A Father Son Surfing Haiku
Smiles on the water. Sticky wetsuit trauma over. Waves have energy. – A haiku inspired by the hours of rocking waves (struggling, popping, falling, surfing, learning) that the Oldest Boy and I spent on Canada’s West Coast.
Build Strong Relationships Through Community Service
The world is weird and tense and unsettling these days. Building strong, diverse relationships help communities become connected and resilient for the long term. A few weeks ago, I joined dozens of neighbours for a beach cleanup with Surfrider. We…
How to Spread Kindness in Your Community
Many years ago I presented at the University of British Columbia’s Student Leadership Conference (it’s one of the largest conferences in North America). I focused on straightforward tips on how to spread kindness in your community at school, at work…
The Community Building Potential of … Malls?!
There we were, skipping and laughing ironically through Kitchener-Waterloo’s largest mall. My grad school roommate and current awesome friend, Jim, and I were hilariously lampooning the community building potential of malls by drawing a clear counterpoint to how they are…
How to Show Love at Work
Expressing gratitude, joy and affection at work boosts productivity and creativity. One effective method is using gratitude jars. Here’s how to show love at work (or school or your community): Create a table with two columns: one for names and…
Five Characteristics of the New Economy
Building the next economy will take a movement. Community builders, educators, economists, urbanists, policymakers, business leaders, cooperators, activists, parents, kids, neighbours, and even a few celebrities must unite to build a better normal through societal recovery. Something that we are…
Reimagine the Grind
In our house, we use a whiteboard to plan meals, activities, and deadlines each week. We used to call it The Grind because of our busy lives as working parents with two kids. But recently, my wife Michelle helped us…
Three Metaphors for Modern Organizations
The workplace is like a factory: a hyper-efficient, soul-crushing assembly line where creativity is bolted down with automated machinery and lean processes. Workers create value as cogs in an industrious, uniform way. In some warehouses, they maximize productivity by peeing…
A Happy New Year Haiku
Happy new year goals. Pathways full of potential. Make the luck you need. – A haiku about 2025, which is a year full of promise and potential for all of us (especially when we embrace planned happenstance by making the most…
The Definitive Pros and Cons of Keeping a CYA Folder
Keeping a Cover Your Ass (CYA) folder can be a career lifeline. This practice is designed to protect our reputation by keeping documents, emails, and other evidence that can be used to clarify misunderstandings and defend against unfounded accusations. The…