I reconnected this week with a colleague from the past who holds a special place in my heart.

While I can’t say as I knew her really well, she served as an important role model.

At the time I had graduated from Brock University with a degree in recreation and leisure studies and was working for the City of Niagara Falls. My colleague was a director of recreation for a large municipality, had a reputation for intelligence and hard work, and was a leader within our provincial professional association. She was the one who stood up to the old… More Posted on 04-13-15

Please People…Its About the Big Picture

I recently read an email posted by a recreation student on a pan Canadian listserv geared to academics. I taught recreation at the college level and am especially interested in emerging professionals and their areas of study. However, in this case I was left somewhat dismayed.

The student was working on her master’s thesis and was seeking Australians, age 18-35, who had traveled to Canada, and made use of social media.

Really? Call me crazy but who signed off on that topic as being thesis worthy?

Don’t get me wrong, and maybe I’m missing something because there might be… More Posted on 04-07-15

Vice President of Photocopying?

A number of years ago I did some work with a very funny, self-employed motivational speaker. As a one person operation there was a lot involved in getting himself promoted, booked and on the road. As a result he put his daughter to work. At the age of nine he bestowed upon her the title of Vice-President of Photocopying. She even had her own business cards and a pay cheque based on an hourly rate - albeit one quite a bit below the legislated minimum.

While it made for a humourous anecdote he often used in his speeches, it also… More Posted on 02-18-15

Community +  Collaboration = Innovation

I am blessed to have wonderfully fulfilling consulting, coaching, and training work that also provides me with the opportunity to travel and meet with people from diverse communities across Canada. I’ve learned that despite the diversity and decidedly different assets among the communities, even the small ones like Iqaluit in Nunavut have much in common with larger communities such as London, Ontario or Richmond, BC. Regardless of their size, location and unique assets, many communities are struggling to address the same complex issues.

                               … More Posted on 02-06-15

Silver Lining Learnings

I didn’t exactly start the new year off on the right foot.

I had spent an entire day finetuning a webinar to make the complex topic of marketing and branding less daunting for those working in a community development capacity. Although I had delivered it a number of times previously, it was the one webinar I always felt could be better. This time I was sure I got it right.

The content painted the picture on the top of the puzzle box by providing a clear framework and step by step process, sorted out the complexity by providing clear… More Posted on 01-07-15

According to Pink and the Puppets…..

My son disappeared again.

It’s not really a big deal. After all, he is a fully grown adult and has every right to turn off his phone and ignore texts and emails if he so chooses. But, when he did it again between Christmas and New Year’s, both his grandmother and I grew somewhat concerned. That is until we both remembered that when he has time off from his job he often gets totally focused and immersed in a new creative project.

His last project involved him going off the grid to write, direct, build sets, design lighting, and… More Posted on 01-03-15

All About that Boss, ‘Bout that Boss

In many ways it clearly is “bout that boss” and whether or they have earned the respect of others as a leader.

More and more we are seeing an unwillingness to work for someone in a position of authority who hasn’t shifted from a traditional “command and control” model to a form of leadership that is more about sharing power and control.

It is a challenging shift and one that takes courage and heart.

By way of example I often cite what I witnessed several years at a townhall meeting designed to help grow the community by engaging a… More Posted on 12-13-14

Are You a Treasure Seeker or a Trash Collector?

I recently stumbled across a thought-provoking post intended to help teachers cultivate practical optimism in their classrooms. However it became clearer as I read that it contained ideas applicable to every single one of us.

The post was written by Marcus Conyers who, with Donna Wilson, is co-developer of the M.S. and Ed.S. Brain-Based Teaching degree programs at Nova Southeastern University.

The post discussed that until recently optimism was considered to be an unchangeable trait. Now it is understood that optimism is a way of thinking that can be learned and enhanced. Convers and Wilson are developing tools to help… More Posted on 12-11-14

What kind of Workplace Would Make Gumby Happy?

This week I wrote a blog for a government website. To be honest, it made me a bit nervous.

Unlike my typical writing where putting forward my own opinion is a given, in this particular case, I had to apply, pass scrutiny, and be given permission to blog. As a result, I felt a bit of pressure to behave.

Clearly it was not the kind of workplace structure where a Gumby could flex, respond, and innovate.
                                          More Posted on 11-16-14

Maybe the Question is the Answer?

I recently received an email from an associate saying how thrilled she was to be part of a group that supports difficult conversations. It was significant to me because it was an acknowledgement of an organizational culture that embraces questions.

Unlike some organizations where questions are seen as complaints or as being disruptive or disrespectful, I like to think we have created a culture that reflects an understanding that asking the right question is often the answer.

Without a culture that encourages questions, it’s virtually impossible to achieve results of any significance because being inquisitive and challenging the status quo… More Posted on 08-29-14

Is Real Innovation More Social Than Technical?

I am a community builder. And, if there is a gene that contributes to being a practical community builder, I definitely received a double dose.

While community building clearly needs both wings and landing gear to fly, I am without a doubt a landing gear kind of woman. So, while I’m always intrigued by new concepts, ideas, and solutions for building communities, my real test for innovation is whether or not something really makes a difference for people.

As a result, for me innovation needs to be about challenging the status quo as well as believing that we… More Posted on 08-25-14

What is Disruptive Technology and Why Should I Care?

It seems everyone these days is talking about innovation or the lack thereof. Although I was never exactly sure what it meant, the latest buzz phrase seems to be “disruptive innovation”.

This past week, amidst the chatter surrounding the pending launch of the new iPhone 6 (anticipated to be a smaller version of the iPad mini), I heard a pundit suggest that while the phone may bring new features, it wasn’t likely to be considered disruptive.

Instead, he explained, it was the first iPhone launched in 2007 that would be considered disruptive technology—not because of its attributes as a… More Posted on 08-21-14

A Manly Man

Unlike me, my husband reads and understands instruction manuals.

As a result, he is a bit of a geek when it comes to technology. Over the years, albeit with some cursing along the way, he has taught himself how to assemble computers, operate complicated software programs, and build his own websites.  However, something quite extraordinary happened about a month ago after he had wrestled with the increasing complexity of the website for his online kite store.

Yes, my darling husband admitted that regardless of how hard he worked or how many manuals he read, he needed help. He subsequently hired… More Posted on 08-10-14

One Smart Cookie

When my brother and his wife split up some years ago, my sister-in-law moved her family to Florida where she was able to obtain a great job as a nurse. While it was a sound choice it also meant I lost the opportunity to develop anything but a casual relationship with my two nieces. That’s changed just recently when Jillian moved back to Canada.

Imagine my surprise and delight after all these years to find we have a lot in common, particularly when it comes to our shared entrepreneurial drive and wanting to make a difference in our communities.… More Posted on 07-11-14

There is Joy in Risk

Two years ago, having been unceremoniously cut loose from the all-consuming community development work I had passionately embraced on behalf of a non profit organization for over five years, I found myself at a crossroads. It was, as Dr. Phil would say, a defining moment.

Ultimately, my way forward would be determined by the answer to a single question, “Do I choose to finally complete the MBA that I had pushed aside for many years, or do I choose to try and make a difference with what I had learned. Clearly I couldn’t afford the time and money to do… More Posted on 06-25-14

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