10 Ways to Add Value Like Italians
For the last two weeks I’ve been exploring the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy with my colleagues from Vancity. Our home base was Bologna, the region’s capital, which is the epicenter of the co-operative movement and in possession of Europe’s oldest university....
Seven Co-operative Reflections from Bologna, Italy
For two weeks I am participating in the Emilia-Romagna Co-operative Study Tour, which is a Vancity program designed to enhance knowledge about the co-operative movement and inspire connections between each other, our work and co-operative leadership. The Italian...
Four Career Lessons from Training Day
Starring Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke in their prime, Training Day tells the story of a corrupt cop Alonzo (Washington) who takes his new recruit Jake Hoyt (Hawke) on a hell of a ride for his first day working narcotics in Los Angeles. The film is just awesome....
Five Leadership Lessons from Daniel and Henrik Sedin
We’re a fickle, precious bunch here in Vancouver. We consistently rank amongst the best places in the world to live, yet we never run out of reasons to point out what needs fixing. We’re thankful not to have a highway pummeling through the city but we hate the endless...
Four career building tips from Resident Evil
My wife and I love zombie movies and Netflix has one our favourites. Resident Evil is based on a zombie-hunting video game by Capcom. In the film, the Umbrella Corporation – a company of profound political and economic power - operates a secret research facility (aka...
Eight Fast & Furious Ways to Enhance Learning Agility
Many of the Fast & Furious movies are showing up on Canadian Netflix. All the way up to Fast Five, I think. For the record, I still haven’t seen the eighth one, but I have read The Ringer staff’s exit survey about it. After re-watching the first few films (in the...
Five Ways to Earn Your Job Every Day
Last week I walked into the lobby of the building where I work and noticed a colleague, Kira, sitting in the chairs typically used by interviewees or guests. “Are you hear for an interview?” I joked. “Yes, for the Manager, Community Investment role,” she replied. Her...
Five ways to bounce back from a failed job application
Most of us will probably apply for more positions than we get. You need to be prepared to deal with career disappointment from time to time. The farther along the application process you make it, the more it can sting when you learn you weren’t the successful...
Three Ways to Futureproof Our Kids
The future is exciting and also makes me nervous. I guess you could say that I’m nervited about the years ahead and how to prepare my kids for what’s coming. Figuring out how to get them ready for a Terminator-Matrix-Looper-Hunger-Games scenario is part of my process,...
Seven Strategies for Creating an Awesome Vision
Sharing a compelling vision for your organization’s year ahead, your team’s work priorities or your family’s vacation is a differentiator. When a community clearly understands why something is happening and how it will unfold, shit gets done and people have fun doing...
Five Ways to Create Positive Community Collisions
I think that we need to disrupt our social networks by thinking of and engaging with other people. Wharton super-professor Adam Grant recently tweeted that what actually drives prejudice is “in-group love, not out-group hate”. We need to engage and connect with...
Five Tips for Being More Romantic from Notting Hill
It’s Valentines Day today and I recently watched Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts light up the screen and box office with the romantic comedy Notting Hill on Netflix. In case you missed it, the film tells the story of ordinary William Thacker, an everyday English...
Six Lessons About Being Cool from Pete the Cat
Having two kids under four means I have the privilege of reading Pete the Cat stories by literary genius James Dean. My wife appreciates that the characters are always kind to each other and that each story ends with a simple and impactful life lesson. I agree with...