- With Mayo Clinic oncologist
Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
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Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
Edward Creagan, M.D.
"The magic of the electronic village is transforming health information. The mouse and keyboard have extended the stethoscope to the 500 million people now online." — Dr. Edward Creagan
The power of the medium inspires Dr. Edward Creagan as he searches for ways to share Mayo Clinic's vast resources with the general public.
Dr. Creagan, a Newark, N.J., native, is board certified in internal medicine, medical oncology, and hospice medicine and palliative care. He has been with Mayo Clinic since 1973 and in 1999 was president of the staff of Mayo Clinic.
Dr. Creagan, a professor of medical oncology at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, was honored in 1995 with the John and Roma Rouse Professor of Humanism in Medicine Award and in 1992 with the Distinguished Mayo Clinician Award, Mayo's highest recognition. He has been recognized with the American Cancer Society Professorship of Clinical Oncology.
He describes his areas of special interest as "wellness as a bio-psycho-social-spiritual-financial model" and fitness, mind-body connection, aging and burnout.
Dr. Creagan has been an associate medical editor with Mayo Clinic's health information websites and has edited publications and CD-ROMs and reviewed articles.
"We the team of (the website) provide reliable, easy-to-understand health and wellness information so that each of us can have productive, meaningful lives," he says.
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Stress blog
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Nov. 17, 2010
Finest hour or flame out?
By Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
Picture this scene: A major U.S. airport devolves into chaos because of an unexpected strike by airline employees. Stranded passengers face off with overworked airline personnel.
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At an airline counter, two representatives work side by side. One gentleman is methodically and professionally addressing the anger and frustration of passengers as they come up to him and berate him for this inconvenience. Through it all, he keeps his composure. He's completely unflappable.
His colleague, on the other hand, looks as if he's about to have a stroke. His pupils are dilated, he's sweating profusely and his neck veins are bulging. When passengers scream at him, he screams back. When passengers gesture angrily toward him, he gestures angrily back. Emotions on both sides escalate to the verge of violence.
So what's the lesson here? In this situation, who suffered the most? The gentleman who lost his composure. The other gentleman, in contrast, kept his composure and treated others with dignity and respect. And in the process, he preserved his self-respect and decreased his risk of a heart attack or other stress-related problem.
So in the face of adversity, you still have choices. Some people choose to have their finest hour, while others choose to go down in flames. What would you choose?
7 comments posted
November 21, 2012 12:20 p.m.
Thank you so much for your short ,concise and written in understandable for an immigrant language column. It gave me an "aha" moment in a difficoult time of my life.
- Ewa
May 20, 2012 5:32 p.m.
I always achieve my finest hour at work, being a classic over-achiever. But I collapse after and my body shakes and extreme fatigue sets in. I am looking for ways to stop this collapse after 'trying-too-hard' for others. Answers welcome!
- Daphne
February 1, 2011 6:18 p.m.
I would choose to have my finest hour. The choice to go down in flames is one that could haunt you for a very long time. As a result of blowing up at the customer, the company could potentially lose a customer and potential business due to a bad review by the customer. The offending employee could face loss of wages as a result of suspension, demotion, or termination. Choosing to have your finest hour will take you far in this situation. The customer may have been inconvenienced in this situation. But they can walk away knowing that they were treated with dignity in their time of need.
- marquies
November 24, 2010 7:46 a.m.
I guess I'm a fatalist who takes the attitude: "What will be will be." Put yourself in the other person's shoes, and you'll understand. Then do the best you can do under the circumstances while thinking: "There but for the Grace of God go I," and relax. There's nothing more you can do.
- Roberta
November 21, 2010 8:52 a.m.
What troubles me about these situations is that too often employees are left to sink with the ship when they need help (Is 15 minutes relief for a break asking too much?). Mr. Meltdown's supervisor where are you, resting up for the kill Monday?
- Big Carol
November 17, 2010 6:31 a.m.
It seems to me that some people REACT to what is going on around them. Others CHOOSE their action. When you choose your action you decide how you are going to act. Period. It does not matter how you are treated. If you decide to act with dignity, respect, and compassion for others, that is how you act. How other people act is not part of the equation. Probably this has something to do with how much self-esteem a person has. What others do or don't do is not the point. The point is being true to your own self.
- Decide Now
November 17, 2010 5:14 a.m.
When I read this article it made me think about observing my father in public. He can really be loud at times, and he earned it... Myself on the same page actually earns also and I am in charge of my own life so when a fire cracker pops, light another one And when a mistake happens make another one And finally when everything seems like a huge mistake, keep your composers to your liking because you are being tested. Thank you and God bless!
- David
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