It’s time you set some goals, tracked your progress and celebrated your successes
Tim Gilbert told me it would be tough but I never realized how tough tree planting was until I stood in the bush in the middle of nowhere, bugs swarming around my head, as I was exposed to the raw elements of a northern spring. With my bag of trees strapped across my hips, shovel…
The federal election results were positive enough that he should get at least one more opportunity to run a winning campaign
The Oct. 21 federal election is barely in the history books and a fresh set of newly-sharpened political knives has already come out for Andrew Scheer. The Conservative leader’s chances of winning this election were slim at the beginning of the year. This all changed with a variety of Liberal missteps: the SNC-Lavalin controversy, the…
What makes a great leader? Great leaders are passionate, encouraging, motivating, inspiring, innovative and committed to what they do. And, when faced with a challenge, they persevere, overcoming adversity and accomplishing incredible feats. And when we think of great leaders, we often think of them sitting behind oak desks in an office tower or speaking…
I thought Justin Trudeau was largely free of his father's unattractive qualities. Or would at least hide them better. I was wrong
Some of the chatter around the federal election focused on the potential comparison between Justin Trudeau in 2019 and his father, Pierre Trudeau, in 1972. Given the circumstances – both men running to defend convincing majorities won four years earlier – it was an obvious topic. I wrote a column on it last January, specifically…
Dan Gaynor of Gaynor Consulting Inc. talks about what makes a good leader
Dan Gaynor is president of Gaynor Consulting Inc. Tell me a little bit about your business and what you do? Gaynor: My work these days is all about helping organizations develop stronger, more satisfying teams through improved leadership. I focus on sharing the timeless and practical skills I believe have always set the best leaders…
Berry picking is a lot like business: you need to to work through the thorns, avoid the bears and pick where others aren’t
I like picking berries in the summer. It’s one of those memories that lasts into the fall and winter, much like the frozen berries that are hidden in the freezer for a tasty bit of summer on a cold day. I’m not sure if I was always a good berry picker but I do remember…
We live in a world of failed and successful social experiments. Repeating patterns tend to reveal deeper truths
The great German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe said, “By seeking and blundering we learn.” How true this is. If we take the time to understand our mistakes, life is rich on so many levels. No individual is immune to error. When we examine why things didn’t work out as we hoped, can find new…
If you want to motivate people, setting a good example is a good place to start
Motivating yourself can be difficult at times, but motivating other people offers a different kind of challenge. Short of standing behind them with a pitchfork and an evil grin, or offering them a gazillion dollars, what can you do to get the best from others, be they employees or colleagues or even family (although that’s…
Milena Radakovic talks about WEDO, and why it’s important to build an ecosystem for women to access information, capital and a network of other women entrepreneurs
Calgary business leader and established entrepreneur Milena Radakovic, president and owner of Nexus Exhibits Ltd., has been appointed Canadian Ambassador of Women’s Entrepreneurship Day Organization (WEDO), the world’s largest grassroots movement dedicated to celebrating, supporting and empowering women worldwide. Women’s Entrepreneurship Day is celebrated at the United Nations and in 144 countries and 65 universities…
Lessons learned on the playing field have shaped many a business leader
Professional sports teams are in a unique position - their sole purpose for being is to win championship cups and their only significant advantage is people. How does that affect how teams manage their human resources? What if companies approached human resource planning and management in the same way? Business, and society, would think about…
If we want to be successful as leaders, we need to create an organizational climate where courage is celebrated
It takes courage for some people to get out of bed each morning and face the day. For others, it’s courageous to go up and say hello to a new person in their class or in their office. People who take risks to save lives, stand up for what’s right, face daily pain, jump out…
If we want to be successful as leaders, we need to create an organizational climate where courage is celebrated
It takes courage for some people to get out of bed each morning and face the day. For others, it’s courageous to go up and say hello to a new person in their class or in their office. People who take risks to save lives, stand up for what’s right, face daily pain, jump out…
The best educators could teach business leaders a thing or two about body language
The best educators could teach business leaders a thing or two about body language. Pygmalion in the Classroom, one of the most controversial publications in the history of educational research, showed how a teacher’s expectations can motivate student achievement. This classic study gave prospective teachers a list of students who had been identified as “high…
Serve customers with people who like people. Keep your employees accountable. And exceed your clients’ expectations
Unfortunately, really great customer service is hard to find. North American consumers say we want a wonderful customer service experience. But in fact, we’ve come to expect something much less. Sometimes we get exceedingly bad customer service and we rant and rage. We believe that when we’re doing business with a company, that company should…
Here’s what you're missing if you don't listen well – and how you can improve your listening skills
Last week, my friend was lamenting the fact she was away for her 16-year-old son’s first day of school and wouldn’t be there to pick him up. Obviously, her son doesn’t need his mom there. But driving him home lets her listen to him vent. It gives her insight into what he’s thinking, how he’s…