A number of years ago I was given a quirky little book by Mac Anderson and Tom Feltenstein called “Change is Good, You Go First”. The sub-title is 21 Days to Inspire Change. Ironically, the publish date for this little gem was 2007, when change was happening, for sure, but could not be more relevant now when the accelerated rate of change far exceeds anything these authors could have predicted 16 years ago. Recently, a new book by Robert Kegan and Lisa Laskow Lahey, called Immunity to Change, has caught my attention because it’s taking change thinkers and theorists by storm. Accordin ..read more

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the workload in your growing business but paralyzed by the thought of hiring someone to help? I sure have. I think it’s one of the most common paradigms small businesses face – when and how to grow when you reach your capacity. Expanding your team can be scary, but when you recognize you can’t (and shouldn’t) do it all, finding the right person to step into your weaknesses and free you up to work on your strengths is the best business strategy you can employ for growth. My first hire as a solopreneur was an admin support person. My gifts are definitely not adm ..read more

One thing we know is true – most people love the holidays, but also find them stressful.This is a paradox that resonates with us on a daily basis, but it is often painfully true during the Christmas season. We are wired to view paradox with discomfort because we want to resolve the seemingly opposing issues. We find ourselves paralyzed, feeling no matter what we choose to do it’s the wrong decision. Knowing that paradox will exist during the holidays, the best way to mitigate the stressful outcomes is to plan ahead. Be aware of what is coming and make intentional choices to prioritize wha ..read more

What initially had employers shaking their heads at the beginning of COVID (wondering how on earth remote work was going to be possible) is now the norm. With today’s workforce distributed between home, the office, and anywhere in between, employee needs have changed. The impacts on your business need to be identified and solved together in order to succeed in this new worker landscape. Successfully managing a hybrid team is about more than just getting everyone on a Zoom meeting once a month, it’s about engaging everyone, no matter how or where they are working. Engagement looks different for ..read more

Think back to that moment in fifth grade when you stepped out onto the baseball field after having struck out three times, terrified that you would again let your team down. Fearful that you would be humiliated by another failure. Keenly aware of the eyes of your teammates and the spectators in the stands. Terrified to lift up the bat one more time. Then you felt an arm on your shoulder and a tug on your ball cap. Your coach leaned down and whispered in your ear, “Come on buddy, I know you can do it. Just keep your eyes on the ball. Don’t think about anything else. I have faith in you.” In on ..read more

Psychological Safety at work is increasingly becoming a priority for employers. According to the CAMH (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health), 1 in 5 Canadians experience a mental illness or addiction problem. The Covid-19 pandemic has added a layer of stress since some employees have been worried about change such as returning to work, getting laid off or learning new tools to work from home. Some employees have also experienced anxiety about the risk of being exposed to the virus at work. Including a focus on mental health in your leadership strategy is no longer optional, but a necessity ..read more

Jared is a new hire at Triple E Electric Co. The company hired him because of his creative approach with his application package, and the innovative ideas he brought to his interview. When offered the job, he was told his creativity was one of the assets he brought to the organization and that the team looked forward to his contributions. But nearing 6 months in the job, Jared wonders whether any of it is true. Creativity has always been one a strength, but when he brings ideas to the table at staff meetings, they are met with resistance. Often, the team won’t even entertain a discussion, and ..read more

Businesses in Canada are facing the biggest talent crisis since the 2008 recession, but unlike then, people are no longer competing for jobs, companies are competing for people. Businesses everywhere are struggling to maintain workforces to keep companies running.  Workhuman.com, a significant player in field of employee recognition, conducted a poll of more than 3500 workers in the US, UK and Canada about employees’ connection to their jobs, companies, and what’s on the horizon. Results showed that more than 40% of workers will be looking for new jobs in the next 12 months. This exodus ..read more

As we move into another Christmas and holiday season, there’s no doubt that many hearts are weary from the impacts of the last two years. While it feels most days like the light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter, many of us are still living with uncertainty that may keep us from moving joyfully into this time of celebration. There are still stresses about what work will look like in the coming year, the ongoing difficulty of staffing shortages for businesses, the losses we have experienced and illnesses we have endured; the ever-changing rules of engagement from the health authorit ..read more

As businesses, large and small, cope with the realities of the workforce shortage, everyone is trying to figure out how to keep their employees. With many industries facing catastrophic shortages, where even losing one or two staff means closing the doors, retention is the number thing on many business owners’ minds. Compensation is not everything, but in a competitive labour market, it is becoming more a factor than in recent years. When there are many jobs and not enough workers, they can also be choosy when comparing salary and compensation offers. How do you know what “competitive” means ..read more