Leadership
Women Trail Blazers
March 8, 2022
Linda was a rare bird. Not only was she the only other female candidate at my first-all candidates meeting, but she was also the rarest of creatures, a female incumbent. In 164 years, only six women had ever served on city council in the community, and she was one of them. In 1917, social activist and suffragette Hannah “Annie” Gale...
Failure to Launch
October 12, 2017
In the American romantic comedy, Failure to Launch, Matthew McConaughey’s character, Tripp, lives at home and shows no interest in leaving a comfortable life under his parents’ roof. In some respects, this is the tale of local government in Canada. In the movie, Sarah Jessica Parker’s character, Paula, is hired by Tripp’s parents to encourage him to leave the comfort...
Local governments as social innovators
May 15, 2017
We need more local governments and utilities acting as social innovators in community energy planning and implementation. This is a brand new role for local governments in many ways. For most of their existence, local government in Canada has served as a vehicle to deliver provincial services. That is why they are often called “creatures of the province”. Overall, this has not...
Acts of leadership: change the channel
November 14, 2016
Donald Trump does not believe in climate change. Sadly, he won’t be the first or the last. But, as a head of state in 2016, he is the last man standing. At least for the time being. And that is discouraging. While it might be harder than he thinks to withdraw from the Paris Agreement, the confusion and uncertainty he will...
Rhyze Academy: Mentoring Women Entrepreneurs
October 31, 2016
I recently signed up to be a mentor with the Rhyze Academy. At first I hesitated because an earlier experience with a mentoring program wasn’t entirely positive. I am so glad I did because this time the experience has been completely different. Knowledge Sharing The mentoring relationship began with an assessment of how mentees and mentors seek and interpret knowledge, and how...
We get the governance culture we design
October 5, 2016
The way we distribute the value of our water resources is at the heart of the debate about water takings in Ontario. Whose needs take precedence? Those of a corporation or the public? Most people don’t think they are interested in the topic of governance. But we talk about it all the time. Creating value is the goal of good...
Basic Annual Income lifts more than living standards
September 26, 2016
The Canadian Index of Wellbeing (CIW) will soon release updated findings for 2015. In preparation, they recently brought together individuals with experience in each of the eight wellbeing domains. Together, we explored the connections between domains and what new policies would give the greatest lift for Canadians. Basic Annual Income quickly rose to the top. The positive impact on Living Standards was clear. ...
Sustainability is a disruptor
August 29, 2016
Sustainability is a disruptor because it fundamentally challenges the way we live, work and play. Many of the systems that have evolved over the last century promote short-term decision making. These systems tend to put aside the consideration of broader social, economic and environmental impacts. Climate change, and the externalized costs associated with the release of carbon into the atmosphere, is a good...
Elephants in the room
June 28, 2016
Positive Energy hosted a workshop recently on public confidence in energy decision processes. The conversation focused on public authorities because energy regulators are struggling to engage communities and civil society. The organizers introduced several “elephants” into the room because new social forces are impacting traditional decision processes. These forces impact many sectors not just the energy world. The list began with the...
Our Common Future
March 24, 2016
There was an obituary in the Globe and Mail yesterday celebrating the remarkable contribution of a Canadian civil servant to global thinking on sustainable development and climate change. His name was Jim MacNeill and he was one of the authors of Our Common Future published in 1987. This was an important report in my life and for many people around me at the time. It certainly...
Solution-focused leadership
March 13, 2016
Someone recently sent me this great graphic about the difference between a boss and a leader. Personally, I would say “tyrant” rather than “boss” because they are very hard on an organization. I have also seen this management style referred to as “toxic leadership” in management books. I can think of many stories that are illustrative of these behaviours and their...
Defending democracy
March 5, 2016
Over the years, I was asked many times: “what does a mayor do?” My most common response was to talk about the activities of a mayor – attending meetings, answering constituent questions and joining the community in celebrating special events. Sometimes though, I would answer with what I came to understand was my first and foremost function as a mayor: to...
Boom-bust city building
January 22, 2016
We are an urban nation so city building is a big part of nation building. When the resource economy is in trouble, we become diligent city builders. When the resource economy is thriving, not so much. The Prime Minister has signaled that we can expect an accelerated infrastructure stimulus program. The Bank of Canada has hinted that a bigger-than-expected deficit would be...
Emerging energy professionals
January 4, 2016
I taught my first class today on Community, Energy and Planning. I am feeling lucky to have this opportunity to spend time with emerging energy professionals as they embark on their careers and follow their passion to build a more sustainable future. Graduate students in the Masters of Environmental Studies and Planning programs at York University are enrolled in the class. It is an...
What's the question?
October 19, 2015
So I lied in my last blog post. There is something new that directors of non-profit organizations can do to add value during disruptive times. Directors are concerned with fulfilling their fiduciary and strategic roles. These are still essential to good governance. During times of change, it is also important to help generate new ideas and ways of thinking about a...
Governing during disruptive times
October 17, 2015
I must admit that I am fascinated with our transition from the industrial to digital age so I was both pleased and intrigued to be invited to speak this Wednesday about its implications for governance in the nonprofit sector. The latest technology always tends to steal the show – it was the wonders of the steam engine during the industrial revolution and today...
The invisibility of good public policy
September 23, 2015
When Lee Picolli of Fusion Homes sent me this photo to show that ground had been broken on their Metal Works project, I was very happy for him and his team. I know there was a lot of effort to reach this milestone. I was also reminded of the invisibility of public policy – public policy which in this case created the...
A reunion of collaborators
May 26, 2015
I am heading to Washington DC in a couple of weeks for a reunion of sorts – a reunion of some of the former and current elected officials who met during a multi-year Transatlantic Urban Climate Dialogue (TUCD). The reunion is being organized by the American Institute for Contemporary German Studies. The TUCD is great example of the kind of collaboration...
Recipe for collaboration
May 24, 2015
The collaborations that I have seen to be the most effective in building sustainable and smart communities follow a similar, although always unique, path: Set the agenda. Champion the agenda far and wide. Convene a community conversation to understand what matters. Connect people and ideas from across the community to promote innovation. Provide resources to support change and measure results. In...
Sustainability and CSR start with values
May 17, 2015
There is a reason why corporate social responsibility (CSR) is discussed around board room tables – it is legitimately a governance matter. CSR is about leadership and the values that inform how decisions are made in an organization. Some governance structures – like co-operatives and B Corps – are built around a shared set of social values. Ensuring cities are...
Connection grows prosperity
May 13, 2015
On June 2, I am part of a panel on sustainable and smart cities at a corporate social responsibility (CSR) conference. So why a session on sustainable and smart cities at a conference focussed on improving business performance through CSR, you might ask? I believe businesses will become increasingly invested in the success of cities given the new role of...
Ethical leadership
May 6, 2015
I had a coffee with a young women entrepreneur a few days ago. She is working to certify her retail business as a B Corp and meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency. She is moving on a new business venture and was looking for a few community contacts to help make it a success – for her business...
The tenacity of the status quo
April 29, 2015
The status quo is remarkably tenacious even in the face of overwhelming evidence that change is an imperative. Whether it is a complex global system that needs to change – as is the case with global warming – or a moribund institution that has lost its way, the actors that protect the status quo are incredibly resourceful and resilient. Some...