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| Graduates 2011! Photo Credit Richard Chicoine What's New?
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10.8.11
XO What's New?
19.6.11
Leadership from Sea to Sky (Whistler BC)
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| Photo Credit: Richard Chicoine iCopyright 2011 Summer's Here! & that means that the XOWhat Blog will post wheneverly! I will be featuring Leadership Programs in other parts of Canada... as well as news about our 2012 Class initiatives. Back to regular (weekly) schedules at the end of August, when our newest cohort will be highlighted. In the meantime, if you'd like to take on the role of "Guest Blogger", just send me your stories and they will appear! Starting in the west! Introducing ... "Sea to Sky" (British Columbia) |
Canadian Community Leadership Co-Chair, Jonathon Perkins visited Leadership Sea to Sky. In the CCLNet newsletter, QUEST, he tells us:
"On May 18th, I was priviledged to visit with the current cohort of the Leadership Sea-to-Sky program in Whistler, B.C., as part of a visit to observe the
Trudeau Foundation Summer Institute.
As part of their regular learning day, the group was hosting a discussion with Seth Klein of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, BC Office,
followed by a community event later that evening on the same subject.
Seth's powerful message was around the significant opportunity we have
to change the course of Canadian poverty reduction plans
by emphasizing the concept of the living wage.
Read more HERE:
A visit to Leadership Sea-to-Sky
***
Take a look...What is CCLNet?
Leadership Thunder Bay Class
photos on CCLNet's New Website!
***
PSST...How's the 100 Day Plan???
13.6.11
Presenting...Our Graduates!
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| Photo Credit: Richard Chicoine iCopyrigh 2011 Harbour Youth Services 40th Anniversary AMAZING Race CAP Team! Dani Feenstra, Evelyn Tuomi, John Walmark, Kimberly Nott |
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| Photo Credit: Richard Chicoine iCopyright 2011 "Electoral Participation ONWA" CAP Team (Ground-breaking research!) Paul Francis, Krysta Logozzo, Mary Jo Dool, Joe Zamal |
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| Photo Credit: Richard Chicoine iCopyright 2011 The "Out of Darkness" CAP Team (A Canadian First Walk!): Gregory Brenk, Samantha Moir, Fern Tarzia, Nancy Campbell, Robin Cawlishaw |
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| Photo Credit: Richard Chicoine iCopyright 2011 YES Student Mentoring CAP Team ("Leadership for our next generation") Vivian Ledger, Nikos Mantis, Margot Ross, Stephanie Ross What a difference these leaders have made in our community - already! Let me conclude an incredible Leadership Thunder Bay year with an invitation to a piece written by Peter Block in his book, "Community: The Structure of Belonging". "The context that restores community is one of possibility, generosity, and gifts - rather than one of problem solving, fear and retribution. A new context acknowledges that we have all the capacity, expertise and resources that an alternative future requires. Communities are human systems given form by conversations that build relatedness, where citizens show up by choice. The SMALL GROUP is the unit of transformation and the container for the experience of belonging. Conversations that focus on stories, parables and a focus on the future, restore our communities (and our people). A heartfelt THANK YOU to our Host Organizations for allowing our small CAP teams become part of YOUR Conversations and YOUR futures! Best, Maggie |
11.6.11
Congratulations Alumni!
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| Photo Credit: Richard Chicoine iCopyright 2011 |
An Invitation for You
Leadership Thunder Bay is one of 20 programs across Canada. We are proud to be part of the Canadian Community Leadership Network, affiliated to support the growth and development of each participant.
LTB's core is its' volunteers - mostly Alumni - who work tirelessly throughout the year to ensure that your experience is always at the height of quality and tailored to your leadership learning objectives. Our communities become stronger, each time a new graduate commits to sharing their own leadership skills with others.
Leadership Thunder Bay invites you to consider volunteering with us!
The Board of Directors is comprised of Alumni. We are seeking nominations for the Board, with one vacancy to run until November 2011, with reappointment for a 2 year term. We may have another position to fill at the AGM in November as well.
(The Board meets monthly for 90 minutes, as well as taking on roles with AdHoc Committees and Strategic Planning initiatives.)
Are you ready to make top level decisions with us? Let our President, Stewart Kallio know about your interest in serving with the Board.
*
The Program Committee oversees the design of the Curriculum, decides on content and guest presenters as well as locations for Leadership Learning Days. A separate Evaluation Committee reviews results and assists with learning objectives. The Community Action Project (CAP) committee supports the experiential component of the program).
We need: 2 members for the Curriculum Committee (maternity leaves!), and others for Evaluation and CAP/Conference Committee.
Are you interested in serving on the Program Committee?
Let Rebecca Johnson know about your preferences.
*
The Community Engagement Committee - Alumni!
Would you like to be the Class Representative for 2010-2011? Two of you can share the duties of attending Alumni Meetings (monthly) and helping to plan special events (like the Fireside Chat in November and special luncheons, etc.)
If you are ready to step up as an Alumni/Class Rep or member of Alumni Committee, please let Melanie Zigman, Alumni Chair (or myself) know about your interests.
*
Other Opportunities
We need you in many other ways as well: Guest presenter/Alumni at Learning Days... Co-facilitator at the Retreat... Contacting sponsors and assisting with fund-raising... Ad Hoc committees.... Photographers/Writers/Artists...
*
"Success is getting what you want, and happiness is wanting what you get." (David Gardner)
Wishing you much happiness and success,
Maggie
PS Act on these opportunities NOW!
30.5.11
Top 100 Canadian CEO to Speak At LTB Grad
Julie Dill is President of Union Gas Limited.
Special Guest Announcement!
An open invitation...
Union Gas Limited has been an outstanding Sponsor and supporter of Leadership Thunder Bay - from Day 1! We are pleased to announce a special guest appearance by Ms. Julie Dill, President at our graduation ceremonies. She is outstanding! Ms. Dill will be speaking about authenticity in leadership.
Please invite your colleagues, family and friends to this special portion of our celebration evening, beginning at 6:40 pm. There is no charge to attend, but please RSVP to Rebecca Johnson (rjohnson@thunderbay.ca). And of course, ask everyone to stay for cake!
**********************************************************************************************
Ms Julie Dill has a wealth of experience in the energy sector, having served in a number of executive capacities in the natural gas and power industries.
Before assuming her current role in January 2007, she served as group executive – investor relations and chief communications officer for Duke Energy. She was responsible for monitoring changes and trends in investment markets, as well as developing, maintaining and enhancing key relationships and communications with retail and institutional investors, financial analysts and financial institutions. Dill also led the corporation’s communications and public affairs functions.
Dill joined Duke Energy International (DEI) in September 1998 as senior vice president of planning and finance and chief financial officer for DEI, where she was responsible for economic and strategic analysis, planning and all aspects of financial and management accounting and reporting. In June 2001, she was named executive vice president, Asia Pacific. She was responsible for the assets and operations in Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia, which included 1439 net miles (2300 km) of natural gas pipelines, 778 net megawatts of thermal power generation and energy marketing across the region. She was named vice president of investor and shareholder relations in January 2005. She was named to her current position in January 2007.
Prior to joining DEI, Dill was fiscal director of transportation with Equilon Enterprises, a Royal Dutch Shell company. During her 17 years with Shell Oil Company, she served in several leadership capacities that included assignments in exploration and production, internal auditing, and refining and marketing. Dill was also involved in the transition work and strategic planning for the alliance between Shell, Texaco and Star Enterprises in the U.S. refining and marketing business.
Dill received a bachelor of business administration degree, summa cum laude, in finance from New Mexico State University (NMSU).
Dill serves as vice-chair of the Ontario Energy Association and is past chair of the Canadian Gas Association. She also serves on the Board of the United Way of Chatham-Kent, was a founding member of the United Way of Chatham-Kent’s Women’s Leadership Council and sits on the Advisory Council for the College of Business and Economics at New Mexico State University. She was named one of the top 50 Women in Energy in 2002 and named by the Ontario Energy Association as the Energy Leader of the Year in 2010. She was named to the New Mexico State University College of Business Hall of Fame in 2000, and was the 2010 Distinguished Alumni for the College of Business.
Union Gas Limited is a major Canadian natural gas storage, transmission and distribution company based in Ontario with nearly 100 years of experience and service to customers. The distribution business serves 1.3 million residential, commercial and industrial customers in more than 400 communities across northern, southwestern and eastern Ontario. Union Gas's growing storage and transmission business offers premium storage and transportation services to customers at the Dawn Hub, the largest underground storage facility in Canada and one of the largest in North America. It offers customers an important link in the movement of natural gas from Western Canadian and U.S. supply basins to markets in central Canada and the northeast U.S. A Spectra Energy (NYSE: SE) company, Union Gas has assets of $5 billion and approximately 2,200 employees. For more information, visit uniongas.com.
President, Union Gas Limited
For more information, contact Executive Communications 713.627.5400
Spectra Energy 5400 Westheimer Court Houston, TX 77056-5310
www.spectraenergy.com
Union Gas Limited 50 Keil Drive North Chatham, ON Canada N7M 5M1 519.352.3100
www.uniongas.com
11.08.2010
Executive Profile
Julie A. Dill
Ms Julie Dill has a wealth of experience in the energy sector, having served in a number of executive capacities in the natural gas and power industries.
Before assuming her current role in January 2007, she served as group executive – investor relations and chief communications officer for Duke Energy. She was responsible for monitoring changes and trends in investment markets, as well as developing, maintaining and enhancing key relationships and communications with retail and institutional investors, financial analysts and financial institutions. Dill also led the corporation’s communications and public affairs functions.
Dill joined Duke Energy International (DEI) in September 1998 as senior vice president of planning and finance and chief financial officer for DEI, where she was responsible for economic and strategic analysis, planning and all aspects of financial and management accounting and reporting. In June 2001, she was named executive vice president, Asia Pacific. She was responsible for the assets and operations in Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia, which included 1439 net miles (2300 km) of natural gas pipelines, 778 net megawatts of thermal power generation and energy marketing across the region. She was named vice president of investor and shareholder relations in January 2005. She was named to her current position in January 2007.
Prior to joining DEI, Dill was fiscal director of transportation with Equilon Enterprises, a Royal Dutch Shell company. During her 17 years with Shell Oil Company, she served in several leadership capacities that included assignments in exploration and production, internal auditing, and refining and marketing. Dill was also involved in the transition work and strategic planning for the alliance between Shell, Texaco and Star Enterprises in the U.S. refining and marketing business.
Dill received a bachelor of business administration degree, summa cum laude, in finance from New Mexico State University (NMSU).
Dill serves as vice-chair of the Ontario Energy Association and is past chair of the Canadian Gas Association. She also serves on the Board of the United Way of Chatham-Kent, was a founding member of the United Way of Chatham-Kent’s Women’s Leadership Council and sits on the Advisory Council for the College of Business and Economics at New Mexico State University. She was named one of the top 50 Women in Energy in 2002 and named by the Ontario Energy Association as the Energy Leader of the Year in 2010. She was named to the New Mexico State University College of Business Hall of Fame in 2000, and was the 2010 Distinguished Alumni for the College of Business.
Union Gas Limited is a major Canadian natural gas storage, transmission and distribution company based in Ontario with nearly 100 years of experience and service to customers. The distribution business serves 1.3 million residential, commercial and industrial customers in more than 400 communities across northern, southwestern and eastern Ontario. Union Gas's growing storage and transmission business offers premium storage and transportation services to customers at the Dawn Hub, the largest underground storage facility in Canada and one of the largest in North America. It offers customers an important link in the movement of natural gas from Western Canadian and U.S. supply basins to markets in central Canada and the northeast U.S. A Spectra Energy (NYSE: SE) company, Union Gas has assets of $5 billion and approximately 2,200 employees. For more information, visit uniongas.com.
President, Union Gas Limited
For more information, contact Executive Communications 713.627.5400
Spectra Energy 5400 Westheimer Court Houston, TX 77056-5310
www.spectraenergy.com
Union Gas Limited 50 Keil Drive North Chatham, ON Canada N7M 5M1 519.352.3100
www.uniongas.com
11.08.2010
Executive Profile
Julie A. Dill
25.5.11
Where You Heading?
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| Photo Credit: Richard Chicoine iCopyright 2011 A few more weeks, and you'll be hitting the trails as an Alumni... Happy Trails to You Happy trails to you, until we meet again. Happy trails to you, keep smilin' until then. Who cares about the clouds when we're together? Just sing a song and bring the sunny weather. Happy trails to you, 'till we meet again. Some trails are happy ones, Others are blue. It's the way you ride the trail that counts, Here's a happy one for you. Happy trails to you, until we meet again. Happy trails to you, keep smilin' until then. Who cares about the clouds when we're together? Just sing a song and bring the sunny weather. Happy trails to you, 'till we meet again. - Dale Evans and Roy Rogers Did you just hum along to this old campfire song? Did you hear the leadership message? Great advice pops up out of nowhere every day. Being "mindful" - in the moment - helps you to dig well beneath the surface of just any old lyric to spark up your leadership style. "Its the way you ride the trail that counts..." This month's theme is "authenticity", being true to yourself...not faking it...knowing where you're going... Who packed your camper full of gear...set your direction? Are you travelling so fast that you don't catch that special double rainbow as you glide past? Some Old "Cowboy Rules" Still Apply to Leadership!Roy Rogers was known as King of the Cowboys. Dale Evans was Queen of the West. Roy and Dale started off in radio, and became the tv leaders of a generation of kids in the 50's. Roy Rogers Riders Club Rules: 2. Be courteous and polite. 3. Always obey your parents. 4. Protect the weak and help them. 5. Be brave but never take chances. 6. Study hard and learn all you can. 7. Be kind to animals and take care of them. 8. Eat all your food and never waste any. 9. Love God and go to Sunday school regularly. 10. Always respect our flag and our country. Just for fun...for the right-brainers: "Don't Fence Me In" Oh, give me land, lots of land under starry skies above, Don't fence me in. Let me ride through the wide open country that I love, Don't fence me in. Let me be by myself in the evenin' breeze, And listen to the murmur of the cottonwood trees, Send me off forever but I ask you please, Don't fence me in. Just turn me loose, let me straddle my old saddle Underneath the western skies. On my Cayuse, let me wander over yonder Till I see the mountains rise. I want to ride to the ridge where the west commences And gaze at the moon till I lose my senses And I can't look at hovels and I can't stand fences Don't fence me in. Oh, give me land, lots of land under starry skies, Don't fence me in. Let me ride through the wide open country that I love, Don't fence me in. Let me be by myself in the evenin' breeze And listen to the murmur of the cottonwood trees Send me off forever but I ask you please, Don't fence me in Just turn me loose, let me straddle my old saddle Underneath the western skies On my Cayuse, let me wander over yonder Till I see the mountains rise. Ba boo ba ba boo. I want to ride to the ridge where the west commences And gaze at the moon till I lose my senses And I can't look at hobbles and I can't stand fences Don't fence me in. No. Poppa, don't you fence me in |
14.5.11
The Final Question(s)
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| Photo Credit: Richard Chicoine iCopyright 2011 Leadership "Flow" I invite you to look forward to feeling uncomfortable as you delve into your leadership journey in, perhaps, a new and unfamiliar way. I invite you to orchestrate your own happiness, and let go of some familiar fears, frustrations and stress. I invite you to ask for feedback on your VIA Character Strengths. I invite you to replace judgment of yourself and others with questions. Get into "flow"..... Who is the "authentic" you? What is your "Why"? How does your "Why" work in the world around you? TO DO: TA DAH! Send your questions for the HOT SEAT round to us this week. I will post on next week's blog, so you'll have a "heads up" for what might be in store. If you need to chat, or go for coffee to discuss where you're at, just let me know. Best.... happy searching, Maggie |
9.5.11
Passion? What rhymes with passion?
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| Photo Credit: Richard Chicoine iCopyright 2011 3 Veils Waterfalls "Power + Influence + Passion" Extraordinary Leadership's PASSION Let me introduce you to the most passionate poet of the Century - Kirk Nugent. He's got a cool, dynamic perspective on what it takes to get the most out of your life, including a little chunk on what's happening in the cemetary. Take a look - and if you have time, a second (deeper) review. Which lines really speak to you? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tb-Iweijt1s&feature=related (Kirk Nugent "Pursue Your Passion" with text) "Education is a wonderful thing, provided you always remember that nothing worth knowing can ever be taught."- Oscar Wilde |
26.4.11
A simple question
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| Photo Credit: Richard Chicoine iCopyright 2011 A simple question for you: What If... You begin every day with YES? One person's interpretation here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwjzmFNIWEQ&feature=related |
19.4.11
Is A Happy Leader A Better Leader?
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| Photo Credit: Richard Chicoine iCopyright 2011 Happy You? Happy Them? There's a fundamental principle here: What is "real" happiness? How is that inner joy, joie de vivre connected to your leadership? Let's start with an excerpt of the Flip Side by author Sharon Saltzberg. (with thanks to Sandra Schrift) Spiritual teacher, Sharon Salzberg, reminds us that The Five Hindrances are obstacles that arise in our meditation practice—and in our lives—that throw us into confusion. They are: Desire, Aversion, Laziness, Restlessness, and Doubt. Each of them has its own way of knocking us off the path of practice, and yet, dealing with the Hindrances is our practice. If we had no negative emotional states to confront, we wouldn't be on the spiritual path at all! “ Each of us has a genuine capacity for love, forgiveness, wisdom and compassion. Meditation awakens these qualities so that we can discover for ourselves the unique happiness that is our birthright.” To hear Sharon Saltzberg chat about "REAL" Happiness, go to http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/16/sharon-salzberg-real-happiness_n_824042.html To read her views on "RESILIENCE", click on http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sharon-salzberg/sorrow-resilience-human-spirit_b_810425.html Happiness is an "asset" of yours. Is a happy leader a better leader? What do you think? ps: remember to complete the VIA Strengths survey & send me a copy of your results. Best! Maggie |
12.4.11
Feeling Good!!!
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| Photo Credit: Richard Chicoine iCopyright 2011 Are You At Your BEST? |
Have you thought about your best level of performance as a leader?
When does it happen for you? How mentally tough are you?
"When you feel good...you perform well."
To be "mentally tough"
- courageously moving forward -
means that you have the ability to create and maintain
positive internal feelings
regardless of the circumstances.
Which comes first -
the positive feelings
or the
outstanding performance?
If you think "feeling good" is a result of doing well,
you've got it backwards.
Thanks to the configuration of the human nervous system,
the
emotions
have to be
in place
first.
Outstand Performance: Feelings
- Mental Calmness
- Physical Relaxation
- Freedom from Anxiety
- Energy (as in what athletes call "pumped up, revved" - energy without tension
- Optimism
- EnJOYment
- Effortlessness
- Automaticity
- Alertness
- Focus
- Self-confidence
- Control
Emotional control can give you the stamina
to practice
and the
staying power for achieving your goals,
along with the
ATTITUDES
required for performing at the upper levels of your abilities.
At our learning day on Thursday,
think about these emotional elements while interacting with our guest speakers
- one who is well into his senior years and
who keeps performing at higher and higher levels (effortlessly, it seems)!
He will challenge you to do the same...
Learning Cafe, @ 8:30 for coffee!
(PS: we had a great time in St Lucia! Relaxed, ready to roll...)
4.4.11
Gladwell Inspired Guest Blog by Kimberly Nott
Deborah Rhodes – a leader in breast cancer research and her Michael Gladwell moment!
While browsing Talks on “riveting talks by remarkable people, free to the world”, I came across a Talk about a tool that finds three times more breast tumours.
Deborah Rhodes is an expert at managing breast-cancer risk. She is the director of the Mayo Clinic's Executive Health Program and is currently testing a gamma camera that can see tumours that get missed due to dense breasts. Traditional mammography still cannot detect the early onset of breast cancer in as many as 1 of every 4 women ages 40-49 and women with dense breast tissue are 4 to 6 times more likely to develop cancer than others.
Rhodes had her light bulb moment while reading an article that Malcolm Gladwell wrote in the New Yorker on innovation. Gladwell made the case that scientific discoveries are rarely the product of one individual's genius.
Rather, big ideas can be orchestrated, if you can simply gather people with different perspectives in a room and get them to talk about things they don't ordinarily talk about.
This statement from Rhodes encompassed everything we are learning in Leadership Thunder Bay and what I witness and feel every time I am engrossed by a TED Talk.
Originally I was drawn to this video because breast cancer does run in my family (of course I was chocked up at the end), but this video is much more than just the right minds getting together at the right time.
It really hit home for me because not only are we learning that it takes a team, community, and/or group of people to enable leaders to be at their fullest potential but we are also reading Blink by Malcolm Gladwell and realizing that the mind is a powerful entity influenced by intuition and stereotypes.
I hope that we can all find the passion that Rhodes exhibits. The more and more I am exposed to these amazing leaders around the world and in our backyard the more I search for my reason for being and what I WILL do to change my life and maybe someone else’s for the better.
The history of science is full of ideas that several people had at the same time.
While at a conference Rhodes was introduced to a nuclear physicist, Micheal O'Connor, who was a specialist in cardiac imaging. He was telling Rhodes about a new type of gamma detector. The traditional machine is huge with bulky tubes and Rhodes had thought in her early years of using this type of detector for breast cancer because breast density doesn't influence the results of the test, but it just couldn't get close enough around the breasts. The new gamma detector O'Connor mentioned was made of a thin layer of a semiconductor material that served as the gamma detector. Rhodes and O'Connor discussed the issue of breast density and they quickly realized that this new technology could be easily manipulated to get close enough around the breast to actually find small tumours. Rhodes indicated that after putting together a grid of these cubes with duct tape, hacking off the X-ray plate of a mammography machine that was about to be thrown out they attached the new detector, and decided to call this machine Molecular Breast Imaging, or MBI.
Rhodes collaborated with a nuclear physicist, an internist, a biomedical engineer, and two radiologists, who were trying to take on the entrenched world of mammography with a machine that was held together by duct tape. They faced high doses of scepticism in those early years but they were so convinced that they might be able to make this work that they chipped away with incremental modifications to this system. The duct tape is now gone and they added a second detector on top of the breast, which has further improved the tumour detection.
"MBI detects three times as many breast tumors as mammography in high-risk women. Although it would not replace mammograms, it might become an additional tool for screening, especially in higher risk women with a dense tissue that makes tumors hard to spot. " CTV News, Sept. 4, 2008
The MBI unit has now been FDA approved, but sadly it's not yet widely available.
For the full TED Talk please visit http://www.ted.com/talks/deborah_rhodes.html.
While browsing Talks on “riveting talks by remarkable people, free to the world”, I came across a Talk about a tool that finds three times more breast tumours.
Deborah Rhodes is an expert at managing breast-cancer risk. She is the director of the Mayo Clinic's Executive Health Program and is currently testing a gamma camera that can see tumours that get missed due to dense breasts. Traditional mammography still cannot detect the early onset of breast cancer in as many as 1 of every 4 women ages 40-49 and women with dense breast tissue are 4 to 6 times more likely to develop cancer than others.
Rhodes had her light bulb moment while reading an article that Malcolm Gladwell wrote in the New Yorker on innovation. Gladwell made the case that scientific discoveries are rarely the product of one individual's genius.
Rather, big ideas can be orchestrated, if you can simply gather people with different perspectives in a room and get them to talk about things they don't ordinarily talk about.
This statement from Rhodes encompassed everything we are learning in Leadership Thunder Bay and what I witness and feel every time I am engrossed by a TED Talk.
Originally I was drawn to this video because breast cancer does run in my family (of course I was chocked up at the end), but this video is much more than just the right minds getting together at the right time.
It really hit home for me because not only are we learning that it takes a team, community, and/or group of people to enable leaders to be at their fullest potential but we are also reading Blink by Malcolm Gladwell and realizing that the mind is a powerful entity influenced by intuition and stereotypes.
I hope that we can all find the passion that Rhodes exhibits. The more and more I am exposed to these amazing leaders around the world and in our backyard the more I search for my reason for being and what I WILL do to change my life and maybe someone else’s for the better.
The history of science is full of ideas that several people had at the same time.
While at a conference Rhodes was introduced to a nuclear physicist, Micheal O'Connor, who was a specialist in cardiac imaging. He was telling Rhodes about a new type of gamma detector. The traditional machine is huge with bulky tubes and Rhodes had thought in her early years of using this type of detector for breast cancer because breast density doesn't influence the results of the test, but it just couldn't get close enough around the breasts. The new gamma detector O'Connor mentioned was made of a thin layer of a semiconductor material that served as the gamma detector. Rhodes and O'Connor discussed the issue of breast density and they quickly realized that this new technology could be easily manipulated to get close enough around the breast to actually find small tumours. Rhodes indicated that after putting together a grid of these cubes with duct tape, hacking off the X-ray plate of a mammography machine that was about to be thrown out they attached the new detector, and decided to call this machine Molecular Breast Imaging, or MBI.
Rhodes collaborated with a nuclear physicist, an internist, a biomedical engineer, and two radiologists, who were trying to take on the entrenched world of mammography with a machine that was held together by duct tape. They faced high doses of scepticism in those early years but they were so convinced that they might be able to make this work that they chipped away with incremental modifications to this system. The duct tape is now gone and they added a second detector on top of the breast, which has further improved the tumour detection.
"MBI detects three times as many breast tumors as mammography in high-risk women. Although it would not replace mammograms, it might become an additional tool for screening, especially in higher risk women with a dense tissue that makes tumors hard to spot. " CTV News, Sept. 4, 2008
The MBI unit has now been FDA approved, but sadly it's not yet widely available.
For the full TED Talk please visit http://www.ted.com/talks/deborah_rhodes.html.
27.3.11
Peter Block Speaks His Mind
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| Photo Credit:Richard Chicoine iCopyright 2011 How do you change the world? You change the... CONVERSATION John McKnight and Peter Block have more in common than a Community Development profession. They are both challenging the system, committing to working with one neighbourhood at a time, one room at a time, one conversation at a time. If you haven't ever heard of John, then go back to last week's blog and read more. (That's a hint... you need this background for our "conversations" in April.) This time, let's hear from Peter Block in this short video about his views on what's happening in North America, and why the old bureaucratic silos won't get us where we need to go. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwwIF5OczHE&NR=1 (CCPS Imagine the Possibilities Part 3) If you're interested, Peter is featured on 3 (10 minute) video clips featuring the City of Carlsbad California. Thunder Bay is just beginning this journey... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwahGcEiAr0&NR=1 At our April learning day, we'll hear from 3 leaders who lead...and ignore the traditional path to get commitment and results. It's going to be...interesting! |
22.3.11
Leading Abundant Communities
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| Photo Credit: Richard Chicoine iCopyright 2011 Who is leading who? I wish... that Leadership Thunder Bay could have invited John McKnight* to speak to us! How do we rebuild the capacity and the neighbourhoods in our City? How do we create the "Infinite Possibilities? Instead... here is what John McKnight, said in Nova Scotia: There is a new worldwide movement developing, made up of people with a different vision for their local communities. They know that movements are not organizations, institutions or systems. Movements have no CEO, central office, or plan. Instead, they happen when thousands of people discover together new possibilities for their lives. They have a calling. They are called. And together they call upon themselves. Fortunately, at the heart of our movement are three universal and abundant powers.The three basics of our calling are: •The giving of gifts: The gifts of the people in our neighborhood are boundless. Our movement calls forth those gifts. •The power of association: In association, we join our gifts together and they become amplified, magnified, productive and celebrated. •Hospitality: We welcome strangers because we value their gifts and need to share our own. Our doors are open. There are no strangers here. Just friends we haven’t met. Ours is the movement of abundance. There is no limit to our gifts, our associations, and our hospitality. We have a calling. We are the people who know what we need. What we need surrounds us. What we need is each other. And when, we act together, we will find Our Way. The citizen’s way. The community way. The democratic way. We are called to nothing less. And it is not so wild a dream. http://www.abundantcommunity.com/home/getting_started/community_capacities_and_community_neecessities.html “From Clients to Citizens Forum,” Coady International Institute, St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, Nova Scotia, July 8, 2009 April LLD: The Charitable Sector Location: The Learning Cafe We will be exploring how leaders mobilize community assets...and how to connect one neighbourhood to another through key strategies. In preparation, please go to the Abundant Community Blog here: http://www.abundantcommunity.com/home/getting_started.html Happy Spring!! More next week about John McKnight! |
13.3.11
Doorways: Enter? Exit?
 |
| Photo Credit: RIchard Chicoine iCopyright 2011 Leadership: What are you doing with those everyday doorways? |
It's so easy to get stuck in what's obvious...the patterns of behaviour that have been stamped into your cells from the time you first took command of your world.
Your kids remind you of this regularly: "It's MINE... I want to do it MY way!"
Over time, we only see the openings, the possibilities in limited directions.
Are you entering through the door? Or exiting?
Is it so familiar that you don't even notice the
frame, the archway, the tiles under your feet?
Does it matter how differently you perceive this one point of entry, or exit
- than your team and your colleagues?
We discussed "Intersections" of possibility
(the crossroads of ideas, things and actions
that may at first not have anything in common at first glance).
The questions posed by Seth Godin (below)
might spark your thinking about your personal intersections...
I'm suggesting that you ask your colleagues and your team, how THEY would answer ... get some feedback...
Check it out...Are you entering while they are exiting through the same door?
Seven questions for leaders
- Do you let the facts get in the way of a good story?
- What do you do with people who disagree with you... do you call them names in order to shut them down?
- Are you open to multiple points of view or you demand compliance and uniformity? [Bonus: Are you willing to walk away from a project or customer or employee who has values that don't match yours?]
- Is it okay if someone else gets the credit?
- How often are you able to change your position?
- Do you have a goal that can be reached in multiple ways?
- If someone else can get us there faster, are you willing to let them?
No textbook answers... It's easy to get tripped up by these. In fact, most leaders I know do.
- Seth Godin
http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2011/03/seven-questions-for-leaders.html- Seth Godin
Speaking of Leadership "Karma"...
Play!
Thanks Robin
http://www.karmatube.org/
7.3.11
A Door is a Door is a Door?
A door is a door is a door?
 |
| Photo Credit: Richard Chicoine iCopyright 2011 How do we open the door to Thunder Bay's innovative culture? ...or is the door open and we just haven't noticed yet? "it's no use saying, "We're doing our best." You have got to succeed in doing what's necessary. - Sir Winston Churchill Greed destroys wealth. Trust and integrity, by contrast, foster prosperity. - Patricia Aburdene, Megatrends 2010 Freedom is not the right to live as we please, but the right to find hour we ought to live in order to fulfill our potential. Ralph Waldo Emerson "Great works are not performed by strength but by perseverance." - Samuel Johnson "Men build too many walls and not enough bridges." - Sir Isaac Newton "We are only happiest when we are making progress." - unknown "Adversity reveals genius." - Horace "If you ever need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of your arm." - Yiddish proverb "All men of action are dreamers." - James Huncker |
Which doors are you unlocking, opening, entering, closing, remodelling...?
28.2.11
Do You Reward Failure?
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| Photo Credit: Richard Chicoine iCopyright 2011 Do You Reward FailUre? |
Get used to it: Failure is part of innovation!
Although failing isn't comfortable,
it can be one of the smartest team dynamics for any leader's portfolio.
(If your team never fails, U Fail as a leader...)
A team without ideas - and failures - ends up working in a "factory" of mundane and predictable results.
In his excellent book, The Medici Effect, Frans Johansson says:
Reward Failure:
- make sure people are aware that failure to execute ideas is the greatest failure, and will be punished
- make sure everyone learns from past failures; do not reward the same mistakes over and over again
- If people show low failure rates, be suspicious. Maybe they are not taking enough risks, or maybe they are hiding their mistakes, rather than allowing others in the organization to learn from them
- Hire people who have had intelligent failures and let others in the organization know that's one reason they were hired.
Ideas happen at "intersections" - generated through the explosion of concept combinations. Some of those ideas will fail - others won't!
Find a frozen seat by the shores of the Lake, take 5 to appreciate nature's creative "mistakes" (and your leadership style!).
PS: Did you read last week's 2 part long blog yet?
23.2.11
Link for Part 2: Innovation +
Thanks to the speedy reader who spotted the missing link in Part 2 of this week's posts:
http://media.lateralaction.com/motivatecreate.pdf
Enjoy! It's a good read - and helps with your goal setting & forward action as well!
m;)
http://media.lateralaction.com/motivatecreate.pdf
Enjoy! It's a good read - and helps with your goal setting & forward action as well!
m;)
20.2.11
Creativity + Innovation + Motivation = Part 2
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| Photo Credit: Richard Chicoine iCopyright 2011 |
Creativity....Innovation....
+ Motivation?
What does "Motivation" have to do with it?
I'm not going to answer that question for you.
In fact, we'll be spending some thinking time together on March 10, delving into the many aspects of Creativity and Innovation, for you as leaders,
and for Thunder Bay - in a community perspective.
and for Thunder Bay - in a community perspective.
"Inifinite Possibilities" - changing the mindset of a whole city...
It's going to be interesting!
To get you started, here's an e-book that links creativity, innovation and motivation.
HEY! How's that goal setting coming along? That's connected to all of this...
Fine print (yes, 60 pages...easy read)
Enjoy! Link is here: (Corrected!)
Intro: Creativity,Innovation - What's the Difference? Part 1
Photo Credit: Richard Chicoine iCopyright 2011
Where are these butterflies? First correct answer wins a "Surprise"!
Creativity : Innovation
What's the difference?
&
How do we create a
culture
of creativity and innovation?
“WE LEAD BY BEING HUMAN.
WE DO NOT LEAD BY BEING CORPORATE,
BY BEING PROFESSIONAL
OR BY BEING INSTITUTIONAL.”
- Paul Hawken
Let's begin by delving into some concepts which will help you to understand how creativity works...and how that leads to innovative action.
The Banff Centre's excellent online library is a great resource. Start here:
http://www.banffcentre.ca/departments/leadership/library/pdf/refining_the_meaning_of_creativity_and_innovation.pdfNext here:
“THE STUPIDITY OF PEOPLE COMES FROM HAVING
AN ANSWER FOR EVERYTHING.
THE WISDOM OF THE NOVEL
COMES FROM HAVING
A QUESTION FOR EVERYTHING.”
– MILAN KUNDERA, CZECH NOVELIST
??????????
This week.....play more!
Next week? More on innovation!
Send me your answers for the Butterfly Photo!
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