Start focusing on helping employees develop critical skills and capabilities as they work
If you ask a successful leader to recall his or her most impactful development experience, chances are it happened while engaged in real work. This was once reinforced during a project designed to help organizations transfer and retain the business-critical knowledge of retiring baby boomers. Interviews with more than 40 successful, long-tenured leaders confirmed the best…
In some organizations, teams and businesses, there’s no established chain of leadership. That leads to confusion
I experienced something about leadership recently that I had known for a long time but suddenly understood differently. I’m the assistant coach of a sports team. Our team lost its first two games last weekend against teams it could have beaten. As coaches, we were frustrated because our players weren’t playing to their potential. The…
If you really want to build a collaborative team, make sure you look like you do!
He had assembled a multi-level, multi-functional group – a diagonal slice of 30 people from across the organization – and had taken them off-site for two days to co-create the necessary steps for achieving the company’s new strategic plan. The hope was that collaboration and knowledge sharing would begin at this meeting and expand from…
Business leaders are often under extraordinary stress and they need support and counselling
Over the years, I’ve worked with a number of business leaders who have had breakdowns from the stress of owning or running a business or organization. The symptoms they’ve exhibited are very similar to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, it’s very unlikely that a psychiatrist or psychologist would give them a diagnosis of PTSD. PTSD…
Take some time off for pleasure, don't hesitate when you need to fire someone and above all, play to win
Few politicians in recent history have polarized people the way Donald Trump has. Chances are you either love him or hate him. But whatever you think of him, there’s probably something you could learn from the American president. So what’s Trump doing that most business leaders could learn from? Let’s start with the obvious and…
Sometimes leaders get so caught up in the struggles of their enterprises that they don’t realize the impact they’re having
We were going 64 km/h in a 50 zone on our way to bury Larry when we got pulled over. When the police officer asked the reason why we were going so fast, we told him we were on our way to Larry’s funeral. As he marched back to his car with my wife’s licence…
‘We know that raising the profiles of role models is critical. When you elevate one woman, you elevate all women’
The Women of Inspiration Awards will recognize for the fifth year Canadian role models and heroes who make an impact in the community and the world. The event is being put on by the Canadian Business Chicks. Nominations are open in 23 categories of business and life until midnight June 15. “Recognizing the female role…
A safe environment, fair pay, leadership and consideration for employees’ futures should always be at the forefront
I recently heard of a leader within an organization who was treating his assistant much like a slave. Not only was the leader verbally demeaning to the assistant, he would often bring his dog to work and expect his assistant clean up the mess his dog left in the building. Working in a non-unionized environment,…
What does a properly functioning board of directors look like and how can its members pull their weight?
If you’ve ever sat on the board of a non-profit or charity, sports organization or even a company, you’ve probably noticed that most meetings are boring. Usually one person, the president, runs the meeting using Robert’s Rules of Order. After minimal discussion, the board votes on agenda items, provided a quorum has shown up. Without…
Self-regulation puts us firmly in the driver’s seat of our own life. But it isn’t easy
Recently, I was admiring a burst of tulips in the back garden. I commented on how striking they were. My husband commented on how they were ill-placed. Irritated by his lack of appreciation for the riot of colour, I grabbed a pair of scissors, snipped them off and announced he would no longer need to…
‘The word entrepreneur is synonymous with stepping out of your comfort zone’
Psychological resilience enables entrepreneurs to cope with challenges more effectively. A recent study conducted by Smith School of Business at Queen's University, in partnership with Concordia University, revealed how resilience alone accounts for an eight per cent greater chance of business survival. When mixed with the ability to interpret challenges or setbacks as puzzles to…
Elizabeth MacRae of Commercial Ventures talks about helping owners plan, prepare and execute the sale of their business
Elizabeth MacRae is president of Commercial Ventures. What is Commercial Ventures and what do you do? MacRae: We are a boutique consulting firm, with a holistic model, devoted to helping small business owners plan, prepare and execute a sale of their business. How prepared are most business owners to exit their businesses in the future?…
Leadership is now a blend of personal and interpersonal skills that allow a leader to impact, include and inspire others
Most leaders agree that effective collaboration is more important than ever in today's turbulent business environment. A company's very survival may depend on how well it can combine the potential of its people and the quality of the information they possess with their ability – and willingness – to share what they know with their…
You need to create a foundation now that establishes strong communication and systems, and the ability to adapt
A business in my community recently marked 100 years of operation. There was a party, celebrations and even recognition from politicians for their years of service to the community. I honestly don’t know much about the business except for the great service I’ve experienced as a patron over the years. What I do know, however,…
Stan Peake of InSite Performance Coaching talks about how leaders can ensure success, but it takes work and key values
Stan Peake is founder and executive coach with InSite Performance Coaching. Tell me about your company and what you do? Peake: At InSite Performance Coaching, we help driven, values-based leaders get unstuck and create their legacies. We do this through a systematic process of diagnosing challenges, exploring opportunities, and setting rigour to strategy and measurement…
If you ask a successful leader to recall his or her most impactful development experience, chances are it happened while engaged in real work. This was once reinforced during a project designed to help organizations transfer and retain the business-critical knowledge of retiring baby boomers. Interviews with more than 40 successful, long-tenured leaders confirmed the best…
