Not long ago an old collaborator friend contacted me. He wanted my assistance. He really is an “old” friend, being far along his life journey, in his 8th decade. Life had suddenly taken an especially rough turn for him. He knew I was now engaged in seniors advocacy work. I was able to provide him […]
10 things I’ve learned from facilitating family caregiver support groups
November 24, 2021 by · 2 Comments
For the past 8 years, once a month, sometimes twice per month, I’ve been facilitating support groups for the Family Caregivers of BC . For the first 4 years those groups were co-ed groups. For the past 4, I’ve been facilitating a men-only group. Since the start of the pandemic the men’s group has been virtual, […]
Reflections on virtual co-facilitation of MERIT workshops in Mongolia
August 3, 2020 by · 2 Comments
I was suppose to spend the month of March this year on assignment in Mongolia, with the Canadian Executive Service Organization (CESO), as part of the MERIT (Mongolia: Enhancing Resource Management through Institutional Transformation) project. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, it never happened. Fortunately, though, the assignment turned into a virtual one, getting done in June and […]
Data tells the stories that we just can’t see
April 1, 2020 by · Leave a Comment
For the last ten months, I’ve been coordinating, on a part-time basis, a program that provides advocacy services, for seniors. I also do a bit of the advocacy work, myself. The program operates out of a vibrant local community centre and serves seniors in five municipalities, including Victoria and Saanich. (Aside – as a veteran mediator, […]
Perspectives on Refugees
October 20, 2019 by · Leave a Comment
Listening to this weekend’s Sunday Edition show on CBC radio, I heard the host, Michael Enright interview Brian Bilston, the “Bansky of poetry”. One of Bilston’s best known poems in ‘Refugees’, in which he uses an unusual literary device, one in which the poem can either be read front to back, as is usual, or […]
Political Conflict Walking Tour in Belfast
July 16, 2019 by · Leave a Comment
I’ve been thinking of tribalism a fair bit lately, given ongoing public conversations among my American neighbours. It reminds me of another tribal conflict that I recently visited. Last month, I had the good fortune of travelling in Ireland. I’d never been to Ireland, before. My wife’s ancestry stems from there. Over the years, I’ve […]
Emotional Labour
May 8, 2019 by · Leave a Comment
Ever had to smile at work, even when you didn’t want to? Or, show empathy and warmth to someone you’re caring for, when you are at your wits’ end? Or, stayed silent when what you really wanted to do was speak up? I got my hand raised. All of these workplace actions involved ‘emotional labour’. […]
“Places” by Shane Koyczan
April 29, 2019 by · Leave a Comment
Shane Koyczan is one of Canada’s best known spoken word poets. Koyczan speaks “truth to power”. His messages and performances are stirring. I saw him in performance at a local theatre, last year. He puts his heart out there. I recall his tears, and mine. He has published a number of books of his poems. […]
Upcoming Victoria workshop to help you embrace and implement a culture of “speaking up”
April 24, 2019 by · Leave a Comment
It seems to me that every workplace employer I’ve interacted with over the last couple of years has mentioned how challenging it can sometimes be for their employees (and sometimes, themselves!) to authentically “speak up”. Speaking Up Speaking up is more than just “speaking truth to power”. It’s about improving team performance by engaging in […]
The Trust Battery: Keep it positively charged to energize your workplace relationships
April 2, 2019 by · Leave a Comment
“Jim is probably going to freak out if I disagree with him, and I’m ok with that.” “Miriam delivers, when I give her a job to do.” “I know Yuri will do the right thing.” Those are all statements of “trust”. You trust that they still truly care about you, even when you disagree with […]
