Five Collaborations Lessons From Minority Governments
British Columbia is in new political territory. This week the BC Greens and BC NDP political parties announced that they will collaborate to govern the province for the next four years. Minority and coalition governments are my favourite kind of…
Seven Collaboration Lessons from Shipping Containers
Shipping containers fascinate me. It’s an invention that human civilization agrees on more than anything else. Around the world, people who disagree on politics, Internet access, fashion, art, and what side of the road to drive on. No matter how…
Five Collaboration Lessons from Our Debut Album
I love Dave Shumka and Graham Clark. They are Canadian heroes. Stop Podcasting Yourself is a trailblazing form of the medium that’s been making hearts smile since podcasting was a thing. And their latest project, Our Debut Album, in which…
Six Workplace Collaboration Tips from Brooklyn 99
The Emmy Award and Golden Globe winning hit Fox sitcom Brooklyn 99 is one of my favourite TV shows. I want to be friends with Jake Peralta, I want to be mentored by Ray Holt, and my wife has a…
How to be a Good Listener
THE POTENTIAL OF DIALOGUE Meaningful dialogue is an elusive thing in our communities. Having a respectful conversation with someone about something on which we do not agree isn’t common. Yelling opinions over someone else or building a newsfeed that reinforces…
How to Show Up for a Grieving Colleague
It might be a death in the family, a miscarriage or a new life situation that hugely alters their life trajectory. Whatever is the event, it plummets your colleague into grief. While many workplaces offer short term bereavement leave, it’s…
Three Professional Lessons from my June Sports Soccer Tournament
Earlier this month, I travelled with soccer players from the Vancouver Street Soccer League to Alert Bay to compete in the Aboriginal soccer tournament called June Sports. To read more about this tournament, you can check out this excellent article…
Lessons from My Frienaissance
Last week, my friend Godfrey and I rode our bicycles Seattle over the course of three days. It was a whirlwind trip that tested our physical resolve and, at times, problem solving abilities. After two flat tires, countless sports beans,…
Six Organizational Development Lessons from the San Antonio Spurs
It’s the first round of the NBA Playoffs and the San Antonio Spurs are a title contender. This seems to happen every year. The franchise has become a model of success in the sports entertainment business, as the Spurs have…
Five Community Building Lessons From Football Supporters
As a partner in a Vancouver Whitecaps FC movement called Curva Collective, I know a thing or two about creating a positive atmosphere through collaboration. Whether you call it “football” or “soccer” (I will call it the F-word), being a…