BE A BETTER LEADER, HAVE A RICHER LIFE
 |
| Dr. Don Rix presenting at the June 2008 AGM |
At the June Annual General Meeting, Dr. Don Rix, WLC Advisory Board member and the new chairman of The Vancouver Board of Trade, spoke about having an integrated approach to life:
“As long as I’ve been involved with The Vancouver Board of Trade, I’ve known that whether I am attending an event, participating in a policy forum panel or serving on the executive committee, one thing is a given, I will always be in good company… surrounded by people who are engaged and passionate about making a difference in our community. As I step up to take on a new challenge as your chairman, I can see that it is this ethos of Engaged Community Leadership – connecting for good™ that has driven this organization’s success for more than 120 years.
I once received a letter from a student who quoted a Chinese proverb, which to me illustrates an approach to life that we should all aspire to:
If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap
If you want happiness for a day, go fishing
If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune
But, if you want happiness for a lifetime, help someone else.”
In Be a Better Leader, Have a Richer Life, Stewart D. Friedman of the Wharton School says that “traditional thinking pits work and the rest of our lives against one another.” An innovative approach is to take steps to integrate work, home, community and self. For example, under the heading ‘Appreciating and Caring’, he suggests doing things outside work with co-workers, such as joining a book club or health club. Friedman also discusses the concept of ‘experimenting’ with new ideas; it’s a less pressure approach. Hey, it’s just an experiment! If you’d like to read the whole article, it’s available for purchase online and is very worthwhile.
 Larry Page, one of the founders of Google, shared this idea with The Board’s managing director Darcy Rezac – it’s the Google Walk. Every Thursday, at a random time, an e-notice goes out to everyone: Google Walk! People get up from their desks and go for a walk as a group. It clears the cobwebs from the brain and the simple act of walking and talking bonds people. It’s a daylight version of Koombaya-around-the-campfire.
POWER TOOLS FOR WOMEN
Every summer The Board hosts a Bootcamp at the Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue. This year, it’s a Power Tools session: practical, hands-on skills to enhance your performance. It’s the perfect follow-up to the Developing Your Leadership Brand WLC session that Tara Cree of Knightsbridge presented at the end of January.
Think you know how you are perceived by those you work with? Rita Schnarr of Schnarr & Associates shares information on how these folks can give you the most effective feedback to enhance your performance. Sounds painful? It’s not; it’s safe, honest and some of the most constructive advice you’ll ever get. Join Rita and Jill Earthy, executive director, Forum for Women Entrepreneurs who will discuss WORKING ON YOUR OWN TERMS: Fact or fiction. Lynda Pasacreta, president and chief executive officer of the Better Business Bureau rounds out the program with REPUTATION AND CREDIBILITY OF YOUR BUSINESS.
SUMMERTIME NETWORKING
 Do business opportunities feel like they are on hold in the summer? Do you find that trying to organize a meeting seems nearly impossible as vacation schedules clash? More voice-mail-jail than usual? The solution? Relax – and we do mean relax. Take the summer months to do some of the year’s most enjoyable networking – golf tournaments, cruises, barbeques, conferences and yes, even networking events. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Golf in a group
A foursome is a great idea, but an even more effective summer networking activity is participating in a charity golf tournament such as WLC Advisory Board member Praveen Varshney’s ‘Going Fore the Green’. Golf tournaments are an easy way to meet a much larger group of people, plus there’s a reception or dinner to end the day and it’s for a good cause. Or, create your own mini golf tournament. Another idea is to invite a group of female clients and co-workers to a golf workshop to learn the skills. Chasing little white balls is “an equal opportunity frustration!”
Create your own event
December is the month most folks think to invite clients to a company party. Summer works even better. Rent a boat for a cruise, host a reception on a deck at a club or restaurant or organize an informal picnic on the beach. Keeping it casual is a refreshing change for your clients and customers.
Do you have an event?
The Board of Trade’s revamped Spirit of Vancouver® website has recently launched and your event contributions to the calendar are welcome. Go to ‘Add an Event’ in the calendar section and fill out the form. There are some great categories!
BLOCK OFF NOVEMBER 6 NOW!
 We believe that the biggest, most exciting event for women this year will be the November 6 “Power of Women” event presented by the WLC. Plan to bring a group from your office, or invite clients and friends to experience this amazing day. Check out the website of our partner in this event: www.powerofwomen.com. Some of the most influential and interesting women leaders in the world will be on the program.
YOUR FEEDBACK
We would love to hear from you. Send your comments, ideas for this newsletter, for speakers, for content to: info@wlcircle.com
|
July 17, 2008
IN THIS ISSUE:
