One of my greatest pleasures with running EDGE3 is getting teams out of the boardroom and into nature. It also happens to be one of our greatest challenges. It’s tough for a business to close shop for a day or two, and understandably a leader wants to know the value. “What lasting impact is it going to have on our team?” As I reflect on my most recent team-building event, an immersive experience on a private island in Muskoka, I…
Are You In Your Element? by Devon Domanski. One phrase came up recently for me, and I’ve really been thinking about it a lot and its connection to nature. Someone said to me, “I’m fighting fires at the office, right now!” Thankfully they weren’t literally faced with blazing piles of paper, computers spontaneously combusting, or exploding equipment, but they were definitely punctuating the level of stress they faced in that situation. Does this seem familiar to you? Maybe you’ve said…
After 16 years of living in the same area, we are making the move to a different neighbourhood. It has been an emotional journey that has reminded me that change is not always comfortable. As a coach, I encourage my clients to step out of their comfort zone and embrace change, but perhaps rather than pushing out of what’s comfortable, we should gently ease into the discomfort, and slowly accept the change. Not too long ago I was facilitating a…
Business Building, Inspiration From Nature, Leadership Insights
My EDGE3 Experience by Dr. Naresh Vempala, Research Scientist In life and career, we all come to a point where we take a pause to evaluate our journey that has been, to determine the journey that lies ahead. Having arrived at that point, I found I am not quite the leader that I envisioned myself to be. I felt that there was a key ingredient missing from my professional life. While I knew something was missing, I couldn’t put my…
Looking back at the team building workshops that we’ve designed for our clients, one of the most cost-effective, yet impactful approaches has been with Book Clubs. The simplicity of its structure and the shared learning leads to some pretty impressive results. So how does it work? CREATE A CULTURE OF LEARNING One of the things that high performers tell me is that they want to continue to learn and grow. By setting a deadline in the calendar, reading becomes a priority and as…
Culture Flip: A Swedish Perspective by Megan Cosgrove. My career started like many others I know – in a rush. I began my first full-time job while still in the final exam period of my fourth year at University. I didn’t breathe between earning my degree and receiving my first pay cheque as a professional. I kept the blinders on as I moved, elbowed, and clawed my way through the rat race. Until my spouse came home from work with a job offer…
Feeling a little shy of my thriftiness, I considered not posting this blog, but the lessons were far too juicy not to share. Blowing in the winter breeze, the balloons above a new shop’s “Now Open” sign lured me inside to see how the store lived up to its promise of everyday consumer products, for only a buck or two. Traversing each aisle thoughtfully, I finally arrived at the register with a basket full of goodies, walking up only to…
Success means something different to us all. For some, it’s money in the bank, while for others it’s measured by the moments that take our breath away! Perhaps it’s moving up the corporate ladder, starting a new business, achieving a physical goal, or hitting a landmark birthday in a state of utter fulfillment. At the end of the day, there’s only one person that can define your success…YOU! So…let’s get started. Take a break from your “TO DO” list and…
I was sitting inside as I started to brainstorm for this post after being cooped up all morning. Since I work from home most days, I have to make an extra effort to schedule in outdoor time to avoid getting cabin-fever at night. Even in winter I find myself braving the cold to clear my mind after a long day, all bundled up like the abdominal snowman. (pause for a few seconds as I head outside) I am now sitting…
This past week was an overwhelming entrepreneur week for me; contract negotiations, uncooperative technology, scheduling nightmares and the list goes on. I’m sure, like me, a lot of you who are riding the arc of the entrepreneurial journey are thinking “where have I heard this before?” Being an entrepreneur or a solopreneur requires us to wear several different hats. These demands can be quite overwhelming at times as we battle a never-ending list of “to-do’s”. The tendency to feel unaccomplished…