Each January brings a familiar shift — from “New Year, New You” hype to organizations being reminded they need to focus less on putting out fires and getting more strategic about fireproofing.

They’ve finally had a chance to breathe over the holidays, maybe reflect a little, and now they’re ready to plan.

It’s the time when boards, leadership teams, businesses, and community groups once again vow to pull everyone together, get aligned, and map out the future.

And they’re not wrong. Getting people in the same room—real or virtual—to talk about direction, priorities, and… More Posted on 12-31-25

Futures Thinking for Real People (a cape is optional)

We all know Canadians are worried about the cost of living and housing affordability — and who isn’t at this point? Add mental well-being, healthcare, climate change, job security, and immigration to the mix, and we’ve got ourselves a national anxiety smoothie.

So yes, we’re talking about what matters. But somewhere between panel discussions and PowerPoints, we’ve misplaced the action.

Why? Because our siloed systems are like group projects where everyone insists, “That’s not my part.” Complex, interconnected challenges can’t thrive in those conditions. We need leadership that gets comfortable with the messy, nonlinear… More Posted on 12-29-25

Holidays Don’t Have To Be Perfect To Be Wonderful

I’ve become the type of person who used to annoy me and I’m oddly okay with it.

It’s true.
I’ve officially become that person — the one who used to make me roll my eyes.

I say this with mild nausea: my Christmas decorations were up by November 29th.

Shopping? Done weeks ago.
Gifts? Wrapped.
Lists? Oh, there are lists. To-do lists, backup lists, even a colour-coded list for our family gathering of 26 (yes, 26!).

Now, for some people, that’s nothing new.
But for me? This is growth.
… More Posted on 12-22-25

What ‘Community’ Really Means—And Why We Need It Now More Than Ever

Maybe it’s the upcoming holiday season—or perhaps it’s growing concern that we don’t have enough of it—but lately I’ve been thinking more than usual about the importance of community.

Community isn’t just a “nice-to-have” in our personal lives; it is increasingly a core condition for healthy teams, resilient organizations, and impactful systems.

For those who’ve been fortunate enough to work within a tightly knit team, volunteer group, club, or association, you already know what true community feels like. For others, it might still be something you’re searching for, even if you don’t realize… More Posted on 12-15-25

Pies, Partnerships, and a Better Future

Most of us have learned about partnerships the hard way: some work beautifully, and others end like a nasty divorce — complete with lawyers, alimony, and a tense discussion to decide who owns the Zoom account.

Like a good marriage, the right collaboration can enrich those involved, what they do, and how they do it. But, when it goes wrong, it can leave partners emotionally damaged, financially lighter, and googling “how to hide assets from my ex-partner.”

Partnerships are more important than ever because the challenges we face locally and globally are complex and interconnected. The… More Posted on 12-04-25