That Ontario based Bayly Communications went into receivership last month did not really make headlines. Yet the possible demise of this company, formerly Bayly Engineering, is significant as it marks the disappearance of the last vestige of an illustrious Canadian.

Founder, Benjamin De Forest (Pat) Bayly, the largely unknown Canadian hero of WWII whose brilliant encryption/decryption work saved countless lives and gave the Allies an unquestioned competitive edge, maintained the point of view that he should never be known by name. He refused to write up an account of his secret intelligence activities after the war saying:

"… the best thing I could do was shut up ..."

"I wasn’t having any of that, because I had been treated extremely well by Canada, the States and England - far beyond what was necessary. I was welcomed into places where it was absolutely necessary that I be … and everybody's been so very kind. … We'd go out and have a couple of drinks and they'd tell me political things that shouldn’t be free, … they were really quite outspoken and I came to the conclusion at the end of the war that the best thing I could do was shut up. Because if I did, if I spoke all the things I would unwittingly mention, things would have political (consequences)…." Quoted in The True Intrepid by Bill Macdonald (RAINCOAST Books)

Bayly’s standpoint meant that he placed the greater picture ahead of his personal desire for recognition – The critical discretion of a truly service-oriented leader!

Watching a TV sitcom recently, I was jolted by an expert’s response to an impatient crime investigator: “If you haven’t time for me to consider all the facts… All you can expect is sh_t!” I thought of how many top executives I have worked for/encountered who pride themselves on wanting answer “yesterday”. It seems almost a virtue to insist that all questions, briefings & backgrounders be provided with impossible speed and brevity.

The advance of Information Technology, while providing amazing & valuable tools/platforms, has added to the notion that brevity/speed is perhaps more important than context/depth. A distinction should ideally be made between lack of focus, waffle/padding & verbosity and the very real need for detail and big-picture background.

Efficient Time Management will ideally factor in goal achievement via the strategic balance of time, budget, quality, resource & team realities.

For Time Management training:  (416) 962-6700

That Kai Nagata’s manifesto on why he quit his job went viral, perhaps speaks to the frequency of the workplace sentiment that there is no point in continuing to do what we do.  

This is particularly true of aspiring leaders, hamstrung by perceived hidden corporate agendas that either overtly or covertly put the brakes on full deployment of potentially exciting ideas, strategies and vision. This becomes especially serious when ethical or value discordance comes into play. How often are we left feeling:” I just can’t buy into this… but what options do I have?” John Le Carre’s words come to mind: “the discovery that you’re just turning over a system that gets neither better nor worse is extremely depressing...”A courageous soul, free of duty to others, will take the leap and head for the hills… prepared to embark on a search for a better fit.

Some 20 years ago I abandoned a promising diplomatic career ... just before taking up post as the then youngest ever full-on ambassador ... The fact that the powers that be had, for me, totally departed from my perceived notion of the noble goals of the profession...or had nefarious agendas was unbearable. More than 2 decades of diverse consulting/training/coaching has since taught me that this phenomenon is more common than not in the larger world... Nagata's words and the widespread reaction to his experience bears direct testimony to the importance of ensuring that ethics, values and purpose retain priority in corporate goal setting!

Importantly the recognition, validation and accommodation of the like-minded goes a long way to ensuring that the valuable contribution of Kai Nagata, and his ilk, is not lost.   

http://kainagata.com/2011/07/08/why-i-quit-my-job/

A Forensic Investigation, it is probably safe to say, refers to the reading/consideration of all available clues to determine the origins (what or why or by whom) of any known/past fact, deed or event.

A Corporate Intelligence Initiative refers to the reading of all available clues to determine what might happen in the future.

This simple comparison proved useful recently while working with a large corporate client in overcoming group resistance to work with unproven scenarios. Illustrating that the expertise required for disaggregating a problem was exactly the same as that required to work forward to a desired goal, facilitated the deployment of an innovative strategy to navigate uncharted territory.

Working with the unknown or unproven, in our opinion, is the greatest challenge facing the corporate mind set in securing a true competitive edge. Dynamic Leadership has the courage to explore and factor in what might happen in the future. Risk Management is just that… managing, not avoidance, of mights & maybes!
  

It is beyond doubt that Stieg Larsson's trilogy has been an international hit.

While millions of readers continue to devour the words that describe the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’s  daring analytical/creative approach to human complexity, I wonder how many of us readers would tolerate a Lisbeth Slander in our business or social midst?  

As Nobel Laureate José Saramago put it in his disturbing novel Seeing:  

“The safest way of categorizing people is not by dividing them into the clever and the stupid, but into the clever and too clever ... with the stupid we can do what we like … with the clever the trick is to get them onto our side, whereas the too clever even when they are on our side are intrinsically dangerous, they cant help it, the oddest thing is that in everything they do, they are constantly warning us to be wary of them, but , generally speaking, we pay no attention to the warnings and then have to face the consequences…”    

True leaders think outside the box - How often do we dismiss those who present unwelcome or different viewpoints as 'negative'... 'out there'... 'crazy'... 'idealistic'?

Dear Clients & Friends, 

In this 14^th year of operation, our programs continue to evolve in direct response to client requirement. With increasing budget restraints and an uncertain economic outlook, ongoing client request to enhance the leadership function of managers in diverse organizations has resulted in the fine-tuning of our Managemnet Training Program: 

Encouraging Managers to Lead!

 This Leadership Awareness program places high value on the critical role of managers to contribute to the ongoing evolution of team competency investment and best business practice.The emphasis on the distinction between management and leadership serves to enhance core leadership competencies, resulting in proactive, yet accountable input and decision making, team motivation and cost-effective project-management. Flexible thinking is encouraged to ensure efficient problem solving and the optimal use of available talent and resources. The finding out of what the team doesn’t know it knows segment has been particularly successful. 

 ♦

As a direct offshoot of my extensive volunteer work over the past 15 years with Canadian students aged 16-22, I have been asked by many concerned parents to work with younger people who, despite high intelligence and a good academic background, seemingly lack focus and are uncertain as to a firm career direction. The clear, but unconscious, leadership potential of these students has prompted the formal design of a program focused on identifying, validating and empowering realistic leadership in young people. 

Leadership for Students

The program explores and makes conscious existing, but untapped individual leadership expertise. Practical techniques enable the understanding and full investment of core competencies, personality & experience. Strong attention is given to measuring individual impact and preparedness to consider what is involved in living out personal dreams. The program is particularly directed at youth who have the irrepressible notion that there must be something more!  

♦ 

Please contact me should you require further information on either of the two programs. 

Once again I would like to express my ongoing appreciation for your personal and professional contribution to my success and sense of fulfillment throughout 2010. My very best wishes for the Holidays and a happy, safe & prosperous 2011!  I look forward to renewed contact in the New Year. 

Warmest regards,

Rodger

As direct offshoot from our Corporate Intelligence Program we have successfully delivered a 2-day training pilot for this exciting and relevant new offering: 

The Situation  

A growing IT solution provider ready to move to the next level in terms of growth and steps to establish a clear competitive edge 

The Challenge 

Lack of available budget to hire required expertise 

The Task 

 To explore the availability of existing, but untapped expertise in the current team resource pool; An interactive discussion format allows for an organic/flexible evolution of team performance/results – This is not a canned/pre-set program. 

The Program Objectives 

·          Stocktaking of current team responsibilities existing and conscious team expertise and experience·          Via everyday and fun exercises, demonstrate to team members their innate ability to access unconscious knowledge and provide workable solutions

·          Up the ante, using newly learned techniques to explore real operational challenges/problems/objectives solutions and possibly arrive at sustainable and cost-effective solutions     

Short Term Results 

·          Clear individual ability to think laterally and access hitherto hidden or dormant expertise

·          Team preparedness to consider the bigger picture and cross job-description boundaries where necessary

·          Potentially workable solutions delivered within available budget 

Long Term Results 

·          Increased awareness of, and individual connection (across the board) to, service-oriented leadership

·          Enhanced/sustainable work ethic   

Should this program resonate, please call Rodger Harding for more information: (416) 962-6700 

The program respects client confidentiality at all times!

 “Expression is all we want… not knowledge, but vent: We know enough; but have not leaves and lungs for a healthy perspiration and growth” – Ralph Waldo Emerson (Selected Journals 1841-1877)

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

A National Leadership Initiative in collaboration with Canadian Women in Communications

Rodger Harding has been invited to present the CWC (Canadian Women in Communications) National Women Negotiating for Success Workshop Series to nine chapters across Canada.

This initiative is designed to enhance the ability of women in managing the key elements of negotiation to better achieve their personal and business goals. Participants will be encouraged to to create an individual negotiation style that will pave the way to the best possible career outcomes in years to come.

In particular, the workshop will focus on the circumstances facing women in the fast-paced and constantly changing environment in which we all work today. Negotiation strategies will be identified to assist with the effective identification, analysis and management of situations where an accurate and ongoing interpretation of people and events are required.

Rodger will share negotiation expertise that reflects his extensive management consulting, diplomatic and legal experience. His interactive approach will provide a sound foundation of key negotiation principles as well as the enhancement of any theories, methods and expertise already known. Rodger believes that the outcome of any negotiation will dictate a course of action based on actual, not perceived realities. It is in this spirit that the workshop is designed to: 

• Link Negotiation to Leadership
• Illustrate the difference between negotiation and confrontation
• Provide techniques that enhance rapport and good ongoing relationships between parties to any negotiation

All participants will receive a comprehensive handout/summary that will serve as an ongoing resource 

 Please follow link for an article written about the New Brunswick event by Rachel Bloomer for the Telgraph Journal:

 http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com/search/article/251993

Chapter Negotiation Workshop dates:

For more information visit Canadian Women In Coomunications 

“In business, you don't get what you deserve, you get what you negotiate.”  - Chester L. Karrass