She referred to her son as a child of the community.

Participating in one of our community building workshops, the woman was responding to our question, “Where have you experienced community and why was it important?”

She went on to explain that the chronic, life threatening illness of her young son had meant that residents of her small, rural community had stepped up, and stepped in to their lives, by providing not only emotional support but also extensive, ongoing fundraising efforts to help with expenses. She said that she and her son were often stopped in… More Posted on 03-25-12

Are We Prepared to Manage Ourselves?

The disinterested look on her face and constant yawning made it apparent she was not with us by choice.

Unlike the others in the workshop who came across as being keen to learn more about our subject of community leadership, she was definitely not an engaged participant. I later heard she had been told to attend the training.

Clearly not a good choice for either her or the organization that sent her, it reinforced for me that it’s never a good idea to send people to courses they don’t want to go to.

Until an individual sees the… More Posted on 03-18-12

A Message from the Universe??

Last week as I was carefully stopped at a yield sign waiting for traffic to clear, I was rudely and forcefully rear-ended by a driver who clearly wasn’t paying attention. Ultimately it wasn’t a big deal as I wasn’t terribly hurt and the guy who hit me totally acknowledged that it was his fault. Additionally, the car just happened to be a van rented for a work-related road trip and since we had signed up for comprehensive insurance coverage there wasn’t even a deductible to pay. I simply drove back to the dealer and got a replacement van.

The… More Posted on 03-13-12

What Makes for Stellar Staff?

The truth is that I didn’t know it was Janet’s birthday. 

So who is Janet? While it may not matter to you that she’s part of our work team, it might matter that she personifies what it means to be a stellar employee.

While Janet may think I’m just saying that because I’m trying to make up for not remembering her birthday, the truth is it really did get me thinking. What exactly does it mean to be a stellar employee and what kind of impact does it have on a team?

For me, a stellar employee… More Posted on 03-05-12

Why Shouldn’t the Public Tell Government What to Do?

Always interested in the role of government in innovation, I decided to participate in a learning opportunity this week provided via teleconferencing. Taking centre stage was Don Lenihan, Vice President of Engagement at the Public Policy Forum in Ottawa who is billed as an internationally recognized expert on public engagement, accountability, and service delivery.

Lenihan began by talking about the changes taking place in today’s world and how its growing complexity means that government can no longer do things on their own. Additionally, public expectations are higher and there are greater demands for transparency and accountability. As a result, he… More Posted on 02-26-12

What’s Good for a Marriage is Good for a Community…

Just as a good marriage needs direct and ongoing communication so too do communities.

This learning was first reinforced for ACE Communities by a woman who had lived in a small Alberta town for some 40 years. During a meeting held to determine community strengths and priorities, she said it was the very first time citizens had ever come together to talk about the kind of town they wanted to be.

The importance of communication was stressed again this week when another town shared a report from a series of community conversations they’ve been hosting. This particular community café… More Posted on 02-19-12

Jobs…Out with the Old, In with the New

My two delightful nephews are pretty busy kids. In addition to being great students, they play hockey, swim, are active as scouts, and take music lessons. Their latest interest, and one they will pursue at an upcoming March break camp at Brock University, is robotics. The week promises to deliver sessions that will involve the use of Lego to build and program intelligent robots that can sense and respond to their environment. Planned activities include building robot vehicles and designing theme park rides and animated characters. 

Despite what you may think, my nephews are not at all nerdy. It’s… More Posted on 02-12-12

Mobile Manners

Yesterday I sat in a workshop listening to a fascinating speaker. Entertaining, meaningful, and relevant, the man had the entire room glued to his every word. Until, that is, we were all startled by the loud ring of someone’s cell phone.

While it isn’t all that unusual to forget to turn off one’s cell phone, most people would have simply turned off their phone, and conveyed their apologies. But, no such luck in this case. 

Not at all embarrassed when everyone turned and stared, the workshop participant simply proceeded to answer the phone with a very loud, “Hello”.

It… More Posted on 02-06-12

Mentor Mutualism?

There’s a new man in my life.

While I’m not sure quite how to describe our relationship, I do know it’s an important one. He boosts my confidence and self-esteem, expands my comfort zone, and makes me think with greater clarity. In a deeply respectful way, he challenges things I’ve thought were true, and helps me grow.

Although I’ve yet to meet Rick Smyre face to face, we’ve spent hours talking, emailing, and sharing resources. He lives in North Carolina, is devoted to his wife of 45 years, and is the youngest 69 year old I’ve ever met. … More Posted on 01-29-12

A Perfect Storm?

Even though it’s highly unlikely I’ll ever be able to change the world, I know that at the very least I can work toward making a difference within my small corner of it.

As a result, it shouldn’t be a surprise to learn I am passionate about the work I do within the non-profit sector (also known as the voluntary, charity, community or non-governmental sector).

I work with other dedicated, enthusiastic, hardworking, pragmatic, and forward-thinking people who accept making less money and getting fewer benefits than they would in a corporate or government job. Generally, they’ve made the choice… More Posted on 01-15-12

Risk Adverse or Risk Smart?

I am an excessively optimistic person born to look on the bright side of life. As a result, I am struggling to understand the deep funk where I now find myself to be.

While my family life is as good as it gets, it’s my career that has me perplexed. Maybe I’m just delusional, but from my perspective, my experience, education, passion for making a difference, and hard work recently seems to have been culminating and melding in a synergetic way. I really think I’m doing the best work I’ve ever done in my life. 

Working with a… More Posted on 01-08-12

May You Give and Get the Perfect Gift this Season

Is there really a perfect gift? And, after all, what exactly is the perfect gift?

I can answer those questions much more clearly this week after receiving not one, but two perfect gifts from members of my work team. Both presents touched my heart and moved me to tears.

Let me explain.

A while back I wrote a blog that presented parallels between the story of the Wizard of Oz and communities.  In that blog I suggested that just as Dorothy was looking to find the ruby slippers, so too do many of our… More Posted on 12-18-11

A Gift That Keeps on Giving

Today I received yet another request for a donation to a good cause from a well respected charitable organization.
 
I am not proud of the fact that my initial response was one of annoyance. To my credit though, I was quick to give myself a shake and think about how stressful it must be, and how hard these organizations must work, to ensure funding is in place so they can continue making their vital contributions. 

With that acknowledgement, I sat down at my computer, went online, and made a donation.

I hope more of us… More Posted on 12-04-11

We Want to Set Sail with You

I like what I’m hearing from today’s emerging leaders.

Last month, the first ever National Recreation Summit was held in Lake Louise, Alberta. Two hundred “thought leaders” were in attendance from each of Canada’s ten provinces and three territories. Since the Summit was also seen as an opportunity to involve young people, a core group of recreation and leisure studies students were also recruited to serve as meeting recorders. While initially it seemed to be a good idea, and students were delighted to be part of such an exciting initiative with all expenses paid, the reality was tougher than… More Posted on 11-26-11

If its Good Enough for Pixar

I recently talked to a government employee who had been rapped on the knuckles because she had initiated a conversation with an employee who was one level above her on the management grid. Apparently their ministry policy is such that one can only communicate with someone at their own level – no one above and no one below.

Call me crazy but that does seem to be rather outdated thinking. And, if you don’t believe me, believe Pixar Animation Studios.

Best known for awarding winning animated feature films like Toy Story, Finding Nemo, and Cars, Pixar has articulated three… More Posted on 11-20-11

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