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

The Role of Sector-Connectors: Utilizing Collective Wisdom for Whole-Community Development

In our world today, we face a web of interconnected challenges. The health of our communities is about much more than medicine and health care practitioners, it’s tied to access to clean air and water, nutritious food, and a stable income. Social equity is another piece of the puzzle. Not everyone has the same opportunities because of systemic inequalities. Then there’s the economy. It’s not just about money but how resources are distributed and whether people can find work that provides a living wage. Lastly, the environment binds these elements together.… More Posted on 02-28-24

Are We Languishing?

Recently, a talented group of consulting colleagues met in a relaxed, informal networking setting. During the gathering a lot of ground was covered as both personal and work-related subjects were addressed. More than once, there was discussion about broken systems and how they too often constrain and limit innovative responses to individual, social, economic, and environmental well-being.

There was also acknowledgement of vetocracy: a term typically used in government and traditional institutions to describe the system of entrenched interests that make it very hard to get anything radical built or done.

During… More Posted on 02-26-24

Doin’ What Comes Naturally?

In the Broadway musical, Annie Get Your Gun, one of the most memorable songs was one called Doin’ What Comes Naturally. I’m not sure why, but for some reason I thought about that song and the idea of doing what comes naturally during a recent webinar delivered by an intelligent, passionate presenter who was doing just that.

His own ‘naturally’ seemed to be about positioning himself as the sage-on-the-stage with webinar participants as his attentive audience. That became clear, when one of his first requests was that everyone turn off their… More Posted on 02-04-24

When You’re Stuck in the Weeds

A long time ago, I worked for a guy who was something of a leadership junkie. Every time he returned from a conference or read a new book, we would brace ourselves for what we referred to as his new flavour-of-the-week management theory.

Inspired by his enthusiasm, we adopted a gung-ho approach to implementing new thinking or strategy.

Without fail, it would ultimately die a slow death, and we would then hold our collective breath, waiting for the next great new idea to be sent our way.

In hindsight, it has… More Posted on 01-23-24

There’s Always Chocolate!

Recent times have been tough and while I haven’t lost my mojo, I definitely lost, or at least misplaced, my normal, fairly resilient, Pollyanna-ish self.

Instead, I’ve done more than my share of whining and venting. 
                     
If I were a child, I would be distracting myself with a shiny object or handing over a bottle and telling myself it was time for a nap. 

When my kids used… More Posted on 01-14-24

Seriously, Loud in the Library?

The library in my hometown of Welland, Ontario kicked off the new year with a special event called Loud in the Library.

No kidding. It was a free community event offering live music performances that had participants singing and dancing among the stacks of books! Even better, there was free pizza and snacks.

If I didn’t already love my library, I love it even more now, knowing their leadership is reflecting our changing times.

I was born and raised in a relatively large family of seven. While we never went hungry, there wasn’t… More Posted on 01-13-24

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