Culture Trumps Talent
The key challenge for any hockey coach is to create the necessary bonding, team chemistry – or what I call culture – to get the job done. In other team sports, we have seen superstars with enormous individual talent come together for the olympics, for example, but were not able to gel as a team, […]
Corporate Culture
I’ve been observing and learning from some of the best companies in Canada these days. Some time ago, I had the opportunity to spend some time with Sean Durfy, former President and CEO of WestJet (“Durf,” they call him around WestJet). WestJet, one of Canada’s icon companies, has a vision that they will be one […]
Constancy: Success Lies In Your Habits
Walt Disney had four keys to success. One of them was constancy. I interpret constancy as “staying on the path whether or not you are in the mood.” However, first you have to have a path, a direction a vision. And then you have to stay with it even when you are bored, fearful, or […]
Inspire, Illuminate and Encourage Authenticity in Leaders
If anyone out there is attempting to grow thier business to a new level (and who among us is not), It can often be helpful to revisit your mission statement. The passion and promise of our business is to build cultures of trust that attract, retain, inspire, and unleash greatness. Its about making this world […]
Tragedy As A Gift In Disguise
Over the years, I have learned that every life circumstance, even a tragedy, provides an opportunity to grow. A friend recently told me of how she had lost her farm and her home that she loved so much in a horrible fire. Everything she owned and collected for more than sixty years was destroyed. “At […]
Smart Vs. Healthy: Unlocking Your Organization’s Potential
What would you rather be: smart or healthy? Do you know a smart person who is not reaching their potential because of poor health? You can be brilliant, but if you are depressed, sick, or suffering from low energy, chronic pain, or inflexibility, your capacity will be diminished. It doesn’t matter how smart you are, […]
Acceptance Of Our Darker Self: A Key To Leadership
I was coaching an executive recently who was sent to work with me by her CEO. The presenting problem was an extremely low score on a recent 360 survey. The results of her feedback were that she was a competent professional but had very poor interpersonal skills. When I tried to get the executive’s perspective […]
Nurturing The Artist Within
Picasso said that we are all artists when we are 8 years old; we have to be taught not to be artists. Just as we suppress the artist within us, we are indoctrinated to not trust the authentic self within us – the essence of who we are. By trying to meet the expectations of […]
THE PERFORMANCE CRITICAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM™ A Hammer Won’t Build You A House
Take a moment to think of the last time you heard a good motivational speaker. We love to get away from work and life, step back and be entertained, educated, inspired, and even provoked. But now ask honestly: “Did you implement the ideas and strategies the speaker addressed in their speech?” You may take away […]
Entitlement: Greatness Run Aground
I have noticed that every time a great culture is built, there appears to be an opposite and equal reaction to greatness: entitlement. It seems to be human nature. If you give your kids a lot, they want more. I grew up with telephone party lines, with one line for up to five or six […]
