I recently met with a young woman who had been referred as a potential candidate for a position within our organization.

Likely about 25 years of age, she had an undergraduate and a masters degree, an award winning thesis, and several years of relevant experience under her belt. She was also clearly looking for the kind of challenges, learning and growth our organization could provide. There was no doubt that as a bright, articulate, technology-literate hardworking young woman, she would be a perfect fit within our organization.

The only problem was we couldn’t afford to hire her.

There’s nothing like challenging times to bring out new books and blogs about leadership.

Being something of a junkie when it comes to information about community leadership and change, I try to read or at least scan as many as I can.

Unfortunately, it’s become an increasingly frustrating exercise for me as most seem to be written by a guy who is either an academic or is working in a corporate setting at, or near, the top of the hierarchy. And while there’s nothing wrong with those distinct set of lenses, it just doesn’t resonate with the realities of… More Posted on 04-26-09

On Being Innovative

Much as I try to turn my brain off while on vacation, sometimes the extra time to think makes it next to impossible. This week in sunny Cabos San Lucas even the tangy margaritas fail to keep the synapses from firing.

I’m especially struck by the innovation, resourcefulness, and drive I see among young Mexican entrepreneurs.

On the beaches they hawk eye-catching purses woven from strips of recycled juice box containers as well as bracelets made from plastic stir sticks wrapped with thread and then custom embroidered with one’s name. 

Since my current work is largely about innovation… More Posted on 04-20-09

Good Things About Bad Times

I drove by a flea market today and cars were spilling out of the parking lot. It struck me that there just might be an up side to this down economy. Flea markets, second-hand, and consignment stores seem to be doing well. It means we’re buying less, recycling more, and contributing to a greener environment. Good news for sure.

So because I’m a glass half full kind of person who’s tired of the doom and gloom I decided to spend some time mining the silver lining in the cloud of this recession. As a result here’s my top ten list… More Posted on 04-12-09

Collecting Hallmark Memories

It’s a good thing I’m into lists.

In between delivering four workshops at the Parks and Recreation Ontario provincial conference in Niagara Falls last week, I tried to deal with the challenge of keeping up with my job from a distance while fitting in family visits and a lot of errands. While I ultimately managed to get everything done, the very best of the visit were two items not found on any of my to-do lists.

Somewhat spontaneously my mother, son, and I decided to go to Toronto to see the Sound of Music. Although I am the… More Posted on 04-05-09

Two Tales of Compassion

Two events this week got me thinking a lot about compassion. One was positive, the other not so much.

The first story was relayed to me via Ian Hill, a good friend of mine who is spearheading a volunteer-driven initiative that is building playgrounds and skateboard and fitness parks in communities across the country. Of course it’s not just about the playgrounds and parks. It is instead much more about the magic that happens when a community pulls together to build it in one day.

Anyway, Ian told me about a little girl, who, upon hearing that they were… More Posted on 03-30-09

Play = Happiness

Maybe it’s because we’ve had too much winter, or maybe it’s because I’ve been working too hard but the truth is, like a lot of others these days, I’m running on empty.

This realization struck me especially hard this week when I came across a new book called “Play” by Dr. Stuart Brown.

Considered by some to be a groundbreaking book on the science of play, it discusses the essential role of play in contributing not only to our happiness but also to our intelligence.

Having worked or volunteered in the field of recreation and leisure services for many… More Posted on 03-21-09

Responding to Workplace Stress

My older brother talks a lot these days about retiring. When I ask about his plans he’s a bit vague except for knowing he wants to play golf and read books. When I recently suggested he’s too young to retire, might need to use his brain, and would likely be bored within a year, he simply replied, “I’m exhausted, I need to get out….my soul is tired.”

A good friend of mine who always has energy to burn and is never ill, has spent the past week flat on his back too sick to get out of bed for more… More Posted on 03-15-09

The Power of Optimism

We didn’t have a lot of money growing up but my mother gave me something priceless - the incredible gift of optimism.

It may also be that this gene is hereditary as it seems I’ve passed it on in a particularly large dose to our youngest son.

Like many others his age he’s struggled with the confusion of overwhelming career choices slammed up against the reality of too few opportunities. Recently he’s cobbled together three part time jobs and even then often struggles to pay the rent.

Several months ago sensing his growing frustration, I had a lengthy talk… More Posted on 03-07-09

Reflections on Reflection

I got me a posse!

Last week I spent three days immersed with a project team dedicated to enhancing the community leadership that will result in active, creative, and engaged communities.

As one of the group pointed out, it was like running with a pack of horses who took great joy in running fast and hard. Generally, we headed in the same direction but there were also a lot of diversions as the lead often changed, we slowed down to make sure others were running with us, or, interesting and sometimes prickly or insightful detours were taken.

In the… More Posted on 03-01-09

Connecting Online and On the Ground

When I called my dad this week he was a little distracted. It seemed he was trying to look up the phone number of his eye doctor.

Since I was at my computer, I simply googled the name and within ten seconds was able to give him the phone number. No big deal except that I was on the other side of the country and since he’s a technophobe he was freaked out because he couldn’t figure out how the heck I had managed to do it so quickly. He had to admit he was impressed even though he’s… More Posted on 02-22-09

The Importance of Fun

Thank goodness for birthdays.

This week my friend Carol’s birthday provided the impetus for an informal, on-the-job get together. Rose, definitely the most culinary-gifted member of our team, made a to-die-for chocolate mousse cake piled high with fresh berries and shaved white chocolate. Martha would have been proud to put her name on it!

To make it even better, Rose also brought her gourmet whipped cream charger -  a steel cylinder-shaped container filled with nitrous oxide. Apparently nitrous oxide is used because it migrates easily into the cream so that when the cream dispenser’s valve is opened, the… More Posted on 02-15-09

We have Rights AND Responsibilities

Two totally unrelated news stories set me off on a tangent this week.

One of them involved the eight babies born last month to California single mother Nadya Suleman. The octuplets join her existing six children, bringing her total offspring to fourteen. 

Unemployed and living with her mother and father, she understandably has been subjected to a significant and largely unfavourable public outcry.

Yet for her it is simple. Yes she admits, she has made unconventional choices in how she’s chosen to bring children into the world, but as she put it in a recent interview, “Being a… More Posted on 02-08-09

Five Minds for the Future

My good friend and colleague, Dianne Renton, is one of the hardest working, and most intelligent women I know.

She’s been working head down and flat out to integrate a number of technologies that will facilitate learning and communications for the work we’re doing to strengthen community leaders. 

She has researched, installed, tested, and pushed the limits of six different kinds of software to make them work together in a way that not only empowers us but will ultimately be sustainable.

As a result of her work, our website runs on a user-friendly, open source platform that… More Posted on 02-01-09

Obama’s Making Community Service Hip and Sexy

Two words have suddenly become hip and sexy.

I didn’t think I would ever see it but thanks to President Barack Obama, within the space of a few months, there’s been more talk and excitement about community and service than I can ever recall.

Obama has plans to expand AmeriCorps and the Peace Corps, engage retiring Americans, and send Americans who are fluent speakers of local languages to expand public diplomacy.

He’s encouraging all middle and high school students to do 50 hours of community service a year, and will establish a new tax credit that is worth $4,000 a… More Posted on 01-25-09

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