Why You Should Spend Less Time on Social Media
Social media is a wonderful medium for connecting and informing communities. Platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat, however, ask for too much of our time, erode our relationships, and often cause us to be addicted to the distraction of push notifications and...
Life Lessons I Learned from Flying with a Baby
I recently returned from a vacation in Europe. All told, my wife and 10-month old son managed to commute between Vancouver, Toulouse and Barcelona with six separate flights. Some were long, eight-hour hauls, while others were shorter. Flying with a baby isn't easy....
How to Transition into Paternity Leave
I started two-months of parental leave – or paternity leave – this week. Kurt has written some great stuff on how to get the most out of your paternity leave. This piece will focus on some of the things that have made the transition from full time work to full time...
Three Career Lessons from Vancouver’s Craft Brewers
It’s summer in Vancouver and odds are you’ve noticed the proliferation of craft breweries across the city. There’s a reason they are so popular. Craft breweries offer a tempting and tasty opportunity to try new brews in interesting and engaging environments. You don’t...
How my Mom is Winning the Sharing Economy
"In the collaborative economy, people can get what they need from each other - instead of buying from you," says Jeremiah Owyang in his awesome presentation called "sharing is the new buying" that outlines how to win in the collaborative economy. It's awesome and I've...
Four Professional Lessons from Northern Italy
Italy is hot, beautiful and the home of some of the best food in the world. While renowned for its gastronomical delights, Italy also has plenty to teach us about our professional selves. After traveling there this summer, here are four career tips I think North...
Three Career Lessons I Learned from Tossing Hay Bales
I grew up in a small rural community on Vancouver Island, British Columbia called Merville. When I was a kid I helped my dad help his best friend clear hundreds of hay bales from his field. When I was a little older I worked with - and eventually supervised - the crew...
Three Workplace Lessons from Canada Day Celebrations
All across the country, people are celebrating our nation's birth today. Eclectic parades are rolling down streets from Sydney, Nova Scotia to Sidney, British Columbia. Folks are firing up their barbecues and grilling premium Alberta beef. Kids are screaming around...
Six Tips for Collaborative Presenting
We’re nearly two months into wedding season and this means speeches. Lots of ‘em. Sometimes you can get away with giving a speech or a toast solo. In many cases, giving a speech requires collaborative team writing and dynamic duo presentations. Doing it well results...
When Employees Win, Organizations Win
Career development within organizations is at its best when corporate culture, learning experiences and peoples’ individual growth align to serve the organization’s vision and values. Simply put, when employees win, organizations win. Vancity is one of Canada’s...
Five Steps for Becoming a Great Listener
You and your partner are locked in verbal battle. No matter how you express it, they don’t seem to get it. Instead they seem to be waiting for the last word to come out of your mouth so that they can jump in with their counterpoint. It pisses you off. You aren’t able...
What I Learned from a Week of Prototyping
Creating new learning experiences like onboarding programs, training activities, or youth employment initiatives requires many creative minds, the ability to work rapidly, and a willingness to learn from failures. At Vancity, where I work, our business model of...
Five Professional Lessons I’ve Learned from my Dentist
Going to the dentist is rarely an enjoyable exercise. It’s stressful, uncomfortable and sometimes painful. But while it is rarely pleasant, there are plenty of professional lessons we can all learn from going to the dentist. Here are five career lessons you can take...