Success in Leadership: Bring it back to Why.

Leadership comes with power, but attaining and wielding power does not necessarily translate into success – at least not if you measure it beyond instant gratification.

To become an effective leader you need to be knowledgeable – in your area of expertise, in your ability to persuade people to your point of view and in your ability to inspire people to action. Where many get lost is in believing they have all the answers, thus closing themselves off to valuable input.

Ego comes with the territory – to be a leader you have to believe in yourself, but true leaders recognize the contribution of others is intrinsic to success. This does not mean simply surrounding yourself with minions eager to follow top down direction. It means being open to having your ideas challenged and tested – it’s only through this process that you grow and improve.

Trish Hennessy: Traveler on the Path of Authentic Leadership

They say some people are born to lead – Trish Hennessy would not put herself in that category. For the woman who has worked with some of Canada’s top thought leaders, helping them frame their arguments to get social issues back in the public discourse, stepping into a leadership role has not come naturally.

Not heard of Trish Hennessy?  Perhaps you’ve heard of the growing gap between the rich and the rest of us? Perhaps you’ve heard the issue of income inequality discussed as one of the major challenges facing Canada today? That is Trish Hennessy – though she would deflect all credit to the great “cast of characters” she has had the fortune to work with over the years.  She would describe herself as a storyteller that hooked up with smart economists.

Trish has always felt more comfortable in a supporting role – taking a step back, looking at the big picture. Her purpose has been to help leaders working for social change move beyond reacting to problems and to create the necessary space to plan longer term. She recognized our need to change the narrative and become proactive if we are going to succeed in protecting and building a socially inclusive country that meets the needs of our citizens. Her blog Framed in Canada is a must read for a better understanding how to advance your cause.

Quest for a new kind of leadership: Uncuffing the shackles of spin

Forget the slow food movement – if we really want to fix things in our world, it’s time to embrace the slow talk movement.

Across the country talented and dedicated people are working to build a better future for all Canadians. Whether they’re working to improve the growing income gap, climate change, youth unemployment, public transit expansion or aboriginal rights – their success requires government action.

The question is: Are substantive improvements possible in Canada’s spin driven political culture?