The Holdsworth Group - January 2019

‘WADING INTO CHAOS’ A Veteran Paramedic Recounts Some of His Most Precious and Tragic Moments

Picture this: “It’s raining, and reflections of our red and white lights are dancing off the buildings as we race down wet streets. Sirens scream, warning anyone who dares to wander down these dark roads at night. We make a final turn, and the scene comes into view. There’s a lone police car; its light bar dark so as not to call attention to itself. We follow suit, shutting down our lights and siren as we approach. A crowd has gathered in the center of the rain- soaked street. Awoman is screaming, being kept by friends or family members from falling down. Next to a wheelchair, a man lies crumpled in the middle of the road. The cop looks nervous as we roll to a stop and exit the ambulance. “He’s been shot — a lot,” the officer shouts from about 10 feet away. The murmur from the crowd of distraught onlookers grows louder. We know we’re going to have to work quickly to try to save the patient and get away from the scene for our own safety. We grab the heart monitor, oxygen, trauma bag, and the stretcher — for the fourth time this shift. Once again, we go wading into chaos …”

Paramedics and EMTs are the front line of the world’s emergency medical system. They are eyewitnesses to some of life’s most precious and most tragic moments. “Wading Into Chaos,” written by Bob Holdsworth, a veteran paramedic, gives you a firsthand, real-life glimpse into the chaotic Emergency Medical Services world. Ride along, and experience the emotions, the frustration, the sadness, and the dark humor that accompany what it means to be a first responder to fatal car crashes, 14-year-old suicides, inner city gang violence, train accidents, medevac helicopter missions, and the forgotten elderly who just need someone to talk to. Readers have called Holdsworth’s narrative “gripping and filled with action,” a book that provides insight into the stressful and rewarding but harrowing lives of first responders. One reviewer even said that that after reading “Wading Into Chaos” in just two days, she was inspired to apply for her master’s degree in nursing. For a firsthand look into the chaotic daily lives of paramedics and EMTs, you can find Bob’s riveting autobiographical novel on Amazon and Nook.

It Always Boils Down to Communication THE 3 C’S OF EFFECTIVE MESSAGES

I’ve been consulting in the health care field for 31 years and have noticed that when business owners from various fields have idle time to talk to one another, war stories and comparisons run rampant. As I listen to these conversations, it becomes clear to me that every one of the challenges we face in business — and in life — is a result of ineffective, inconsistent, or incomplete communication. Every business and every business leader is tasked with communicating the same overall messages about their organization but has to formulate those messages in nuanced ways to engage different groups of stakeholders. Effective communication is the key to every interaction. These three basic components can drive success — or failure. 1. CLARITY Clarity of message is important and deserves the time necessary to ensure that you are conveying the actual message you intended. Remove ambiguity, jargon, and confusing language, and speak as plainly as you can to ensure that the message is received properly.

2. COMPLETENESS Completeness of any message is critical to both acceptance and understanding. Several leaders I’ve worked with over the years have tried to write the shortest memos possible, thinking that brevity ensured readership. In reality, they ended up creating confusion rather than understanding. When your message provokes more questions than answers, it is poorly crafted. 3. COMPASSION Compassion for your intended audience is also essential. No, not the mushy kind — the kind that indicates you are communicating to them about them and informing them of something you feel they should know. I have long taught the principle of WIIFM (What’s in It for Me?), which is predicated on the idea that every piece of communication, marketing copy, and even training material should be focused on the consumer, reader, student, or recipient of the message and written to engage them as they apply their own WIIFM filter system. Regardless of the purpose of any message, apply the three C’s, and you will become much more effective as a communicator. In the end, every issue that you are dealing with right now at home, at work, or with friends has its roots in one place. It always boils down to communication.

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