SOCIETY OF GRADUATES ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2004

1. SOCIETY OF GRADUATESANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2004 LEADERS TODAY: FINDING THE GOOD “HOLDIN’ GROUND” 06 October 2004

2. The rules break like a thermometer … Quicksilver spills across charted systems. We’re out in a country that has no language, no laws Chasing the raven and the wren through gorges unexplored since dawn. Whatever we do together is pure invention. The maps they gave us were out of date by years. Adrienne Rich, Twenty-one Love Poems

3. OVERVIEW OF PRESENTATION • Context: Change in Society • Role of Leaders in Times of Change • Readiness to Respond • Conversation

4. CHANGES IN SOCIETY • Demographic shifts • Financial challenges • Impact of technology • Increasing urbanization • A changing rural Canada • Public expectations • Credibility of leaders

5. EMERGING AWARENESS • Importance of culture • Value/beauty of diversity • Recognition of disabilities • Role of women • Reality of violence • Reality of poverty • Understanding of environment • Link of social/economic development

6. CHANGES IN ORGANIZATIONS • Customer focus • Mission driven/values based • Quality focused • Partnerships/alliances • Participative decision-making • Sense of accountability • Innovation/learning environments • Shared vision

7. EMERGING UNDERSTANDING OF HEALTH • Health is a state of complete physical, emotional, social and spiritual well-being; it is a resource for everyday living. • Health • persons • families • communities • populations • earth

8. CHANGES IN HEALTH CARE SYSTEM • Federal/provincial interaction • Balance: community/home/institution • Involvement of clients in decisions • Coordination/integration • Governance restructuring • Alternate caregivers • Focus on research, outcomes • Accountability/transparency • Ethical decision-making • Levels of stress

9. The things we fear most in organizations-fluctuations, disturbances, imbalances- need not be signs of an impending disorder that will destroy us. Instead, fluctuations are the primary source of creativity. Margaret Wheatley, Leadership and the New Science

10. RESPONSE IN TIMES OF CHANGE • Health, wholeness • Inclusion, connectedness • Interdependence, integration

11. ROLES OF LEADERS • Visionary – musician, artist, poet • Prophet – disturber of the peace • Decision-maker – manager, director • Inspirer – spirit creator, calling forth the good, telling the story • Facilitator – one who draws forth the energy, hopes, actions of the group • Implementer – one who does the difficult deeds • Evaluator – one who measures, celebrates wins, learns from losses

12. KEY ELEMENTS • Creating the environment • Opening doors • Respecting the tradition • Showing ethical leadership • Imaging soul in your organization

13. CREATING THE ENVIRONMENT • Focus on quality and outcomes • Participative decision-making • Linkages • Citizen involvement • Healthy communities

14. OPENING DOORS The core of leadership must be the act of making conversation real. The conversations of captaincy and leadership are the conversations that forge real relationships between the inside of a human being and their outer world, or between an organization and the world it serves. David Whyte, Crossing the Unknown Sea: Work as a Pilgrimage of Identity

15. RESPECTING THE TRADITION • Image of the dory • Strengths of the past

16. ETHICAL LEADERSHIP • Include ethical issues on agendas • Establish a climate in which ethical issues can be raised and considered

17. NEED FOR COURAGE AND COMMITMENT • Uncertainty about the direction • Long-term nature of the endeavour • Broad spectrum of participants • Spectrum of emotional response • Intensity of process • Incredibly high expectations • Costs of change

18. READINESS TO RESPOND • Awareness of complexity • Skills development • Strengths of tradition • Emotional preparedness • Reflection • Ceremonies and celebration • Confidence and conviction

19. How can we dare Wisdom in the mosaic of our realities? Inès Maria dell’ Eucaristia, fdls

20. SYMBOLS • Crystal • Inukshuk

21. I’m sittin’ on my stage-head lookin’ out at where Skipper Joe Irwin’s schooner is ridin’ at her moorin’ … thinkin’ about how weak are the things that try to pull people apart – differences in colours, creeds and opinion – weak things like the ripples tuggin’ at the schooner’s chain. And thinkin’ about how strong are the things that hold people together – strong, like Joe’s anchor, and chain, and the good holdin’ ground below. Ted Russell, The Holdin’ Ground

22. Life is somewhat like when you are on a boat and there is a wind blowing. You cannot control the wind, but if you set your sails right you can get to your destination. William Hornady

23. Peace of the flowing stream be yours, Water flowing, cleansing and healing. May you be refreshed. Peace of the flowing stream be yours. Peace of the gentle breeze be yours, Winds blowing, stirring, cooling. May you breathe deeply. Peace of the gentle breeze be yours.

24. Peace of the fertile earth be yours, Land giving life to diverse creatures. May you walk on firm ground. Peace of the fertile earth be yours. Peace of the twinkling stars be yours, Lights shining, sparkling, beaming. May your journey be filled with wonder. Peace of the twinkling stars be yours. Diann L. Neu, Return Blessings