Dear Vancity Interns…
Dear Vancity Interns (specifically those of you from the 2019 Community Leader Internship Program), Thank you, good luck with your next steps, and holy crap you are a talented group of human beings. Last Friday you completed your internship experience…
Five Reasons Why You Must Learn to Learn
September is right around the corner, so communities around the world are rightly focusing on the importance of learning. The thing is that the ability to learn is the most critical skill for everyone everywhere to develop regardless of whether…
Five Reasons Why Learning Should Be Hard
“I really enjoyed this course” is a phrase that triggers me. The data are clear that having a good time during a learning experience has nothing to do with what we learn. Too often teachers want to be liked, stakeholders…
Three Ways to Instill Work Ethic in Kids
“Grandpa, what chores are we doing today?” is how my two kids started the second day of our vacation to my family home this summer. Sure, my oldest son works the land like most city kids do (with a lot…
The One Thing You Need to Know About Making Friends
After publishing an article about the profound benefits of friendship (it enhances everything from well-being to professional success), I received some feedback that folks wanted to learn more about how to make friends. In 2013, Lifeboat uncovered “the friendship crisis”…
Five Ways to Get Work Done Over the Summer
It can be hard to move work forward during the summer. People are away, the out-of-office replies are everywhere, the weather is hot, and things slow down. The problem is that projects need to be completed and results still need…
The One Thing You Need to Learn in Your Twenties
Over the last few weeks my inbox and social feeds have been peppered (if not flooded) with articles and videos chock full of advice for twentysomethings. A lot of potential can be harnessed during this decade of discovery and I…
Five Ways to Make Learning Happen in the Flow of Work
Enhancing peoples’ ability to learn is one of the most complex challenges facing communities today. Organizations around the world are experiencing unprecedented change thanks to disruptive technologies, shrinking skilled workforces, and new business models. Learning is one of the best…
7 Ways to Make Meetings More Awesome
The purpose of meetings is for people to come together to create shared value – this could mean discussing ideas for organizational changes, improving communications or creating family rules. I have a hunch that, a few times in your career,…
Three Ways the 5AM Club is Making Me a Better Parent
Waking up early has long been a tenet of leadership guru Robin Sharma. In his recent book, The 5AM Club, he outlines tactics for making mornings active, focused and super productive – “own your morning, elevate your life” is a…