Blog - Leadership



‘The Bump’ hasn’t knocked race walker Evan Dunfee off course

“The Bump” has become the defining moment of Evan Dunfee’s career, and the 26-year-old race walker from Richmond, B.C., is still coming to terms with its significance. Two months later, I’m curious to see what the rest of us can learn from his personal reflections.

What’s your next Gold Medal Moment?

What’s your next Gold Medal Moment?  What is that thing you want that is so huge that it scares you? I was scared to set the goal of winning an Olympic Gold Medal. Telling too many people about a ginormous goal can create a crippling level of pressure and expectations.  

Hard Work is your Key to Success

I was working for a large engineering company that built mega-projects. A manager confided in me at the networking session after my speech.  “There are two types of people that I will hire for my project teams,” he said. “Athletes and farmers.  They know how to work hard and they push when the going gets … Continued

Reinvent your Listening Skills to Improve Communication

Listening skills can make or break your team, your company, your marriage. Do you have the patience to really listen? When we listen we hear words. We also see body language, and hear the pitch of voice. A mis-directed vocal tone, or some poor gestures can block what really needs to be communicated. Guard against … Continued

The Power of Human Power

Human power is underrated. It contrasts against other energy systems where energy used means less energy in the bank. In the human energy system, you gain more energy by using your energy. Think of exercise.

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Refugee crisis leaves mark on Rio Olympics

My mixed feelings post-Rio left me searching for hope. Is the Olympic movement doing anything right? Is there hope for the social aims of the Games? We all bought into the pre-games criticism. Fears of Zika, political meltdowns, social oppression and security issues kept too many of us away from Brazil. These same fears also … Continued

Harness the Power of Loneliness

loneliness |ˈloʊnlin1s| A complex and usually unpleasant emotional response to isolation or lack of companionship How do you handle your feelings of loneliness? I was reminded of the power of loneliness when I once picked up a hitchhiker in northern Saskatchewan. After weeks of solo travel, I was driving on a snowy highway through the bleak … Continued

Power words propel Canadian rowers to silver

When you have a moment that counts, can you boil everything down to one or two words? It’s a strategy that worked for our Silver Medal winning Lightweight Women’s Double, Lindsay Jennerich and Patricia Obee of Victoria, BC.  “It truly was all we had. I pretty much petered out for the last two strokes,” said … Continued

Thoughts on Psychological Safety

Psychological Safety – sīkəˈläjəkəl ˈsāftē Psychological safety is the most studied enabling condition in group dynamics and team learning research.  Psychological safety is a shared feeling of safety, experienced by each team member.  In psychologically safe teams, team members feel accepted and respected. In Project Aristotle, Google found this quality to be of most importance in high-functioning … Continued

Olympic moments will leave big impact on community in Rio favelas

I wanted to get outside the fence and ended up watching the opening ceremony in the Vidigal Favela. I was looking for a rawer view of the Olympics and wondered how deep into the favelas the Olympic movement would reach. We arrived at the community celebration in our VW taxi van. A few girls were practicing their … Continued