View From the Hill

We all have heard about continuous improvement and know that if we want to be our best we must continuously improve.  So if we have all HEARD it and all KNOW it, why is it that many individuals, departments and even communities are still doing things as they have always done and don’t seem to improve?

Join us as we explore the second competency for being a Community Builder - a “Commitment to Continuous Improvement”. It will help us establish a vision for our legacy, create a code of conduct to
help that vision become a reality and provide tools to help us follow through on the commitments we have made to improve ourselves. All combining to help us be our best, as we do the important work of Community Building.

Already following along with the workshop exercises?  Then your tasks for this month:

1) Obituary Exercise

2) How do you spend your time?

3) Commitment to Action Plan

See you next month when we explore the third competency for being a community builder - “Big Picture Thinking”.

Ian Hill

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The idea of continuous improvement is an interesting thing.  And let’s be frank - an exhausting one!  How much easier would it be just to sit back on our laurels… to coast… to just do enough to get by.  Continuous improvement implies continuous work and that is not always fun nor is it easy.  But the one message that I did receive loud and clear from the latest video installment of the ACE “Community Builder Series” with Ian Hill (see http://acecommunities.ca/community-builder/archive/) is that the hard work will be worth it. 

Why?  Because this is the kind of hard work that changes our communities for the better.  Imagine this - what if we all took Ian’s challenge and tried to just be a little bit better tomorrow than we were yesterday?  Imagine if my neighbours, the mayor, my family, their friends, all rose up and took the same challenge.  If I was a better spouse, if my friends were better parents, if our elected leaders became better listeners… even if by a little bit… imagine how much our communities would approve.

And imagine then if we all committed to continuous change… to be a little bit better than we were yesterday month after month after month.  Our lives and our communities would change for the better exponentially .  And so, I’m going to do it.  I am going to continue to rise to the challenge and become a better leader because I care about the world we live in.  My question is - do you?  And if so… what are you going to do about it?

Next blog…. my obituary.  Morbid yes.. insightful?  I can only imagine!

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Here it is!  The long awaited obituary.  I must admit, writing this was a bit odd.  How do I really want to be remembered?  What is my impact in our world? 

One thing that did become quite clear as I wrote this is that I’m one big ham!  Big surprise… I can’t help it… there is much in this world that we take way too seriously to the detriment of our creative sides and to our youthful spirit.  And I really do like funny, insightful people.  They make the hard tasks more manageable and learning fun.  These are traits, I believe, of an effective leader…

I did realize, however, that when it comes to my inner sphere, I am right down to business.  No funny stuff here!  I care for and will fight for the well being of my family and my friends.  This I see as a great beginning for me because, as a community builder, our strength is in our family.  I now need to take this fighting spirit outside of my comfort zone and make a larger impact in the world itself.

But until then: the Obituary of one Janet Naclia (as written by herself)

There are many here who will dearly miss Janet Naclia.  She was a rose amongst the daisies, a petunia amongst the thorns.  Many here would say that it is her wit, her boisterous Naclia laugh, and her ability to see the humour in most situations that we will all miss the most.

This is not to say that Janet wasn’t a serious person.  She was seriously committed to the care of her family and to her friends.  It broke her heart to ever see them suffer and took it upon herself to comfort them in their time of need and help them kick butt when deemed necessary.  To her, the butt kicking was the most effective comfort of all.

While Janet didn’t have any children, she had have her basset hounds.  Many, in fact – but not enough for her to have been a hoarder because that’s just wrong.  Janet did love those funny, squishy, short-legged little basset beasties and they loved her.  She contributed tirelessly to basset hound rescue and felt great satisfaction in helping those without voices of their own.  Everyone must choose some sort of gap to stand in and defend.  Animal rights was her cause to fight for.

Like many of us, Janet believed that the best leaders were those who led by example.  Who walked their own talk and expected others to do the same.  So she got stuck in the mud, fell on her face, rose to challenges, and failed with some measure of grace.  Life was an ongoing adventure for Janet, filled with new ideas to explore, new people to learn from and new places to visit.

She always had time, though, for a good bar of chocolate and an old Star Trek rerun.  To Janet, life was a balance of what needed to be done and what needed to be celebrated.

We have now officially kicked off our six-month professional development series: “Becoming a Community Builder”. Check out this video explaining our comprehensive personal development model: http://www.viddler.com/explore/aceleader/videos/23/

I think that one of the main realizations that I want participants to come away with is that the only way to build an ACE community is to have ACE minded leaders.  In order to build the thriving communities that we all seek today, community leaders must exemplify the six ACE leadership competencies.  However, in most instances, (like my own) we must hone our leadership style for the new context in which we operate in today.  This means that we MUST change!

This series will do just that, it will help a person become an ACE leader, in practice not in theory!  It will provide participants with real, practical, doable steps. See this link for the first video in the series: (http://acecommunities.ca/community-builder/).

Pretty cool huh! So just click on this link and start the journey.
Make sure to also check out the resource link beneath the webcast to get the handouts and to also watch the support videos.

For those of you who have already started the program, here are a few mile markers to help keep you on track:

·      By February 26th

• Watch all three videos( total time 1 hour 24 minutes)
• Complete the leadership history survey
• Send out your 3 question personal performance feedback survey
• Explore the change continuum and begin to identify an area that you would like to apply the continuum
• Post your thoughts on the comments section of the BACB web page.

For us to build ACE communities, we must have ACE minded and ACE performing leaders.  Macro change must first happen on a micro level.
I know that you have what it takes to make a difference and I know together we can build the communities that we would all want to live in.

Ian Hill

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I first met Ian while road tripping together across Alberta on the ACE Communities Ignite Tour in December.  I remember admiring his strong belief that we all have the capacity to be better human beings.  Not only that, I was struck by his belief that not only could we be better people, we could be better leaders.  We the people… the dentists, the artists, the grocery clerks, the stay-at-home moms… could and will have a positive influence on the communities that we live in.

When I heard that he was hosting the ACE Communities “Becoming a Community Builder” series, I thought – hey… here is the perfect opportunity for me to really practice what I preach.  As part of the ACE Team, I work with communities to help build their leadership capacity and now, I thought to myself, it’s time that I take the same approach with myself.

So, I’m going to do it! I’m committing myself to the program. I’m going to watch the webcasts, check out the support videos, and go through the worksheets.  And then…. lucky you, fine readers…. I’m going to blog about it.  Anyone see Julie & Julia?  It’ll be like that but without the cooking.  I don’t like to cook.

So check back here weekly for the good, the bad, the ugly, and the inspirations.  This will be an ongoing blog following me on my journey to become a better leader.

Change is the air and I know I want to be a part of it… so join me as I walk the path of community building alongside you.

More soon….

Janet

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Task 1 - 3 question personal performance feedback survey

Well, I have finally made some moves on my leadership course.  I have watched the videos - quite like the Change Continuum - and have briefly looked at the leadership survey.  Not gonna lie… that looked daunting so I took the easy way out.  I sent out the 3 question personal performance feedback survey to my current work colleagues.  And all it took was the click of a button.

The feedback has been interesting so far as most initial responses complimented me purely on my initiative.  I guess it takes a bit of bravery to put yourself out there and ask for honest feedback - good and bad.  Personally, I have always encouraged those working with me to comment on my performance because how else can you improve!  There is no denying, though, that self-reflection doesn’t always necessarily dig as deep as it should.  So bring it on - I told all of them.  I really wanted to know the good, the bad, and the ugly. 

Unfortunately, my work crew have been out of town a lot as of late (ACE is a busy organization) so I have only received one survey back.  This came from our gentle Rose who had naught but good things to say.  She did, however, comment on the need for me to keep a well balanced life in mind.  We must work like we play, she said, and care for our co-workers like we do for our family.  Our Rose is a very wise lady so on that note…. I’m signing off.  It’s the long weekend after all and I have my cross-country skis calling me.  Next… the leadership survey!

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Task 2 - The Leadership Survey

Taking a look back at your mentors is truly an interesting exercise.  It really does make you take stock of who you are as a leader.  One thing I realized is that I have had the lucky experience of having been influenced by strong female bosses.  In fact, all of my positive experiences have been due to these women and I am currently, once again, in an organization dominated by strong, female leaders.  In summary, I’m an Amazon and I LOVE IT!  And not only were these mentors strong, they were (and are) colourful, outspoken, fearless, and die hard professionals who have demanded the most of me and always celebrated my successes. 

Looking back even further, I realize that I have adopted my own mother’s leadership style.  This style is based on the premise that you just need to get in there and get your feet wet.  Work hard and tirelessly and always care for animals.  My mother is the only person I know who ONLY cries at the movies where its Bambi or Wilbur suffering injustices. That is my mother’s model (which quite possibly explains my basset hound obsession).  She is all about getting the job done and making sure it is done right - a trait I always chaulked up to Old World Ukrainian stoicism. 

So that is it… my leadership style is pure Amazon with a bit of Bambi thrown in.  It does make me wonder what I would have been like if roles were reversed and my path was less dominated by this female spirit.  Definitely food for thought…..!