It's a lecture from mom. Except in this case, “mom” is the City of Vancouver and the children are those interacting with visitors.Just before the games, the city released a Protocol Manual. The first page says it's "...intended to help maintain courtesy and politeness..." which makes sense. But it appears the city has left nothing about how to treat others to the imagination because it's 137 pages long! And it went over with some residents like a lead balloon.
One of my favorite quotes in the attire section is on page 13, “Keep the shoeshine kit and clothes brush handy!”. The top of page 35 also makes me giggle. There is no doubt in my mind that the person who wrote this is a mother:
Tips on Body Language and Posture
• Don’t fold or cross your arms and keep hands away from your mouth (both actions can send negative signals);
• Hold items in your left hand and rest the other at your side or, on the strap of your shoulder bag;
• Lean forward slightly and look directly at the person who is speaking;
• Always sit or stand ‘tall’ with shoulders slightly back, and chin up for self-confidence;
• Stand with your hands clasped behind you or at your sides;
• Avoid putting your hands in your pockets;
• Avoid slouching when sitting. You may appear lazy, tired, or disrespectful;
• To look professional, sit up straight with your hands in a relaxed pose.
After reading much of this (including parts I didn't highlight here), I can really see why it is useful for a city to have all this information in one place. Honestly, even though I grew up here, I wouldn't be able to place flags in order by the year they joined Canada (for some strange reason, the only one I ever remember is Newfoundland!). But, I also have faith that people interacting with dignitaries have a clue on how to behave and how to dress.
In an effort to include pictures with this post, I took some before and after pictures. Because it made me laugh.
The manual has generated a lot of chatter among the people who live here. Here is a newspaper article on the topic with lots of comments.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2010/01/26/bc-vancouver-olympic-protocol-training.html
What are your thoughts?
On a slightly different note, I'll be chatting Wednesday night after the 6pm news. Go to wetmtv.com, click on Live Chat down the left hand side of the screen and join us!
Looking forward to hearing from you,
Leigh
