In a society that increasingly heralds success in terms of wealth and status, it is small wonder that we are bombarded with clichéd recipes that promise foolproof avenues to turn desire into reality.

Ad nauseam we hear of attuning vibrations, the power of positive thought, the laws of attraction etc. We are asked to compile scrapbooks, paste pictures and write journals that give concrete expression of our every material want.  As humans we are naturally imperfect. Do we know what we want? Do we really know what is best for us in the long term? Is it not wiser to set and strive for strive for concrete goals, while factoring in a flexible acceptance or even surrender to what happens, able to  reset goals in accordance with current circumstance. Perhaps the old adage “Be careful what you ask for … you might well get it” had its origin in this reality.  

Imagine a world where everyone could achieve success just by visioning or willing it to happen? The danger of this thinking is the so prevalent sense of entitlement that equates desire with expectation and the right to have!  

Uncertainty and the wild-card factor are a given - They should be managed rather than wished away ... Surely they make life challenging and interesting?  

During a recent magnified mammogram procedure, a friend of mine, not wanting to distress her family, spent the day alone at the hospital. I was hugely impacted by the importance, yet simplicity of her comment. Is this perhaps a fortuitous distillation of the essence of how women make their contribution? Consider her observations in the context ofcorporate scenarios: 

"My day at the hospital was one of the most uplifting experiences I've had in a while. I chose to go alone. There was a pervading sense of women looking after women at the clinic. People from all walks of life sat and chatted for hours as we all waited for our procedures. The radiographers held my hand and stroked my back during the biopsy, and the doctor put her arm around me as she led me to her office to discuss the preliminary results. There are boxes of knitting in the waiting room, and while we waited we knitted strips destined to become blankets for women's shelters. I was fascinated by the gaudy bits of knitting - each obviously bearing testimony to one woman's emotions as she waited.

I think that women do a great job of looking out for each other when the chips are down - I worry that men don't, as they soldier through their troubles."

Fiery Clouds - Rodger Harding 2007

Enjoy a fun session painting on canvas. The experience will allow an exploration of:

·          Innate thinking that underpins your leadership expression

·          How your leadership style impacts on others

·          The difference between management and leadership

What’s involved!

·          A 3-hour time investment

·          The creation of an original artwork (2-hours)

·          Individual or group (4 maximum) sessions

·          Intensive debrief with Rodger Harding (1-hour exchange of ideas, recorded for participant reference)

·          $300.00 (all paints, brushes and canvases included)

·          Wine and snacks add to the relaxed atmosphere

How this approach to leadership training came about!

A young CEO, describing her management team as iconoclastic, recently asked me to come up with a relaxed and intimate leadership course that would be completely different, yet relevant. It was important to her that each person would walk away with a better knowledge of, and confidence in, their own leadership style.

As my own artistic ventures have distinctly allowed me to understand how creative thinking influences my approach to people, situations and crises. This is particularly true when faced with unchartered territory, or scenarios that have unfolded in an unexpected fashion. I decided to experiment with a real-time painting session that would allow each participant to evaluate their own leadership style. It was a great success.

Feedback showed that the 4 participants benefited by:

·          A positive realization of innate, yet untapped, creative thinking

·          A conscious awareness of the difference in individual approach to the task 

·          An understanding of the parallels in workplace decision-making and project management

·          An awareness of the importance of creative thinking when faced with required interpretation, analysis and task execution within set time and resource parameters

·          A conscious realization that management is a component of leadership

Call (416) 962-6700 for more information

Rodger Harding is proud to have been invited by Adriaans & Associates to present a full day workshop that will explore and demystify the role of Women in Leadership

Date: Friday November 20, 2009.

Sheraton Centre Toronto,

123 Queen Street West, Toronto

·          Full day leadership workshop 8:00am-4:30pm (lunch served)

·          Cocktail networking session 5:00–7:00 pm

·          Draw— 2 tickets to South Africa sponsored by South African Airways

Rodger Harding’s empowering insights reflect an exciting life lived on three continents. His experiences have fuelled a firm conviction that individuals are totally unique and deserve to be accommodated for who they are rather than who they are expected to be. His particular passion for recognizing, accessing and enabling deserving Canadian women, is clearly demonstrated through his long standing professional development engagement with the nation-wide Canadian Women in Communications (CWC) Professional Development & Mentorship Program.

Rodger is a gifted storyteller – His riveting presentations are uniquely interesting, entertaining, and memorable!

"Do not follow where the path may lead.

Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." -Muriel Strode

Rodger Harding was recently interviewed by Natalia Malysheva of Natole Productions as part of her latest documentary that explores the evolving context of New Media in the film, broadcast, news and entertainment arenas. Her questions were insightful and thought provoking.  

Action!  is an interactive documentary that aims to present the numerous challenges faced by Canadian independent producers in the process of launching new media projects.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJVWwb1v8aw