An organizational strategy for reducing lies and increasing candour at work
Lies in the workplace are expensive. According to the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, a typical organization loses five per cent of its revenue to fraud – a potential global loss of $3.5 trillion. But the cost of out-and-out fraud pales in comparison to the monumental cost of the erosion of trust that occurs when…
Research shows men are given second chances much more than women
Indira Samarasekera and Martha Piper have been leaders in post-secondary education every step of the way, right up to the presidencies of two of Canada’s top research universities. They explore what they’ve learned in a new book, Nerve: Lessons on Leadership From Two Women Who Went First. Samarasekera made University of Alberta history in 2005 as…
And gain significant advantages on how you deal with people
Humans are genetically programmed to look for facial and behavioural cues and to quickly understand their meaning. We see someone gesture and automatically make a judgment about the intention of that gesture. And we've been doing this for a long time. As a species, we knew how to win friends and influence people – or…
Education, computing science, engineering and business also rank among the best programs in the country
The University of Alberta delivers the top nursing education in Canada and has the third best education program, according to Maclean’s 2022 Canadian University Rankings. “I’m so pleased to see our nursing and education programs receive this recognition,” said U of A president Bill Flanagan. “Nurses and teachers are playing a vital role in the battle against COVID-19,…
Kirtan Dhunnoo credits the scholarship for giving him incredible experiences and job-ready skills
Even as a student at Edmonton’s Strathcona High School back in 2014, Kirtan Dhunnoo had a keen understanding of the potential for leadership in each of us. “Not only are there leaders by labels, but there are leaders by virtue of their widely different personalities,” he wrote in his application for a Schulich Leader Scholarship.…
A "competent jerk" runs the risk of losing out on opportunities and being ignored
How easy are you to work with? It’s worth asking and, even better, checking. To paraphrase Bobby McFerrin of “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” (remember that tune?) fame: In every workday we have some trouble. When you’re difficult to work with, you make it at least double for your colleagues. And if you’re considered a “competent…
Get rid of the negative thoughts and distractions and focus on what's important to you
The news is filled with folks complaining. From politics to economics and everything in between, people are focused on what we don’t have rather than what we do. It’s such a deeply-rooted problem that it makes me wonder if our focus is the primary culprit for all the unhappiness we perceive. When we imagine ourselves…
Alberta program builds skills to take sustainable energy projects from concept to completion
A new certificate the University of Alberta started offering this fall will help fast-track workers into the province’s rapidly growing renewable energy sector. The Renewable Energy Technologies (RET) Certificate is the first of its kind in Alberta to offer learners the flexibility of online, part-time classes, without admission barriers. It can be completed in as little as…
Four questions to ask to ensure your leaders know what they are doing
The world is full of bad leaders. Luckily for the rest of us, they are pretty easy to spot and tend to have limited impact because they generally do not have much influence or staying power. The real concern should be with leaders who are not bad – they just aren't very good. These are…
If you take your time, and trust your gut, you are more likely to find the best candidate
Hiring is rarely something managers look forward to. It often feels like an arduous process that ends in a crapshoot. But there are strategies that improve your odds of hiring well. Don’t stay inside the box. In my experience, employers do not cast a wide enough net when they recruit talent. Human resources professionals and…
Your leadership ability depends entirely on how others evaluate you
You may have a leadership title or tremendous leadership potential, but that in itself doesn’t give you leadership presence. Here are typical comments I hear when asked to coach an up-and-coming female whose career has stalled: “It isn’t that she couldn’t do the next job. It’s that no one on the executive team sees her…
Helpful tips to doing it right
Hankering to go off on your own and start your own business? If you think you've got what it takes, consider launching a microbusiness. Dal LaMagna, a Poulsbo, Wash.-based entrepreneur, says anyone can do it – if they go about it the right way. He speaks from experience. LaMagna launched personal beauty-tool company Tweezerman in…
Studies consistently show that one of the top reasons people quit a job is to escape a bad boss
Cindy, a consistently high performer, has been with her firm for 10 years. She really likes the company, her job and the people she works with. But about six months ago, she found herself with a new boss. He’s an up-and-comer; young and ambitious, but lacking in leadership savvy. Determined to prove himself, he pushes…
Overexuberance can lead to lost opportunities
It’s no secret that we all have different styles when it comes to communicating. Some people are articulate communicators and others aren’t. Some people get right to the point while others tell a story first. Mix communication styles and add emotion and it’s likely that important elements will be missed entirely. Take this example: Justin…
Are you in a motivational rut? Do you loathe your job? Here's help
It isn’t a secret that many of us don’t love our jobs. At the moment, I am happily in that ‘I love my job!’ place. But I remember when, a couple of years ago, I was in the ‘I loathe my job’ place. You may be somewhere in the middle. In many respects, that is…