange of emotion.”
Are leaders fomenting argument or setting a stage for debate? Perhaps debate is out of fashion in a post-modern world.
Thanks again for taking time to read and share a comment!
Cheers
Fantastic Shawn!
You could not of hit the mark more precisely.
In my opinion, your years in clinical medicine have pointed you directly to the most rational response.
“If all else fails…. Listen to the patient.”
Do we really have the audacity at this point to persist in the “If all else fails….” part to this story?
What are the potential consequences of ignoring these citizens regardless of who they are and how many there are?
We are privileged to enjoy our lives in parliamentary democracy that many have sacrificed their lives to preserve just a few decades ago. What happens to our parliamentary democracy if we decide that some voices should not be listened to. Blocking our ears, even it is for the sake of public health threatens the process of our parliamentary democracy. We need to hold sacred that all voices must be heard…. And then the work begins…
Hurry up! Let’s get on with it…. Let’s get to the “Listen to the patient!” part of the story.
Our elected officials need to get back to listening.
Ignoring the voices of many or the voices of any; is an abdication of the job that we entrusted to do.
ELECTED OFFICIALS… PLEASE: listen to the people, open the dialogue, encourage communication, foster discussion, share, care and lead by example.
We need you to represent the people who entrusted you by deliberately, carefully, respectfully and caringly discuss and decide in parliament.
Let the parliamentary process reboot.
Let’s listen!
Let’s discuss!
Let’s share!
Let’s plan!
Let’s act!
Let the healing begin!
Thanks Shawn for all you do.
Please keep provoking thought and discussion.
I truly appreciate the forum that you’ve created, it inspires dialogue, while clearly respecting of all the voices that chose to participate.
An excellent example for all to follow!
Wow. Really great comment, Paul. Thank you!
This resonated with me especially:
“What are the potential consequences of ignoring these citizens regardless of who they are and how many there are?
We are privileged to enjoy our lives in parliamentary democracy that many have sacrificed their lives to preserve just a few decades ago. What happens to our parliamentary democracy if we decide that some voices should not be listened to.”
We need leaders who look to the future. Where do we go from here? How do we heal as a nation? Does division leave anything worth living for?
All great thoughts. Thanks so much for taking time to read and share!
Cheers
I just want to say: Thank God, some doctors see the light. We have been lied to for two years by public health, politicians and pharma pushers. This needs to end now.
A year ago, I realized this was the moral test of our generation. We have failed the young and the old. We need to find our way back to humanity.
Thanks, Yvonne!
Love this: “We need to find our way back to humanity.” Brilliant.
If we abandon evidence, logic, and debate in favour of power and mass opinion, we abandon the whole basis of liberal society
Thanks for posting!
Whatever party affiliation in politics and outside politics, Shawn’s words should be followed by all people on all sides of debates and disagreements.
Thanks Gerry!
Thank you Shawn for such a rational response. The only problem I see is that unfortunately MSM painted a narrative and a portion of Canadians are truly frightened to get back to some type of “normal”. How do we show this segment of society that yes there are risks in life, but we need to move forward?
Well said, Derek.
Part of the reason people tremble in fear seems to come from the media trying to sell papers by printing scary headlines. We also have a whole, new class of COVID ‘experts’ who base their fame on fear mongering. Both groups will howl like gored bulls when the pandemic ends and someone turns off their microphone.
I think we get to normal when public officers of health start admitting that the respiratory virus has washed through society. It’s what viruses do. Thankfully, this virus is much weaker now, and our most vulnerable patients have been highly vaccinated (seems to still decrease severity of disease).
Great to hear from you! Sure appreciate you taking time to read, write, and share a thoughtful comment.
Be well,
Shawn
It is now Monday and it frightens me that the police have been pushed by politicians to treat the Truckers Convey as dangerous insurrectionists e.g. cutting off the truckers from supplies. It is almost like the govt’s wants to push for violence. I hope things stay safe for everyone.
Me too, Gerry.
That is NOT leadership.
I guess it depends on what the goal of the leaders is: what’s good for the country and all of its citizens or what is good for the politicians themselves.
Thank you so much for your concise and precise post. I agree 100%.
One comment touched on one of the things that I have felt strongly about. Why did tens of thousands of Canadian young men fight, die or come home wounded if the freedoms they fought for are taken from us? Do we dare allow this to become pointless by sitting back and doing nothing? We have much to thank them for, and part of the way we do this is to peacefully fight back and support those who are taking a public stand. Both the soldiers, etc. who have gone to war and the truckers with those who boldly stand for freedom are our heroes. God bless them all.
Our PM seems to set himself above the law, something even he does not legally have the right to do. Yet he persists in painting his own uneducated picture of what he wants people to believe is happening with the truckers. What he has said is the opposite of what is actually happening. It’s time he took his head out of the sand with the proverbial ostrich. He is out of touch with reality and with what the people of our nation hold dear. Either that, or he doesn’t even care about that.
Time for a change.
It’s time we were allowed to heal as a nation and as its citizens.
Time to heal our economy and salvage what can be salvaged from all the damage that has been done over the past 2 years, much of which was needless.
It’s time for hope to take hold again. It’s time to experience joy in living again. It’s time to have a government we can trust, one that will stop lying to us even in the face of truth revealed.
Thank you again for your article. I will pass this on.
Powerful comments, Diane.
You are right to take this a bit deeper. It’s not just about the desperate lack of leadership. It’s about whether our PM even likes our country. Ok … maybe I’m getting carried away.
Thanks so much for taking time to post such a thoughtful comment!
Be well
Hello Dr. Whatley
I appreciate , agree and thank you . I wish it were just about pride ,the charter and obstinate politicians but I believe it is about the age old conflict between the bullies and the bullied . Thankfully we have -buy the grace of GOD – a centuries old tradition of freedom dating back to the Magna Carta that has been challenged on many fronts -national and ideological . In this age that challenge comes from international global entities . This is an open conspiracy that they brazenly brag about including the Georgia Guide Stones, the World Economic Forum , Agenda 21 +30 and others determined to eliminate national states and a great number of the human race . If we ,the rank and file are to survive in any semblance of freedom we must be vigilant to all aspects of our lives .
Will’s dad .
Great comments, Mr. Brumwell. Really appreciate you weaving in Magna Carta and foundation upon which our Dominion took root.
I worry that most students (me included) focus on specialized knowledge that will get us a job. We skip over all the knowledge required to hold society together. I say ‘we’ but I guess I really mean ‘they’ — the curriculum developers.
Thanks so much for taking time to read and post a comment. Say hi to Will! 🙂
If We don’t Remember or Know where We came from, how do We know where We are going?
Well said.
I think it was Burke who said something similar: Those who do not care about their ancestors will not care about their progeny.
Thanks for posting!