How Agile Methodology and the Co-operative Model Complement Each Other
Earlier this year I took part in two different learning experiences. The first was some pretty standard classroom training that introduced Agile Methodology to employees at Vancity. The second was not standard because I traveled to Bologna in the Emilia-Romagna…
10 Ways to Add Value Like Italians
For the last two weeks I’ve been exploring the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy with my colleagues from Vancity. Our home base was Bologna, the region’s capital, which is the epicenter of the co-operative movement and in possession of Europe’s oldest…
When Employees Win, Organizations Win
Career development within organizations is at its best when corporate culture, learning experiences and peoples’ individual growth align to serve the organization’s vision and values. Simply put, when employees win, organizations win. Vancity is one of Canada’s largest financial co-operatives…
What I Learned from a Week of Prototyping
Creating new learning experiences like onboarding programs, training activities, or youth employment initiatives requires many creative minds, the ability to work rapidly, and a willingness to learn from failures. At Vancity, where I work, our business model of member-led innovation…
Building Community with #theGoodMoneytalks
Today is Vancity Member Day at The Fair at the PNE and I’m excited to focus this article on building community with #theGoodMoneytalks because you can experience them at the PNE today! Inspired by dinner table conversations, #theGoodMoneytalks are focused…
Enhancing Potential in the Canadian Workplace
Enhancing Potential Earlier this year, the Canadian Education and Research Institute for Counselling (CERIC) released its Career Development in the Workplace: National Business Survey, which describes strategies for enhancing potential in the Canadian workplace. In addition to there being a…
How Drawing Together Enhances Creativity
Collaborative drawing is a great way to build trust and foster creativity on your team. This article demonstrates how drawing together enhances creativity. A few weeks ago Vancity’s Learning and Development team worked together to create an impact map of…
Three Ways to Bring Historical Analysis to Your Community
A thorough analysis of the past might just be the best thing for your community’s future. Because great community-builders think like historians. A recent article in the Harvard Business Review by John T. Seaman, Jr. and George David Smith (both historians) entitled “Your Company’s History as a Leadership Tool” argues that “[g]reat leaders…[d]on’t ignore history until the time comes to plan their organization’s next anniversary. And though they may not view themselves as historians, they find it useful to think and talk about the past – in the present and in living color.”