Shows
LeaderLabAchieve your Best - the surprising power of living with intentionIn this episode, Mike James Ross, Chief Human Resource Officer of Simons and recent author of “Intention: the surprising psychology of high performers” discusses what intention is, why it is important, and how individuals and organizations can unlock it to achieve high performance. “High performance is about doing subjectively different things.” High performance is not about external manifestations of success like money or fancy titles. It’s about doing things that are hard. High performance looks different for each of us. It’s about pushing yourself beyond preconceived notions of what’s possible. “Intention is about accepting responsibility for my achievemen...2024-04-0940 min
LeaderLabInvest in Human Performance = Elevate Business PerformanceJodi Baker Calamai, Deloitte Canada’s National Managing Partner of Human Capital shares perspectives on how the future of work is now, the unparalleled opportunities it creates to make work better for humans and humans better at work, and how leaders can embrace this once in a lifetime opportunity to innovate. It’s a unique time for humans around the world to figure out what the next phase of ‘work’ looks like. We are experiencing seismic and simultaneous shifts – AI, multi-generational workforces, geopolitical dynamics, expectations around work – that are requiring us to re-think our approach to work. The future of wo...2024-04-0234 min
LeaderLabModern people leadership: new role, new focus, new skills.In this episode, Maggie Clinton the Founder of Trinity Leadership Coaching, shares how expectations of people leaders have changed and provides practical ideas on how organizations can better prepare and support their people leaders. Leadership is a relationship between those who aspire to lead and those who chose to follow [1] . Leadership is not about the title or position it is about the relationship between two individuals. Leaders are choosing to lead. People are choosing who they want to follow. And both are aspiring to grow. Our environment is changing at an unprecedented rate. Digitization, AI, remote/hybrid work, ge...2024-03-2728 min
LeaderLabPlay at work: so much more than Ping PongIn this episode, Ryan Burwell, Director of Training & Facilitation at TwentyOne Toys shares how leaders can use the joy, curiosity, and experimentation of play to create stronger teams and improve business results. Play is a mindset of curiosity, experimentation, learning from failure and embracing diversity – it’s not about ping pong tables and team karaoke events. While social moments are important, play runs deeper. It is about how leaders invite teams to ideate, to try new things, and to think beyond what’s been done before. Leaders have a critical role in unlocking play for their teams. Great l...2024-02-2719 min
LeaderLabThe People Leader Imperative: Unlocking results through communicationsIn an era where the pace of change is rapid and relentless, the need for effective team communications is critical. People leaders will be the primary point of contact, and will need to be prepared and equipped to effectively engage and guide their teams forward. In this episode, we dive into the art of team communications with Lisa Durante, Chief Content Strategist at Jack Communications. She shares how people leaders can build personal connections with their teams to engage in two-way, productive conversations. In our conversation, Lisa shares the following insights: ● People leaders are the cond...2023-12-2027 minLeaderLabThe People Leader Imperative: Innovating people leadershipThe rapid and frequent changing dynamics affecting teams demands innovation. It also demands people leaders more actively facilitate innovation on their teams. In this episode, we talk with Robyn Bolton, Chief Navigator of innovation consultancy, MileZero, about how people leaders can create the synergies on their teams to innovate focused ideas that will move a business forward, while setting in place the structures to move ideas forward. In our conversation, Robyn shares the following insights: ● Leadership matters more today in part due to innovation and evolving dynamics “Leadership has always mattered, it matters...2023-12-1327 minLeaderLabThe People Leader Imperative: Re-thinking what it means to leadCompanies tell us they want people to bring their whole selves to work, but leaders aren’t quite set up to accept, support and lead the whole human beings on their team. To add, leaders aren’t assessed, let alone rewarded, to do so. Yet, the data continues to show that happier, more engaged people perform better, are more productive, are less absent and less likely to leave their company. In this episode, Dan Pontefract, renowned leadership strategist, author and keynote speaker, calls on leaders to create a better mix of work and life factors to sup...2023-12-0633 minLeaderLabThe People Leader Imperative: Enabling people leaders with AIAI is powerfully evolving jobs, organizations and industries. Will it redefine what it means to be a leader, too? In this episode of LeaderLab, we are joined by Levi Goertz, Head of Client Solutions at Valence, who helps us unravel how AI may automate and augment leadership with workforce trends and insights to speed up decision-making. But AI is only a tool and the value of human connection, empathy and intentionality will likely remain irreplaceable. In our conversation, Levi shares the following insights: Effective leadership has always been a combination of intuition and d...2023-11-2928 min
LeaderLabThe People Leader Imperative: Re-inventing people leader programs that winTeams work together differently today. Team members also face different challenges and opportunities. This demands a new approach for people leadership and the people and systems that support them. In this episode, Stefani Okamoto, Director of Manager Excellence at ServiceNow, shares her deep passion for people leadership and offers insights on how companies can build a pipeline of amazing people leaders. In our conversation, Stefani shares the following insights: · Care needs to be the heart of people leadership today, especially as we work differently than before and face rapidly changing dynamics. “Having a lea...2023-11-2229 min
LeaderLabThe People Leader Imperative: Defining people leadership for a modern worldPeople leaders have always been a powerful force in organizations. With hybrid workplaces, a new generation in the workforce (Gen Z), rise of AI and digitization, quickly changing geopolitical concerns, and more is people leadership more important than ever? TILTCO Inc. gathered business leaders, consultants and academics for Season 6 of the LeaderLab to capture insights on the role for people leaders, what great looks like and what companies and people leaders need to do to be the people leaders employees need today. In our first episode of this season, we speak to a roundtable of pa...2023-11-1525 min
LeaderLabEP5.1: Skills leaders need to thrive in ongoing uncertainty Today’s teams are faced with ongoing, unprecedented disruption. Leaders, then, are challenged to guide their teams through these new and uncertain times. Are leaders prepared? In this episode of LeaderLab, we are joined by Kristine Steinberg, CEO and founder of Kismet, to explore what it will take for leaders to be successful in today’s environment, and perhaps more importantly, what skills they’ll need as we move forward in this new dynamic. Kristine shared the following key insights with us: Self-awareness is critical as we navigate through an extended period of chaos: “Leaders are the...2022-01-1930 min
Unleashed - How to Thrive as an Independent Professional414. Tineke Keesmaat on the Hybrid Business Playbook Tineke Keesmaat has over 15 years of consulting experience with McKinsey & Company, Accenture, and as the founder and CEO of TILTCO Inc. She has an MBA from the Richard Ivey School of Business at Western University with a subspecialty in Entrepreneurship and a B.A with Honours in Psychology from Queen's University. In this episode, she talks about the hybrid business playbook her company has published. Key points include: 01:11: The process of developing the playbook 11:49: Developing a podcast series 17:30: The impact of the podcast 26:27: How companies can build a hybrid bus...2021-05-1536 min
LeaderLabEP4.10: How to REALLY hear what’s on your team’s mindConversation is a powerful way for leaders to inspire and motivate their teams. It's also an opportunity to learn and make more effective decisions. Yet, engaging in conversations across an organization isn't always easy. In this episode of LeaderLab, we are joined by Dave MacLeod, CEO and co-founder of ThoughtExchange, to explore the importance of conversations in organizations. Based on his research and insights shared in his new book, Scaling conversations: How leaders access the full potential of people, he offers strategies leaders can use to engage in more meaningful, inclusive and productive conversations across...2021-04-2923 min
LeaderLabHybrid Workplace Series: How to build great culture in a hybrid workplace Company culture matters. Strong culture is linked to stronger financial performance. During the pandemic, a third of organizations reported challenges in maintaining their company culture. With flexible work models here to stay, leaders are wondering how they can build a great culture in a hybrid work environment. TILTCO Inc. gathered business leaders, consultants and academics for a series of Roundtable discussions to capture insights and practical ideas that leaders can use as they re-image their organizations over the next 18 to 24 months. In this special LeaderLab series, our Roundtable participants offered leaders the following tips: Don’t virtualize ...2021-04-2021 min
LeaderLabHybrid Workplace Series: How leaders can support middle managers in a hybrid work environment Middle managers are a powerful force in organizations. As companies look ahead and consider the move to hybrid workplaces – that is where there is a mix of in-person and remote work happening – they'll want to focus on enabling their middle managers to be true people leaders who can coach, motivate and set pace for the people on their team to work towards the company's goals. TITLCO Inc. gathered business leaders, consultants and academics for a series of Roundtable discussions to capture insights and practical ideas that leaders can use as they re-imagine their organizations over the next 18 to 24 months. 2021-04-0624 min
LeaderLabHybrid Workplace Series: How Leaders Can Successfully Communicate on Hybrid Teams The future is hybrid. As we emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic, organizations will likely adopt hybrid models of work. What does this mean for leaders and how can they prepare to lead teams where some employees are working in office and others are remote? TITLCO Inc. gathered business leaders, consultants and academics for a series of Roundtable discussions to capture insights and practical ideas that leaders can use as they re-imagine their organizations over the next 18 to 24 months. In this special LeaderLab series, our Roundtable participants offered leaders some sage advice: Define a hybrid model for your org...2021-03-1618 min
LeaderLabHow to Build Leadership Presence for a Virtual World with Melanie Espeland A leader’s presence matters. It always has – be it in daily interactions with their teams and when influencing a new way forward for their organizations. But how do leaders build their presence and gravitas in a virtual workplace? Melanie Espeland joins this episode of the LeaderLab with practical ideas that will help leaders more clearly communicate and more effectively connect with their virtual teams and stakeholders. Here’s a sample of Melanie’s tactical advice: Presence begins with self-awareness: “What is presence? What is gravitas? I would define it as the je ne sais quoi, the special sauce that gets...2021-03-0218 min
LeaderLabThe Power of Leadership Character with Dr. Gerard Seijts Character matters. In a year in which we’ve faced a global pandemic and growing unrest in pockets around the world, this has never been truer. But what is it and can it be developed? Dr. Gerard Seijts joins this episode of LeaderLab to explore the behaviours associated with leadership character and to offer concrete examples of how leaders can develop good character and embed it in their organizations. Based on research he’s been building since the 2008 financial crisis, Gerard shares the following insights on leadership character: Character is dispositional. It’s not based on your role on the job, rather...2021-01-2824 min
LeaderLabA new approach for leaders to deliver successful strategic change with Dr. Elsbeth Johnson Big, strategic change efforts often fail. Virtually all of them are harder than they need to be. Why is this and what can leaders do to make change stick? Dr. Elsbeth Johnson, based on a decade of research, calls on leaders to step up and step back. In this episode of the LeaderLab, Elsbeth sheds new light on the role leaders play in delivering long-term strategic change to their organization. Based on the findings in her new book, Step Up, Step Back: How to Really Drive Strategic Change in Your Organization, Elsbeth highlights key aspects of her new app...2020-12-0233 min
LeaderLabCommunicating with employees in our next normal with Gillian Smith Employee communications is no longer a nice to have. It’s a must have. The first months of the pandemic forced leaders to leapfrog their communication skills and practices. And now, as we settle into this new normal - as temporary as we hope it’ll be - Gillian Smith, Managing Partner at NATIONAL, encourages leaders to prepare for the marathon ahead. In this episode of the LeaderLab, Gillian offers key ways leaders can better inform, support and motivate employees through communications. Here are some of Gillian's practical takeaways: Pay attention to the personal cues that show up on your screen. M...2020-11-1120 min
LeaderLabWhy teams are critical to performance Is employee engagement possible in our current virtual world of work? It’s not only possible, it’s imperative in building and maintaining high-performing teams. In this episode, Parker Mitchell, CEO of SHIFT joins us to talk about how a human-first approach to leadership can spur teams to greatness. Practical ways to engage your teams: You don't have to dive into the feedback pool if that’s not comfortable for you. Instead, pick one or two things you want to improve and invite others to offer you feedback to focus your efforts. To build team cohesion in our vir...2020-09-1726 min
LeaderLabLeader Self-Awareness: What it is and why it mattersAfter years teaching at the Harvard Law School Amy took a pivot in her messaging after discovering the importance of self awareness in conflict resolution. As suggested by Erica Ariel Fox (author: Winning from Within), self-awareness includes 2 parts: State awareness: Being able to witness and recognize your own emotional state (the work of Ronald Heifetz refers to this as being on the balcony) Difficult situations can trigger reactive fight or flight mindset which will constrain your thinking and limit your ability to make decisions This awareness helps you manage these difficult situations ...2020-08-0423 min
LeaderLabHelping your team thrive through crisisIn this episode, Kanina Blanchard discusses: Her one big message for leaders during Covid-19 (01:31) Why it’s important to create a game plan for surviving a crisis (02:56) Why you should think about how your actions will be judged in the long term (03:22) The three C’s to keep in mind in a crisis (04:16) What great crisis planning looks like (05:38) What professional athletes teach us about preparing for a crisis (06:16) The importance of including diverse perspectives in crisis planning (07:12) Why it’s never too late to address a crisis (09:07) What leaders can be doing right now to deal with he imp...2020-05-0525 min
LeaderLabThe show must go on during COVID-19 with S-Curve Record's Angela BarkanIn this episode, Angela Barkan discusses: Her role at S-Curve Records (02:01) How the music industry has been impacted by COVID-19 (02:51) How technology is helping her team stay connected (05:03) The importance of in-person interactions in creative fields and how her team is recreating that social atmosphere in isolation (05:58) What her team is doing to keep on top of pop culture and entertainment trends (07:37) How people are coming together to make promotions and entertainment work during social isolation (11:10) How they’re trying to learn from the risks they have to take (13:12) Changes she hopes will her team/industry will keep on...2020-04-1531 min
LeaderLabLeading with care through COVID-19A note to our listeners, Covid-19 has created an unprecedented time for leaders. There is no playbook or easy way for leaders to navigate the tremendous economic, social and emotional toll. With this in mind, we decided that it was important now more than ever for leaders to help each other by sharing their stories and practical experiences. So, we’ve decided to focus our upcoming episodes on how Leaders are navigating this crisis: how they’ve shifted direction, what they are doing to keep their teams safe and motivated, and how they personally managing through th...2020-04-0829 min
LeaderLabHow to lead your vision with emotional intelligence; featuring SickKids CEO Ronald CohnIn this episode, Dr. Ronald Cohn discusses: Why he chose paediatrics (1:02) When he first recognized himself as a leader (2:06) The difference between operational and visionary leaders (03:17) His leadership strengths (04:26) The importance of getting people on board with a new organizational vision (07:41) What he’s doing to get people onside (10:44) Why it’s important for the vision to be supported by people at all levels of the organization (12:52) The importance of emotional intelligence (EQ) for leaders (13:59) How leaders can display EQ with their team (15:16) How to foster autonomy in your employees so they’re comfortable taking initiative (18:26) His top piece...2020-03-1122 min
LeaderLabHow to build trust in nonprofit leadership with Nature Conservancy of Canada CEO John LoundsJohn Lounds reflects on how he achieved so much success. Good mentorship, building trust and building culture are all a part of the equation. Listen and Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify More about John Lounds: John Joined the Nature Conservancy of Canada in 1997. Under John’s Leadership, NCC has grown from an annual budget of $8 million to approximately $80 million in 2017. NCC and its partners have helped to protect over 14 million hectares of ecologically significant land since 1962. John was previously a governor of the University of Waterloo, as well as a m...2020-02-2621 min
LeaderLabHow to navigate change and build consensus with Toronto’s Chief of Staff, Jeff FieldingIn this episode, Jeff Fielding discusses: His job trajectory (01:04) Four leadership principles and how they’ve guided him through challenging times (02:07) How to handle a crisis (04:15) How to develop “leadership courage” to have difficult conversations (06:13) The value of humour in tense situations (07:20) Lessons learned from navigating complex stakeholder relationships (08:16) Managing the impact of social media on public discussion (10:13) The importance of lifelong learning to remain current and connected (12:50) How to prepare for the first month of a new leadership role (15:32) How leaders can bring people together and build consensus (19:27) How he feels about brussel sprouts (23:08) Jeff’s...2020-02-1923 min
LeaderLabHow to create success from within with Tennis Canada’s Michael DowneyIn this episode, Michael Downey discusses: The culture change he felt was needed at Tennis Canada (02:00) What he did to create change (02:54) The importance of having people at the top who support your vision (04:03) How he managed push back from those in the industry who weren’t on board with this plan to bring in external talent (05:12) Key lessons learned (07:52) How his vision for the organization developed over time (09:09) His approach to creating the right strategy and culture (14:34) The importance of continuing to push for growth (17:36) Advice for other companies looking to shift their strategy (20:55) His favourite emoji (25:10) ...2020-02-1226 min
Unleashed - How to Thrive as an Independent Professional224. Tineke Keesmaat on the connections between strategy, organizational change, and people leadershipToday's guest is McKinsey alum and Umbrex member Tineke Keesmaat, who is based in Toronto. Tineke’s firm works with ambitious leaders and she is known for her unique blend of world-class strategy, organizational change, and people leadership. Tineke was recently awared with a MacKay Canada CEO’s Trusted Advisor Award, recognizes the contributions that Trusted Advisors make in the leadership field to enable Canadian businesses to succeed. You can learn more about her firm’s work on their website, which is extraordinarily well designed: http://tiltco.ca/2020-01-1338 min
LeaderLabEP006:Leadership lessons learned by living on the edge with Hilaree Nelson, Mountaineer & AdventurerHilaree Nelson is the first woman to climb Mt Everest & Mt Lhotse within 24 hours, she’s trekked through the jungles of Mynamar in a quest to map out its tallest peak, and, has led teams through expeditions in some of the most wild and wonderful corners of the earth. National Geographic named her 2018 Adventurer of the Year. North Face has named her their Athlete Captain. And, she’s become a strong advocate for environment and the foundation Protect Our Winters Leadership lessons learned: Failure alone is a moment, it’s what you do after that creates growth...2020-01-0924 min
LeaderLabHow to thrive through the growth curve - Michael Katchen, Founder & CEO of WealthsimpleMichael Katchen has acheived personal leadership and company growth at the same time. Wealth Simple started as a simple investment tool on an excel sheet and now holds over $6 billion in assets. The company has a winning culture which plays a big part in its success. Key Takeaways: Wealthsimple has disrupted the financial services industry, but it was an accident. Its creation came from a much more natural place. Michael wanted to make investing easier for his generation. People and teams love big visions. Michael strives to get the best out of his employees by gi...2019-12-0622 min
LeaderLabLiving a Life of Joy with Scott Rutherford from the Rotman School of ManagementScott Rutherford is an Associate Professor and the Executive Director of the Weider Foundation Leadership Development Lab at the Rotman School of Management. Prior to this, Scott was the Practice Expert on Leadership Mindsets and Capabilities at McKinsey & Company. Today’s discussion dives into the differences between happiness and joy, and why it’s important to focus and pursue joy instead of happiness. With so many leaders in very rewarding and prestigious positions, why is it that they’re so unhappy? Scott weighs in! Key Takeaways: Scott shares the difference between chasing happiness and chasing joy. Happine...2019-11-2021 min
LeaderLabHow to be a smart innovator - with David Burnie from The Burnie GroupDavid Burnie is the Founder of The Burnie Group, a management consulting firm that focuses on helping clients design innovative strategies and continuously pursue operations excellence. On today’s episode, David discusses how no industry is safe from disruptive innovation and gives tips on how you can be proactive. Key Takeaways: Some may fear it but automation is going to help society. As more people retire we will have less workers to support them. It will allow people to focus on higher value jobs and eliminate some of the monotony. We are experiencing the fourth industrial revol...2019-11-1419 min
LeaderLabHow to be your best data geek with Joe Thacker from Fusion Analytics. Joe Thacker is the Founder of Fusion Analytics, a Canadian company that helps retailers use their data to make smarter decisions. Fusion Analytics has been named one of Canada’s fastest growing companies five years in a row. Joe shares how to get a grip on your data and be able to understand it. Does everyone really need a data scientist? It all depends on what kind of problem you’re trying to solve! Before you dive into the data, it’s important to first ask the right questions about what you’d like to achieve with it. Key Take...2019-10-3021 minLeaderLabThe Human-Centric Organization with Janeen Speer from ShopifyJaneen Speer is the VP of Talent at Shopify. She brings years of leadership experience to the table and has worked in management roles at Starbucks, Lululemon, and WestJet. It is in Shopify’s culture to build a human-centric organization that focuses on their biggest asset — the people. Janeen shares how Shopify leaders reinforce this vision everyday to their team and how current leaders can take some of these human-centric principles and apply it into their own businesses today. Listen in as Janeen shares practical ways that Shopify is building its human centric organization including: ...2019-10-2916 min