I’ve gotta admit, part of me was extremely disappointed in Toronto Mayor Rob Ford this week. Not since the glory days of Mel Lastman has the potential for colourful quotes (the grist upon which TD&F runs, after all) emanating from Toronto city hall been higher. So with the real business city council getting underway this week, I was like a kid on Christmas Eve, waiting for the big jolly guy to deliver. As it turned out, Ford didn’t make headlines for anything he said … but he stillmanaged to score a major communications Touchdown nonetheless. The old adage is true: actions quite often speak louder than words, and by moving quickly to put three major campaign promises into action – namely axing the vehicle registration tax, cutting councillors’ expense budgets and asking the province to designate the TTC an essential service – Ford walked his pre-election talk. He sent a clear signal that the guy who’s now the mayor is the same guy the majority of Torontonians voted for. A lesson for all key figures and organizations: what you SAY is only half of the communications equation … make sure you follow through with what you DO.Bob Reid has been a journalist and media advisor to a former Ontario Premier. He now is the chief media strategist and principle media coach in the Corporate and Public Affairs practice at Veritas.
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