Preparedness & Response

#2 - In regards to being first, Dr. Acton was providing daily briefings - to the point that she became a cultural touchpoint in Ohio and resonated with people as being a source of information that they could depend on. Additionally, she got started on COVID briefings and actions right when COVID was identified in Ohio rather than waiting to accumulate a certain number of cases. In terms of showing respect, Dr. Acton made sure to always be honest and vulnerable with viewers, and to place herself in the thick of things with the public by using "I" pronouns. She didn’t shy away from hard topics (like we aren't going back to normal) and was forthright with the information that wasn't available (such as how many cases there really were). Lastly, she celebrated everyone watching by reminding them that what they were doing was important; during the hard times of social isolation it was extremely important to keep people motivated when there didn't seem to be a way out of the situation, and Dr. Acton made sure to praise them for everything they were giving up. 

#4 - On a personal level, I would like to learn how to be as concise and confident as Dr. Acton was during her briefings. I often find myself seeking the approval of others which makes me less firm in my own convictions (because what if I upset someone?). Additionally, in trying to check in with everyone I tend to do a lot more talking than is necessary. I need to own my authority, state something, and move on. On a job-level, I would like to figure out how to give messages that individuals might not like. It seems like while we are trying to do public health messaging, we are also managing the political aspirations and motivations of the government structure above us. For example, I'm not sure we could have been able to tell people things were not going to go back to normal in MA as that wasn't the party line above us. While the science might indicate one thing, we have to walk a delicate balance of protecting public health while working as a government employee.

#3. In the video clips of Dr. Acton, she repeatedly admitted that they didn’t know the full extent of COVID-19 and the true prevalence of the disease. I also found that just her in front of the camera, with no table or other colleagues (like the governor or other staff) around her, made us focus on what she was saying and allowed us to relate to her. I know from experience watching the press briefings in my own state, our health commissioner always sat next to our governor, and the focus was always on him, not her. Everything felt politically motivated. And it always seemed like our health commissioner couldn’t admit she didn’t know what the full extent was without the governor thinking less of her. So I love that OH put her front and center. She seemed very relatable. 

#4. I admire how much eye contact she makes with the camera. It seemed like she wasn’t reading off cue cards and that her message was truly from the heart, regardless of what her colleagues would potentially have “urged” her to say to fit their political agendas. She is going to have the knowledge and expertise to talk about an infectious disease, not a politician. So I think it’s inspiring to see a public health professional “lead” the discussion, while not sounding condescending to the rest of her colleagues or the general public. I want to zero in on that type of mental attitude when I go into meetings in the future that could potentially be like that. If you are the expert, show ‘em that you mean business, while still remaining professional and compassionate. I agree with Amy in owning your expertise!

#1. Over all Dr. Acton seemed genuine in her communication with the public and stated what many were likely thinking during this time in uncertainty. I appreciate her acknowledging the fact that science did not have all of the answers but there were things that people could do to help migrate the spread of the disease and that "we" all had to pinch in without knowing an end date. These messages were clear, concise, concrete, correct, coherent, complete, and courteous in her genuine delivery of the information at hand. In addition, she seemed to be able to state messages that were relatable and empowering to her constitutes. It was nice to see a public practitioner  being to take the lead of this public health crisis which gave her messages a sense of correct information is being disseminated.

#3. There were certain things that Dr. Acton did that I found appealing like when she included herself in the struggle, her messages were serious and she never made light of the situation, there was no victim blaming or accusatory tones used, and she wore a lab coat which gave her look of authority. I would be nice if public health epidemiologists could have lab coats as an official interview uniform when addressing the public.  Dr. Acton seemed to stay on point with her messaging even while giving anecdotes. I would like to learn to stay on message, give brief stories, and be more impactful when delivering information.

Jaime – I think you raise a great point about Dr. Acton being solo when she was giving her messages. A lot of times it feels like people defer to the individual with the highest authority in the room even if that person isn’t an expert, so not having the Governor there was a nice touch leading to a conversation just between Dr. Acton and the public.

Alfreda – I really like your point on how her messages were empowering rather than blaming or accusing anyone. At times during the pandemic the messaging took that tone in other states, and it’s outright harmful to their residents (even if it might have been well-intended, although it definitely was not always). Dr. Acton’s messaging recognized that we need to work together and that supporting people while they take tough actions is the best route. 

I loved this video and I loved the title of the video "The Leader We Wish We All Had." This was a refreshing look at how a public health official did a good job at communicating challenging info, which has become so politized. 

#3 Dr. Action demonstrated the key principles of the steps that we heard about from the CERC training. I think she demonstrated to her audience a great amount of respect. She acknowledged the struggles that her audience were going through, without being condescending in any way. She used the right amount of honesty and empowerment, to lift up her message about the challenges they were all facing together and the REASON for why they are needing to do what they are doing. In addition, I think its a skill to show vulnerability which isn't a weakness, but another form of honesty.

#4 I appreciated that Dr. Acton shared what she knew but also shared what she didn't know. That makes her more credible as a leader. I would like to try to continue to develop my communication skills with this approach, especially during uncertain times that my team or the agency may be facing. 

#1 Dr Acton seemed to intuitively apply the 7 C's of communication in her messaging. Her messages in the video were generally short, direct, used easy to understand language, and was repeated. There seemed to be a common theme across her messages - things are uncertain, it might get worse before it gets better, and we need to row in the same direction if we are going to get through this together. 

#3Dr Acton conveyed empowerment, brutal honesty, and vulnerability in several ways. First, her language conveyed empathy through a sense of shared sacrifice and action towards a common good. Second, her demeanor and body language conveyed a vulnerability that made her seem approachable. Third, her regular presence on TV helped humanize the response - as opposed to press releases or other forms of communication which could have come across as anonymous and disconnected from the people she is serving

To add to Amy's comment - I also wish I could communicate like Dr Acton. Makes me wonder how much if this inherent to someone's temperament and how much of this can be learned