Are we scared to change, overwhelmed, or do we really think the challenges in our communities will go away if we ignore them? 

I’m currently reading Thomas L. Friedman’s book called “Hot, Flat and Crowded”. In it he makes the case that post 9/11 Americans have shifted to a defense mode that has resulted in them exporting their fears rather than their hopes. And, as he points out, it’s impossible to be visionary if you are in a defense mode. It has also meant Americans have neglected such critical issues as their health care system, crumbling infrastructure, immigration reform,… More Posted on 05-09-10

Building on our Assets

While many might not understand its significance, it was by far the most meaningful speaker’s gift I have ever been given.

I was presented with a beautiful eagle’s feather after delivering a workshop at an Indigenous community capacity building conference. The eagle plays an important spiritual role in aboriginal culture as it is the eagle that is identified as the messenger of the Creator and the creature who flies the highest and sees the furthest. I was told that when one receives an eagle feather, that person is being acknowledged with gratitude and respect.

It was another reminder… More Posted on 05-02-10

Being Open-minded about Spanning our Boundaries

While I like to think I’m pretty open-minded, this past weekend was a reminder of how much I still need to work at growing my receptiveness to boundary spanning.

I was honoured to be invited to take part in what was billed as an “Aboriginal Thought-Leaders Forum at the prestigious Banff Centre. The wisdom and experience of the predominantly academic participants, in combination with the inspiring mountain views, pushed me to a far greater receptiveness and understanding of narrative inquiry as a means or methodology that can be used to better understand and capture learnings.

To be honest,… More Posted on 04-25-10

On Being an Expert

As I am a reluctant speaker and presenter, one of the redeeming values of me delivering workshops at conferences is that I am often able to attend and learn from other people’s sessions. In a time of declining resources, it really is a free and often serendipitous kind of learning.

This week I sat in on a keynote address delivered by a vivacious and fun blonde who was presented as an expert able to assist participants with their management and leadership challenges. Without a doubt she knew how to engage an audience. She was cute and funny and moved… More Posted on 04-18-10

Just-in-Time-Feedback

Although I try really hard to avoid it, too often these days I find myself doing a little too much just-in-time, management-by-the-seat-of-my-pants. While often challenging, it only works because our team is pretty much a just-in-time workforce. And, while it means we’re nimble and entrepreneurial, it in turn is driving a need for just-in-time-feedback. The feedback we need in our day-to-day work, as well as in our individual performances, can’t always wait until the next meeting or the next performance review. Recently it became apparent that feedback sometimes even needs to happen on the fly.

We were on an Aboriginal… More Posted on 04-11-10

Challenge the Mundane

Maybe it’s because spring is a time of renewal and growth or perhaps I just need a dash of something different but this past weekend I found myself wandering through fabric stores. My overwhelming desire to create trumped the fact that I haven’t sewn in years.

According to many, everyone is creative and should be making the effort to nurture and celebrate it especially during World Creativity and Innovation Celebrations that occur every year from April 15-21st. 

It started as the result of a headline in the National Post in May 2001 that read, “Canada in Creativity Crisis”. Creativity… More Posted on 04-04-10

Learning for Learning’s Sake

It took more energy than I had anticipated and when it was over all I wanted to do was lay down and take a nap.

No, it wasn‘t the workout at the gym I should have been doing. Instead it was delivering a guest lecture for a class of first year university students studying leadership. While it might have been there, they definitely didn’t exude much energy or excitement about learning. I found myself practically tap dancing to keep them focused and resorted to sharing more stories than theory and asking questions just to keep them engaged.

It was… More Posted on 03-28-10

Messing with the Lyrics

It’s safe to say Stephen Harper and his team didn’t quite anticipate the brouhaha that greeted their recent speech from the throne promising to “examine the original gender-neutral English wording of the national anthem.’’

It’s no secret that the majority of Canadians were adamantly opposed to messing with lyrics such as “all thy sons command”. And, while I know I’m rowing upstream on this one and it makes me nervous to put it in writing, I have to admit I’m siding with Harper in thinking it might have been a good idea. After all, there is tremendous power in… More Posted on 03-14-10

A Perfect Example of Imperfect Leadership

It was a perfect example of imperfect leadership. It was also an example of a leader having the courage to stand up and publicly admit a mistake.

This week I was part of a townhall meeting designed to help grow the community by engaging a cross section of stakeholders. As a result of the discussion, it became apparent the town was poised on a precipice. In many ways a bedroom community for a nearby larger municipality, the town had the advantage of proximity to amenities but lacked a clear understanding of what made them unique and authentic. Because they… More Posted on 03-06-10

We Found our Ruby Slippers in Vancouver

As far as she was concerned my colleague Denise was simply one of many everyday Canadians who had the honour of carrying the Olympic torch on its journey across the country. She wasn’t quite prepared for the notoriety, albeit brief, that resulted. Running her leg through a small town with a hospital on one side of the road and a senior centre on the other, the streets were lined with enthusiastic flag wavers shivering in the cold simply to catch a glimpse of the torch. At the reception that followed at the local community centre, Denise spent most of her… More Posted on 02-28-10

What the Heck is Social Media?

What’s the connection between social media and sex?

Avinash Kaushik, Google’s web analytics guru, published a tweet last year that said, “Social media is like teen sex, everyone wants to do it. No one actually knows how. When finally done, there is surprise it’s not better. 

But while teens might be misinformed about sex, most of them definitely have at least a grasp on social media. But what exactly is social media?

I’ll spare you the convoluted definition posted on Wikipedia, as well as an explanation of the plethora of opportunities provided by tools such as Facebook,… More Posted on 02-21-10

There’s No One Best Way to Learn

I have a good friend who I’ve always thought would make a fabulous teacher. She’s finally making the leap and will teach a course this semester at Niagara College.

Although anyone who knows her is confident she’ll be great, she admits to being a bit nervous. I really don’t think she needs to be as she really does know her stuff.  Additionally, she’s very organized, works hard, and is the kind of person who cares deeply about others. The students will love her. 

In the course of our conversation about her new venture I volunteered to help in any… More Posted on 02-21-10

Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader?

There’s a television show called, “Are you smarter than a fifth grader?”

Quite honestly, I’ve never watched it.

The truth is that while I’d like to think I’m smarter than a fifth grader, I’m afraid to find I might not be.

When I was in grade five, I was a good student although it wasn’t always easy. Virtually the entire curriculum was based on being able to demonstrate knowledge by memorizing and regurgitating information.

There weren’t a lot of opportunities to do something with that knowledge that would require imagination and critical thinking skills – an area… More Posted on 02-21-10

We are More

Canada is so much more than the malfunction of one of the four torch-lighting pillars during the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Opening Ceremonies. The real story, and the one rarely mentioned in the media coverage, is that the organizers got it right…dazzlingly and delightfully right.

In addition to being totally engaged and entertained, I was one of millions who were unexpectedly, deeply, and profoundly moved by what was the most-watched television event in Canadian history. The Ceremonies presented Canada to the world and in doing so helped every Canadian articulate what is unique and good about our country. 

In the… More Posted on 02-14-10

Find a Community then Find a Job?

What do you long for in a community?

It’s a good question and one posed by author and speaker Rebecca Ryan in her recent keynote address at the Economic Developers Conference of Ontario in Toronto. She also shared a major shift being reflected in today’s generation.

For more and more young people, thinking about where they want to live comes before finding a job.

While my generation found a job first or followed a promotion or company move, the next generation has flipped the order. First they choose an active, creative, engaged city and only then will… More Posted on 02-07-10

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