The Potentiality

John Horn's Website for Community Builders

canada

Four Leadership Lessons from our Reconciliation Journey

As a member of Vancity’s leadership development program I am on a journey to become a better leader. Engaging in deep self-reflection, peer-mentoring and self-directed learning with the intention of creating new habits that help me to be more present,…

ActiveHistory.ca Enhances Community Potential

The Opener | How the past informs our communities’ potential The Potentiality inspires and educates passionate community builders. One of the ways we do this is by featuring organizations (businesses, social enterprises, schools, and non-profits) that are doing cool things…

Vacations and Canada’s Work Ethic

I love the rumour/fact that the French are in possession of the most productive economy on the planet. The argument that the French get the most done while spending the least amount of time at work was recently put forward by Business Insider’s John Carney and Vincent Fernando. The Wall Street Journal and MSNBC, however, counter with some solid arguments about American productivity – not only do Americans spend more time at work, but they also produce more wealth-per-person than anywhere else.

Careers from Graduate School

Last week my friend, Dr. Jim Clifford, shared an article by William Pannapacker on Slate.com that painted a pretty grim picture about the plight of graduate students. First, you should watch this video montage, which is brilliant: Second, the above…

1000 Community Stories

How will you remember?

Tomorrow is Remembrance Day. For many, this somber day is uncomplicated and direct. Wake up. Put on dapper attire (perhaps medals). Place poppy over heart. Attend parade. Sing at concert. Educate a young person. Be silent for a moment. Now. Some…

From We to Me: A Canadian’s Guide to Democracy Inaction

Yesterday some amazing news flashed across my screen. It came in two parts – each more sensationally exciting than the last. First, Maxime Bernier, who last week claimed that – during his his tenure as Industry Minister – his office…

1000 Community Stories

Discovering a Town Square

It rained, and rained, and rained.

Early spring on the west coast can be like that.

Somehow we’d managed to be on the ball enough to all be in Squamish on the same weekend. That in itself was a major triumph for a group comprised of a dad, a gypsy pirate with no fixed address, a serious diver who lives on the island, and a Northerner with two massive (and massively high-maintenance) dogs that need a dedicated sitter if he’s away for more than 5 minutes.