WHAT HAPPENS WHEN COMMUNITIES WORK TOGETHER TO TACKLE COMPLEXITY: LEARNINGS FROM THE GRASSROOTS

• Business Interests Too Often… More Posted on 09-20-24

Unhappy With Your Job? You’re Not Alone

If you are an unhappy employee or know those who are, you’re not alone.

A growing percentage of Canadian employees are unhappy with their jobs. According to a recent survey by Hays Canada, almost half (47%) of Canadian professionals are unhappy in their current jobs.

The survey also indicated that many employees prioritize salary over workplace fit, which contributes to low morale and high turnover rates. A majority of respondents (86%) believe that a good fit with their company is crucial for job satisfaction, yet many compromise… More Posted on 09-03-24

Change Your Corner of the World

I’ve never forgotten the advice I received years ago from former Niagara College vice-president Beth Weldon, sadly now deceased, taken far too young as the result of pancreatic cancer.

She was rare in empathizing with my frustration, which I now better understand was partly because I was a right-brained, system thinker in a setting ruled largely by left-brained linear decision-makers.

Beth told me, ‘Brenda, maybe you can’t change the world, but you can change your corner of the world.

That’s how we all need to think… More Posted on 08-30-24

Scissors or Glue?

As presidential candidate Kamala Harris and her team repeatedly reinforced during this week’s exciting US National Democratic Convention, it is a crucial moment in history for hope, optimism, and change.

Harris is committed to economic issues such as safeguarding Social Security and Medicare, affordable housing, lowering living costs, and corporate tax increases.

However, she also highlighted her commitment to social issues such as women’s rights, gun safety, and environmental protection. 

Threaded throughout her speech were references to the kind of caring neighbourhood she grew up in, the importance… More Posted on 08-24-24

Same Work, Different Names?

A number of years ago, my futurist colleagues introduced me to the concept and importance of ‘edge’ or ‘early’ signals.

Unlike a trend, an early or edge signal is more likely to be weak, speculative, and experimental; as such, it offers a glimpse of an emerging possibility that could lead to significant changes in the future.

Edge signals are identified in various ways, including paying attention to the media, training sessions, blogs, interviews, casual observations, and conversations – especially with… More Posted on 08-20-24

Bob Rae: Not Retired and Still Going Strong

If you’re not based in Ontario or, for that matter, old enough to remember him, you may not be aware of Bob Rae. However, having met him, I can share that he is deeply respected for his authentic, pragmatic, and engaging approaches to complex issues.

Robert Keith Rae, commonly known as Bob Rae, is a prominent Canadian diplomat and former politician. He began his political journey as a member of the New Democratic Party (NDP), serving as a federal Member of Parliament and then transitioned to provincial politics, becoming the leader… More Posted on 08-14-24

Burned by a Blame Thrower

Maybe it’s because I’m a Libra, but my mother always said one of the first sentences out of my mouth as a two-year-old was: ‘It’s not fair.’ Unfortunately, several years ago, that inner two-year-old surfaced, and I found myself not only using that exact phrase but also whining and stomping my feet. 

It was a reaction to the pain of being burned by a blame-thrower who attacked my credibility with blatantly untrue comments. It was challenging because those comments were made when I wasn’t present… More Posted on 08-09-24

What Were They Thinking?

What were they thinking? The Canadian Women’s Olympic Soccer team coaches got caught using a drone to spy on the New Zealand Team. Apparently, they were never taught the ‘Trending on Social Media’ test; also known as the ‘Front Page of the Newspaper’ test.

Most Canadians would agree that ethical behaviour is simple — do the right thing even when no one is looking.

If you’re unsure what the right thing is, apply the Trending on Social Media test.

In other words, ask yourself if… More Posted on 07-29-24

Time to Move into the Driver’s Seat?

This tweet by a Toronto resident made me laugh while highlighting a key reason why ill-informed policies and decisions are too often implemented.

‘Toronto Transit Committees are run by people who rarely ride the bus. Parks are operated by people with backyards. The island ferries are managed by people who spend long weekends at the cottage. Toronto’s decision-makers need a reboot.”

Toronto isn’t the only community experiencing a disconnect between decision-makers in positions of power and the actual users of public service.

Early signals also suggest… More Posted on 07-24-24

Sometimes Even Miracles Need New Strategies

I sometimes catch myself resisting change, hoping for improvement and different results.  It’s not unlike the cowardly lion in The Wizard of Oz chanting, ‘I do believe in miracles, I do, I do, I do.’

Recently, though, it seems that governments, businesses, and organizations are engaging in more of that same kind of thinking as they try to solve complex, unprecedented local and global challenges.

While they might believe in miracles, different results are unlikely when the same kind of leadership, within the same silos and systems, and the same policy, funding, and strategies… More Posted on 07-22-24

The Power and Pride of a Unique Horse

Some years ago, my work took me to the Yukon for the first time. As we approached Whitehorse from the airport, I was surprised to see a stunning sculpture of a majestic and powerful horse rearing up on its hind legs on the hilltop overlooking the city.

Upon getting closer, it was even more interesting to see that the regal, almost 3.5-metre horse was cleverly composed of a compilation of scrap metal. Not just any scrap, but as I later learned, scrap made up of… More Posted on 07-17-24

Hard Work and Even Harder to Explain

I’ve often been asked why I chose such a challenging career path when there were other less stressful and better-paying options.

In hindsight, being a community builder somehow chose me. Once I found the right path, there didn’t seem to be a choice. Of course, I had no idea how challenging or complex that path would be.

The complexity path is not typically crowded; however, it’s often where you’ll find social innovators and entrepreneurs. While working toward meaningful impact comes with its perks, it can also be lonely and lacking… More Posted on 06-25-24

The Kids Are Not All Right

Those closer to the frontline would say that while many are doing well, others are not.

While some would attribute the decline in youth mental health to COVID-19, it turns out there were many who weren’t doing well even before then.

Today, we are seeing increasing mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, self-harm, and suicide among young people.

There are differing opinions about why it has happened. However, Jonathan Haidt’s new book, The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness, sheds new… More Posted on 04-02-24

Too Tired to Lean in to the Future?

Not sure how others feel, but Covid just might have knocked some of the hutzpah out of me. Maybe I have taken my foot off the gas pedal a bit? And yes, there are days when I may have leaned back more than is typical and fallen into a napping mode that has allowed me to avoid looking too far ahead. However, even though we don’t seem to be talking about it much, I sense I’m not alone.

For the most part, it seems we are all still navigating our way to a new… More Posted on 03-08-24

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