A little off-topic

Over the past month, I’ve had a few experiences that don’t have much to do with public health business planning, but something to do with public health. I traveled to Greece for two weeks, spending time in the Cyclades islands of Folegandros and Santorini, and in the capital, Athens. Greece is an interesting mixture when it comes to public health:

1. They have a very good health care safety net system, paid for by the state. A couple of cab drivers told us how proud they were of their public health program. One was less enthusiastic because, although he himself, who has significant health issues, has never had a problem getting care, he “had heard that some people have some bureaucratic hassles.” He doesn’t realize the “bureaucratic hassles” we have in the states – even if you have health insurance, but especially if you do not!

2. Everyone smokes. Greece is Europe’s biggest-smoking nation: more than 40% of adults smoke. I don’t think we realize what a job we’ve done in this country to curb smoking, until you go to a nation where everywhere you turn – restaurants, stores, taxi-cabs – people are smoking. Greece is attempting to impose anti-smoking laws now – as of July 1, new laws banning smoking from hospitals, schools, and public places are going into effect. But restaurants can avoid the ban if they create smoking sections and they will also be allowed to ban non-smokers if they don’t want to have a smoking section! This is the third attempt in 10 years to curb smoking in Greece: it will be a hard habit to break.

3. Greek highways and roads are not for the timid. Greece ranks among the highest European countries in terms of road traffic accidents per kilometer traveled. Athens has done a great job of making itself more pedestrian friendly in recent years, although the narrow streets, lack of attention to speed limits, and lack of attention to parking regulations makes it difficult in places to get around on foot and it would be impossible in a wheel chair.

4. On the other hand, compared to my suburban American home I was able to walk much, much more in Greece than I am at home. Exercise came naturally and easily, built in to every day just getting from here to there. In one place we went, cars weren’t even allowed within the town limits. There’s something to the idea that “car culture” destroys the chance to live an active life.

5. When they tell you not to drink the water, don’t drink the water. They know what they’re talking about!

And, finally, the first thing I did when I got back to the states was get the flu! "Welcome Home!"

They say traveling is a great way to see your own home in a new light. It helps me to appreciate what we do well in the states, and what we could do better.

From the Management Academy Director

Recently, I attended the UNC-Chapel Hill Minority Health Videoconference. The title for this year's event was Breaking the Cycle: Investigating the Intersection of Education Inequities and Health Disparities. The speakers were

1. Reginald Weaver, Past President, National Education Association;
2. Dina Castro, Scientist, UNC FPG Child Development Institute;
3. Nicholas Freudenberg, Distinquished Professor and DPH Program Director in Urban Health Hunter College of Health Sciences/City University of New York; and
4. Lillian Sparks, Executive Director, National Indian Education Association

Each presenter spoke of the connection between education and the public's health and they made recommendations for each field.

They spoke of the need for more training and the need for programs focused on school-based health clinics, mental health programs and services aimed at teens on sexuality and HIV transmission. What are you doing within your community to provide a stable lifestyle to produce successful and healthy students? Please share with us.

Life Planning... get real!

One of the great benefits of a management development program is that it helps you manage your life. Our Management Academy students regularly report that they see improvements first in their performance as a parent or as a spouse as a result of trying to develop themselves as managers. Planning skills, negotiation skills, dialog skills, measurement skills, teamwork skills-- they all transfer.

For some of us, work performance begins at home. Are you taking care of yourself? Are you asking for what you need? Are you having the good, real discussions with your life partner that insure you are fulfilled and whole, working on the priority issues and both pulling in the same direction? In other words, are you doing life planning?

Life plans put work plans into perspective. Karl Umble likes to say that the goal is less about balance and more about "harmony." And the skills are essentially the same for both: the ability to plan well and then push through to execution, to work the plan into existence.

As the skin horse says to the velveteen rabbit, it takes a lot of love and attention to go from a stuffed toy to being real. In this respect, the velveteen rabbit is in line with a long stretch of work on authentic leadership, the notion that leaders have to let their personality come through the role to be maximally effective. They have to be present and real.

Last word is this: congratulations Anne on your wedding-- great team!

-- Steve Orton