The Opinion - July 2014 by TheWXN

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a letter from wxn founder, pamela jeffery A conversation with wxn top 1oo award winner, rhiannon traill and her mentee raise your ante: Mentor AND SPONSOR other women lawyers - a necessary evil? how women win: top 1oo winner debby carreau takes a look at best practices to get to the top know when to hold ‘em, and when to fold ‘em building your personal brand online with linkedin’s sarah lawless photo gallery what’s in your toolkit? Key Communications Principles in Managing a Crisis 3 Things Every Employer Needs to Know About Non-Compete Clauses A Conversation with JP Gladu Big Data Challenges and Opportunities Building Leadership Through Competency Based Learning Intellectual Property Considerations for the Entrepreneur Is Ca$h Still King When it Comes to Attracting the Best Talent? HELP ME HELP YOU: MENTORSHIP AT BLG Leadership Development: 5 ways to step Outside Your Comfort Zone ‘career capital’ is the key to our success JULY 2014 | THE OPINION

elcome to the third edition of the opinion. i’m delighted to share the insights and learnings from wxn members, top 100 award winners and partners. i founded wxn with a very specific goal: to create a network of women moving up the ranks across industries and sectors in order that we all learn from each other. Today the WXn network is 19,000 strong and growing both here in canada and in Ireland. The Opinion marks a natural next step for wxn. it is both for you and by you, a forum designed to encourage and facilitate all-important peer-to-peer knowledge sharing and to showcase your unique voice. the cornerstone of the work we do here at wxn is to inspire smart women to lead. what better way to do just that than by tapping our best resource, you. this is your opportunity to share and gain firsthand knowledge and expertise. this issue is a clear testament to the power of that opportunity, and it comes

july 2014 | the opinion

at the perfect time, when you may actually have a moment to relax and assess.

and advice to on how to step outside your comfort zone.

in this issue, the university of alberta business school weighs in on the role collaboration plays in leadership development. you will also gain insights from Rhiannon Traill on how to make the most of the mentor-mentee relationship in order to advance your career. one common misstep for women on that journey is a propensity to put ourselves in a specific category. Top 100 Award winner debby carreau offers advice on how to stop classifying yourself and in doing so, opening the door to more wide-ranging opportunities. this article is complemented by a Q&a with sarah lawless of linkedIn Canada on how to use social media to build your personal brand - a necessity if you want to set yourself apart in today’s marketplace.

the advice and lessons learned continue with articles on managing multi-generational workforces, what to know about employment law and how to protect your intellectual property. plus, jp gladu, the president and ceo of the canadian council for aboriginal business, shares his insights on how the country’s fastest growing demographic is changing the face of business in canada.

Imagine what your life would be like if you were able to find balance? It’s a quest so many of us are on that it seems at best like a dream, at worst an urban legend. stephanie mahovlic offers practical tips

as you can see, there is something for everyone on these pages. we hope you make The opinion a part of your summer reading list. more importantly, we hope you take away information you can use to take your personal and professional lives to the next level. enjoy!

july 2014 | the opinion

2013 telus future leaders top 100 award winner, ceo, mother, and my mentor.

grounded in loving yourself and trusting your abilities. When I take on a new venture, learn a new skill or challenge myself to do something differently, i know the goal will never be achieved if I don’t approach it with confidence. mmd: what does it mean to you to be a top 100 mentor?

t wxn, we believe that having a mentor is an invaluable opportunity for women to learn from those who are at the top of their fields about the steps they took, the challenges they faced and exactly how they got to where they are. rhiannon traill, top 100 award winner, president & ceo of the economic club of canada and the junior economic club is currently a wxn top 100 mentor, an opportunity she jumped on in order to give back to her community and the next generation of female leaders. i am fortunate enough to call rhiannon my mentor. she is helping me shape my goals, career plans and also learn the tools to become a leader in all aspects of my life. rhiannon has agreed to answer a series of questions to share her wisdom with the wxn community. mmd: have you had a mentor that has shaped your professional career and personal life? what was one valuable lesson s/he taught you? RT: I don’t think I have a typical or traditional view on mentorship. i believe mentors come in and out of our lives all the time and serve many different purposes. a mentor is someone who inspires me to be a better version of myself through an authentic relationship based on mutual respect, friendship and trust. i’ve had, and still do have, many special people in my life who inspire me to be a better businessperson, leader, wife, mother, friend and daughter. I think the common lesson i have learned from them all is: nothing is impossible if you believe in yourself. I think that success is

rt: i feel so blessed to be a top 100 mentor; it’s an opportunity for me to give back some of the positivity and knowledge that I have been so lucky to receive from others. i also believe that every authentic relationship provides a mutual exchange of knowledge, so I know I have just as much to gain from being a mentor as i would from being a mentee. mmd: from my own experience, it can be hard to find inspiration during times of stress, pressure or negativity. how and where do you find inspiration? RT: The number one thing that keeps me inspired when times get tough are my friends and family. no matter how busy i am with my business, i always try and invest energy into my close personal relationships.the year i became president & ceo of the economic club of canada was the same year i became a mother, and my husband was diagnosed with cancer. It was the most difficult year of my life and i felt pressure from all sides. if it wasn’t for my amazing and supportive friends and family, i’m not sure how I would have made it. I think people have to realize, especially women, that it’s ok to ask for help, it’s ok to break down once in a while and certainly ok to lean on people you love. mmd: do you believe in goal setting? what dreams and goals inspired you to succeed? rt: i have always been someone who sets goals and aspires to achieve them. i have been using this tactic my whole life and I believe it works. I like to categorize

my goals in order to try and maintain a healthy life balance. at any given time, I’m working towards personal, professional, financial and family goals. I think the number one thing that drives me to achieve my goals is simple…a true passion for life. i want to learn and grow each and every day. I know how lucky i am to have my health, my home, my family, and a career that truly inspires me. mmd: what are you most proud of? rt: i am most proud of my son luke. being his mother has been the greatest joy of my life. it’s a privilege and an honour to watch him grow into the amazing person he is. second to that, I’m most proud of the work we do with young canadians through the junior economic club of canada. it’s amazing to watch the students learn, grow, and succeed. i love hearing their success stories and watching them pay it forward, by inspiring their younger peers to become financially literate – it’s truly amazing. mmd: as president & ceo of the junior economic club, it is clear you feel investing in the next generation is important. what do you hope for generations to come, especially women? RT: I think investing in the next generation is the most important thing we can do. today’s young people are tomorrow’s leaders, and the future prosperity of our nation is dependent on their success. my hope is that the next generation of men and women are civically engaged, financially literate, and socially conscious people. i hope they dream big, inspire change and understand that true success is less about money and things, and more about people and love.

rhiannon traill is the president & ceo of the economic club of canada // melissa melia dunn is the manager of program development at wxn

PSST: rHIANNoN TrAILL WILL BE SPEAKING AT WXN’S CoCKTAIL SErIES EVENT oN oCToBEr 21 IN ToroNTo. To rEGISTEr For THIS EVENT,VISIT WXNETWorK.CoM. july 2014 | the opinion

make themselves accessible, and provide best practices and support. however, sponsors are not only responsible for the success of the women they work with but are accountable for their success and therefore must look for opportunities to champion the strengths and potential of those women. Sponsors like you carefully select the women they want to champion and unabashedly provide very public, unwavering support. through your sponsorship efforts, you would put real skin into the game by signalling to the “powers that be” that you strongly recommend the women you are coaching, support them in their intentions, and will do so until your support is no longer required.

hy would you want to be a mentor or sponsor of another women? and how does one go about it? regardless of their seniority, women want and need internal and external mentorships and sponsorships to enable them to succeed and reach their goals. who better to act as a mentor or sponsor than you? You might think the two terms mentor and sponsor are interchangeable or synonymous and that it is just personal preference or semantics to use one over the other. however, the terms have very different meanings and expectations. as a mentor, whether appointed or self-appointed, you model best practices, share a “do what i do” philosophy, or simply be on standby as a safe haven. Mentors help to develop profiles, careers and businesses; share insights, best practices and resources; and are available to work through any issues. Specific women like you are asked to be mentors, as you are seen to be accessible and good role models. sponsors are similar in scope: they

in today’s environment, all women need sponsorships. mentorships provide great platforms from which to launch sponsorships, enabling women like you to raise the ante, for all concerned. as a sponsor, you can springboard off of your mentoring responsibilities and take your charge to new levels of success, by bringing accountability into the mix. it is fair to say that it is a toss-up as to who benefits more from the sponsorship relationship: the sponsors or the protégés. women who are sponsored gain great value from the activities, particularly huge strides in leadership and visibility. It takes a lot of confidence, bandwidth and, in particular, credibility to be a successful sponsor. you need to conduct strategic sponsorship campaigns that will clearly demonstrate, among other key attributes, your judgment, business smarts and corporate loyalties. trust is the glue that will keep your sponsorship from unravelling and trust must be earned by all involved in the process. as sponsor, you hold the key to the relationships with all of the involved stakeholders - yourself, the women you sponsor, and those to whom you champion those women.

as a sponsor, you have power, judgment and information. open up to the women you sponsor and share information that helps define what made you successful and continues to do so. what was a burning problem for you? how did you solve it? if you could have had a sponsor, what would you have wanted to share o have shared with you? share struggles you have addressed, for instance, workload balance, internal/ external stresses, and familial pressures. if you have had a challenging time balancing all your responsibilities, let the women you sponsor know how you felt and what you did to sustain your current equilibrium. enable them to share the same information with others, whether now or in the future. provide a safe environment where they can tell you about their successes, fears, and desires. in the end, there is no blueprint for you to follow as a sponsor of women. go with your gut and consider what made you who you are today, what it took and continues to take to get you where you are and where you want to go. Ask yourself: if you could do it again, what would you do differently? remember that what differentiates a sponsor from mentor are the championing and accountability responsibilities. sponsoring women provides you with opportunities to promote others and earns you invaluable leadership and client development gains. be a sponsor, and raise your ante.

debra forman is a certified executive coach, owner and ceo of pinstripe coaching, and a wxnwisdom peer mentoring facilitator.

july 2014 | the opinion

lAWYERS – a necessary evil? or tax savings, and other efficiencies that might not otherwise be on your radar. ask for their business judgment

t’s not unusual for entrepreneurs to view lawyers as a necessary evil. after all, lawyers seem obsessed with risk and downside and can be viewed as raining on the parade of the ever-optimistic can-do entrepreneurs; and they are expensive to boot. however, with some preparation and effort, entrepreneurs can transform their lawyer-client relationship into a valueadd for their business. here are a few tips for accomplishing this: know what you want The better you know what you are trying to accomplish, and the parameters of what you are willing to do and not willing to do to achieve your goals, the more effective your counsel can be. if you know what you want and you can describe it, you can not only reduce unnecessary time (and money) spent by your lawyer trying to get up to speed and interpret your goals, but may prevent negotiating issues that are of no import to you or your negotiating partner. also to the extent which you have not yet landed on an issue, your counsel can assist you in thinking it through and staking out your position. invest the time in educating your lawyer about your business spending time up-front to educate your lawyer about your business, including your primary business challenges and your long and short-term goals, can save wasteful and annoying negotiating detours. early planning allows your lawyers to get ahead of issues rather than trying to back-pedal or undo negotiations, transactions or corporate structuring. it also provides your counsel the opportunity to present ideas for cost

while entrepreneurs may have more in-depth experience in a handful of companies, experienced lawyers who advise entrepreneurs have had a bird’s eye view of hundreds of successful and not-so-successful enterprises. they get a sense of patterns and many develop a keen business sense. You don’t pay extra for business advice and you don’t have to accept it, so there’s no downside to hearing it. they know a lot of people lawyers’ expertise is spread among many clients, bankers, investors, and partners; those that focus on an industry sector have a good idea of who the players in that sector are. as a result, use them to find out who you should do business with and who to stay far away from. they may also have access to potential funding sources, strategic partners, management and directors. some lawyers are instinctively proactive and will make appropriate connections when they can; with others, a little nudge or ask, can reap results. communicate how much an issue is worth to you If your lawyer doesn’t ask, don’t be shy to clearly state how much an issue, a contract, or even a deal, is worth to you. You want to make sure that your lawyers are not drafting expensive research memos or negotiating issues that are of little value to you, but are instead focused on the issues critical to your business. your lawyer as a trusted advisor it’s lonely at the top.things aren’t going well? You are unlikely to want to share your concerns with your employees, bankers, and especially your customers. if you choose well, your lawyer can be a trusted confidante who can be a good sounding board and advisor when the going gets tough.

choose well if you want the type of lawyer that is going to provide you with the advice and judgment described above, you need to make the investment to choose well. That entails taking the time to seek out considered referrals and interviewing potential candidates. when interviewing, describe your business – and see if your candidate seems to “get it” and “get you”. At the same time, make sure your candidate can (and is not shy to) provide different perspectives. ultimately, there are five elements to a successful relationship: competency, trust, judgment, responsiveness and chemistry. 1. competency entails providing a team with deep expertise in the relevant areas. 2. trust is garnered when you believe that your lawyer will put your interests first. 3. judgment is the real value add and what you are paying for. 4. responsiveness - if you can’t get your calls returned promptly or timelines are missed, it doesn’t matter how brilliant your lawyers are—they need to get the job done and be there for you.Also, make sure the lead lawyer will stay intimately involved in your matters and not disappear into a corner office post the dating process. 5. chemistry is a good vibe and connection with your candidate. after all, you will be spending a lot of time together. an additional bonus element is proactivity. that’s when your lawyers come to you with novel ideas without being asked. ******* hopefully these tips can serve to assist you in making your relationships with lawyers rewarding, and even enjoyable.

cheryl v. reicin is a partner at torys llp in toronto and new york.

july 2014 | the opinion

an article from top 100 award winner, debby carreau, on how today’s women can make it to the top.

hat does it take for women to get to the highest level in their profession? for the women who are not ready to trade their iphone, marathon training or louboutins for a yoga mat and meditation class, we are here to help. We asked 1000 female CEOs how they got to where they are today. Often successful people “find themselves” once they have made their millions (or billions) and then publicly talk about re-defining success, taking up yoga or leaning out. unfortunately, they all find this laid back lifestyle after they’ve achieved success. the thing that people rarely talk about and what career gals really want to know is: how did they achieve their success in the first place? today, there is too much discourse around the pressure on women, how we cannot have it all, and that “worklife balance” is a myth. i understand why women say they can’t have it all and how work life balance is elusive, but I don’t agree that we can’t have it all. in fact, this is why i started my research to identify how the successful female ceos do accomplish so much and feel as though they do have it all.

my belief is it’s a damaging and negative assertion to tell women they can’t have a successful career and a happy family life. in reality, “balance” never means spending equal time with work and family. Successful work life balance means you are making choices based on priorities and as a result can achieve a meaningful career and fulfilling family

life. overwhelmingly in my research the ceos said they never really thought about not being able to do it, they just put their head down and worked their tail off. each year in my business, i see thousands of organizations and their employees contributing to making the world a better place, making a positive

july 2014 | the opinion

environmental and social impact, building careers of note, and integrating their work and personal lives. Regardless of the level of their roles, these women make sure that their work doesn’t burn them out or change who they are as women. One thing in particular I have observed is they are skilled at protecting their boundaries around their family life, and while it is a constant balancing act, they’ve become really good at it. And they do have it all… based on their own definition of the term. When asked about achieving extraordinary success, CEOs told me the most important question to ask yourself is how you define “success.” If you look at one career path and it proves to be too difficult or you run into too many obstacles, of course you won’t feel successful and then it will feel as if you absolutely can’t have it all. As Sheryl Sandberg says, look at your career as a jungle gym with many twists and changes along the way, if one path doesn’t work, take a different turn. If you look at your career as a single path you will only set yourself up for failure. As I talked to all of the female CEOs in my study, some common patterns emerged. To fully thrive at work and rise to the top of your profession, follow these 10 best practices of female CEOs that will help you: 1. Look holistically at your life and your career De-compartmentalize your life by looking at all aspects of your life as one calendar. It is easier to see the big picture in order to prioritize, schedule and maximize efficiencies. Keep this in mind with the daily decisions and commitments you make. 2. Understand clearly what you want to create in life Define and commit to what you want your legacy to be. Is it to be a great parent, a successful business leader, change the world, or something else? Be realistic about what it really takes to get there and what you are willing to give up for that. The secret to leaving a meaningful legacy is consistently planting the seeds for that legacy all along the way in everything you do and every decision you make. 3. There are 168 hours in a week, use them wisely

JULY 2014 | THE OPINION

A mentor once told me “There are only 168 hours in a week, plan them wisely.” Once you factor in sleep, commute times, general grooming, and eating there is no time to waste. Be very clear on how you want to spend your hours and stick to it. If you want a happy life beyond the professional work you do, you have to fiercely commit to your priorities and say no a lot when a request doesn’t fit. This is where so many of us fall down. So yes, step away from social media, reality TV and other time-sucks. 4. Everything speaks and image matters Executive presence is one of the things that is tough to articulate but is imperative. Whether we like to admit it or not, these things really matter: polished speaking skills, knowing how to command a room, confident body language and a professional appearance. People judge your professional appearance and demeanor as a signal that you respect yourself and others. 5. Foster your network and sponsors All successful executives are very good at developing a strong network of contacts. This network will be your sponsors within your organization, your ambassadors in the community who will keep you apprised of industry happenings, job leads and even serve as a safety net if you are looking to make a career change. Commit to building a powerful support community who wholeheartedly supports your goals and priorities. 6. Master the 3 Cs: Competence, Confidence & Communication Master the core competencies of your job to move up, but never neglect your communication, leadership or people skills. These are at least as important as competence. Effective communication skills encourage commitment and respect from co-workers, friends and stakeholders. Above all else, confidence is key. Research today clearly states that success correlates just as closely with confidence as it does with competence. 7. Taking action and risks Women tend to be more risk adverse which can be a strength in things like governance, but career risks pay off. Making the tough decisions can pave the

way for long-term success. Don’t focus too heavily on potential losses or you may miss the possibility for gains. Always remember, not making a decision can be even more detrimental than making the wrong one. Take action and course correct as required. 8. Over-promise, over-deliver: reputation matters. You are aiming too low, take a big risk or you will never grow. Make bold promises and deliver on them always. Your reputation will open and close doors before you can. 9. When you fail You will fail. We all fail (although for some it is more public than others).What really matters is how you pick yourself up with grace and tact. When you fail, make sure to learn from your missteps, making the same mistakes over without learning is a recipe for failure. 10. Chart a new path We can have what we want at work and outside of work if we are smart, open, and realistic about our goals. If you know what you need today and your goals for the future, you don’t have to compromise, settle, or diminish who you are to fit into a mold. If it isn’t working the way it is, change something - chart your own course, start a business, or change careers. Reshman Saujani, Founder & CEO, Girls Who Code recently summarized it well: “At the end of the day I think the risky decision is always the best one. Especially as women, we have to take bold steps and make big moves.” What bold move are you going to take today?

Debby Carreau is the CEO and Founder of Inspired HR, the Chair of the Advisory Board for Respect in the Workplace and a Top 100 Award Winner

LEARNING WHEN TO PICK YOUR BATTLES AT WORK IS A SKILLFUL ART THAT SOME OF US HOT-HEADED FOLKS HAVEN’T QUITE MASTERED YET. HERE’S A LOOK AT WHEN TO STAND UP FOR WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN, AND WHEN TO SWALLOW YOUR PRIDE AND WALK AWAY.

After doing a quick Google search of the age-old phrase “when to pick your battles,” I discovered I’m not the only person asking this question. It seems this is a pressing issue facing many people – mostly in their corporate lives.

s a redhead, I’m inherently hot-tempered. Or maybe I inherited this from my father, or my Taurean Zodiac sign. Whatever the culprit may be, I’m perpetually opinionated and terribly stubborn, which makes debate a regular aspect of my daily life. The only reason I’m able to keep any friends at all is because although I usually think I’m right, I’m the first to admit when I’m wrong. As we all continue our journeys into the corporate (and everyday) world, we are exposed to hundreds of new and different personality types; along with this, also exposed to ideas and personalities that don’t jive with our own. Learning how to work with and accept these types “as they are” is the key to professional development. If you haven’t mastered this art yet, you might be holding yourself back.

The most perplexing thing I find about this phrase is it implies that we should consider censoring ourselves, as it’s not always reasonable or productive to argue when we have a difference of opinion. Although I can appreciate the importance of knowing when to bite one’s tongue, I actually find the opposite of this implication to be true; every time we choose to let our opinions go in a moment of disagreement, we’re missing an incredible opportunity for brainstorming and thought generation. Moreover, we might have an idea that our sparring partner hadn’t thought of yet. Obviously there are some tactics involved in becoming a skillful debater. Thanks to my stubborn (and wildly intelligent) father, I have been exposed to a lifetime of constructive debate – ‘intellectual conversation’, as I like to call it – which makes me fairly well equipped to deal with moments of otherwise undesirable confrontation. For those of you who might be a little less well versed on the debate-sphere, shy away from confrontational moments,

and feel as though your ideas are being lost along the way, here are some tips on when to speak up, and when to just simply let it go: GET COMFORTABLE WITH THE WORD ‘DEBATE’ Another problem with this phrase is that it uses the word “battle” as a synonym for debate (or disagreement), which connotes there will be a winner and a loser. However, in any constructive business setting, one will (or should) know that this is absolutely not the case and that debate, discussion, and constructive feedback is the breakfast of champions. If you have a different opinion, the likelihood that someone has the same (or similar) opinion to you is high. Don’t let something go because you’re afraid of how it will be received. If you have a strong opinion, take a stance, make your thoughts heard, and leave it on the table. A good team at work will take a thorough look at all differing opinions, and come to a consensus to appease the majority. UNDERSTAND YOUR OPPONENT People think differently. Period. Therefore it is difficult for people to agree on common ground, based on the fact that they are digesting the

JULY 2014 | THE OPINION

information differently. Although this is a classic case of semantics, in order to have others see your argument as valid, you must be logical and concise. Fact A + Fact B = Solution (C). There are many ways in which you can manipulate facts to your advantage, but for the most part, Pythagoras was onto something with linear thinking. Understand that your audience might not agree with your ideas right off the bat, but rather, might need some handholding to understand why you arrived at the opinion you did. Do you know something they don’t? Do they know something you don’t? Make sure to always provide work and steps to why you came to the conclusion you did, and your colleagues will see the logic behind your argument – and if they don’t, maybe you need to consider my next point. ADMIT WHEN YOU’RE WRONG AND APOLOGIZE WHEN YOU NEED TO Everyone loves their own brand. We’re inherently blind to our flaws, and as a result, can sometimes let our own sense of ego get in the way of our analytical skills. To ask that you remain unbiased one hundred percent of the time would be impractical, however it’s important to make a conscious effort to be open-minded as often as possible. I once got into an argument with my friend after during a 12-hour flight that there was a time difference between Montréal and Toronto. I’m not joking. Although I blame lack of sleep for the hilarious thought, she didn’t think she was wrong, and wasn’t willing to back down – which made me question my entire existence. What? Montréal isn’t in the same time zone as Toronto? Do I even know who the Prime Minister is? Is there actually a second R in the word sherbet? The snowball of self-doubt began spiraling out of control. The lesson here? If you’re in the wrong, yet are convincing people (who are right) that they’re wrong, you’re going to spark serious self-doubt within your team. Furthermore, if you’re wrong (but too stubborn to recognize it), you’re going to have to deal with the repercussions eventually. Sometimes it’s beneficial to take a step back and carefully re-evaluate your stance.Your fight isn’t worth fighting if you’re shooting blanks. Ultimately, it’s a bit difficult, embarrassing and quite awkward to

JULY 2014 | THE OPINION

admit when you’re wrong. Doing so gracefully, appropriately, meaningfully and in a timely manner are key steps to developing strong relationships with your peers. ROLL WITH THE PUNCHES There will be many instances when your opinion is heard, understood, and acknowledged, yet tossed into the trash bin. Why? Just because. Will this blow to your ego and lack of explanation affect your productivity, confidence and work ethic? It might, but you should try and let it go. Your team didn’t go for your idea? On to the next big one; or…on to working on your persuasion skills. Your ability to take criticism equally as well as you’re willing to dish it out will make you an invaluable member of your team. Not to mention, will make you a more resilient person. Being met with a “no” is a part of being in the corporate world, and the more comfortable you are with hearing this, the better you’ll be at coming up with a plan B. DON’T KNOCK IT UNTIL YOU TRY IT The absolute worst way to critique an idea is to disagree with something without providing an alternative solution. That’s why whenever I disagree with an idea, in addition to providing a clear thought process behind why I don’t agree, I always have an alternative option. It shows you’re actively thinking about the practicality of an idea, rather than simply disagreeing with it because of your aversion to certain words or colours. Asking questions like “will this work in practice?” “does this make sense to our clients?” “is this a Band-Aid solution?” are ones that I find most helpful when coming up with a plan B. That being said, keep an open mind when hearing new ideas. After all, you might find that you actually like “that wacky idea” once you try it out. TAKE THE EMOTION OUT OF IT The one instance when you should reconsider fighting a battle is if you’re being fuelled by emotion. Passion and offence might be the two exemptions to this rule, but I’ll get to that in a moment. If you’re arguing just for argument’s sake, drop it. Do you disagree with your colleague beacause of personal reasons? Hang these emotions at the door and

leave them out of it. Just because you have a personal issue with someone doesn’t mean their ideas are terrible – and, it might actually cause you to miss a few of their great ideas because of your disdain for them. If you’re in one of the most undesirable, yet quite common, work situations where you are struggling to see eye-to-eye with a colleague, take a deep breath and listen to the idea, not the person. You might be surprised by what you’re able to hear once you take your bias out of it. ******* My grandfather used to always tell my mother “if something’s not worth asking for, it’s not worth having.” I’ve always held this close to my heart, both in my personal and professional lives. If I believe in something, I stand up for it. I’ve been accused of having “not invented here syndrome”, whereby if I didn’t create something, I don’t like it. I blame my high standards as the culprit for this critique. Should I be punished for not liking something if I feel as though it’s not up to standard? Absolutely not. However, it’s important to work on proper communication skills in order to provide reasoning as to why you don’t like something – otherwise you’ll be perceived as arguing for argument’s sake. I learned a valuable lesson from this critique, which is that you should never back down from something for fear of being met with a backlash. Hindsight may be 20/20, but if you didn’t speak up at the time, you forfeit any right to complain about it later. Make sure to speak your mind, and let it go once it’s been stated. There are many reasons why we should pick and choose our battles, but I believe that instead of referring to these as “battles”, as there are no winners and losers, let’s instead think of Kenny Rogers’ hit “The Gambler” when referring to these situations: “you’ve got to know when to hold ‘em, when to fold ‘em, when to walk away, and when to run.” Stick to your gut, stand up for what you believe in, but be sure to keep in mind that you might not always be right.

KELLY TYSON IS THE MANAGER OF DIGITAL MARKETING AT WXN

ince its launch in 2003, LinkedIn has established itself as the largest professional network in the world with 300 million members and growing. Two new members join every second and there are no signs this will slow any time soon. Sarah Lawless joined as a member in 2004 never anticipating that she would one day work at the company. Today she is Enterprise Relationship Manager at LinkedIn Canada. It’s a natural fit when you consider that LinkedIn’s business is all about connections and relationships and building relationships is at the core of Lawless’ own success. Friend of WXN, Mary Teresa Bitti, sat down with LinkedIn Canada’s Sarah Lawless to ask her a few questions about developing a personal brand online and some of her lessons learned on how to build relationships online. The starting point: “It’s all about communicating/ translating your real-world personal brand digitally. MTB: What does LinkedIn do? SL: It is a platform that allows you to build your professional brand, who you are as a professional, what you have achieved, what you’re hoping to achieve, and how you’re growing. But people also come to LinkedIn for education, to gain insights, to network with other professionals, and to read what great minds like Richard Branson or the Dalai Lama are thinking. MTB: How can LinkedIn help build/ enhance online brand? to

SL:

It’s important showcase their

JULY 2014 | THE OPINION

for people professional

achievements. There are other social media sites where people can showcase who they are as a mother, father, friend, where they can share what movies and restaurants they like but their professional brand is different and people like to keep the two worlds separate. LinkedIn allows you to do that. At the same time, there is a misconception that LinkedIn does not allow you to show people who you are. In fact, you can and should still share what you are passionate about, why you have chosen the profession and career path you’re focused on, what makes you tick, and what motivates you. LinkedIn is more than a bulleted resume. MTB: Are people using the platform to full effect? SL: Probably not. There are groups you can join and participate in, you can publish blogs and insights, and share what you are thinking about and what you are doing. Beyond your profile, you can showcase important aspects of who you are. Our mission statement is to help professionals become more productive and successful. Everything built on the site is designed to do that and in the process showcase who you are. MTB: How important is an online brand when it comes to career advancement? SL: If you don’t have a presence on the Internet, you don’t have a presence at all. That wasn’t the case when I started my career in the late 1990s. It comes down to the simple fact that you have to be where your audience is – and your audience is increasingly online. Six and a half million Canadians come onto LinkedIn every month; as an individual or an organization, it just makes sense that you are on the platform, too. MTB: What are some do’s and don’ts when it comes to brand building on social media? SL: You need to have a strong profile that includes a photo. It’s not like having a photo on a resume, which many people shy away from. It’s different in social networking. People are five times more

likely to respond to a message that includes a photo than to one without. Share not just what you do but why you do it.This will give people a sense of who you are as an individual. Bring life and passion to your brand, showcase your personality and why you are excited about what you’re doing. In addition to your skills and experience, build out your interests and volunteer projects. The goal is to give people a complete picture. Think before you post anything online. You want to make sure that whatever you are putting out on the Internet represents you in a way that you are comfortable with. For example, I would never post something on Facebook that I think could come back to haunt me in my professional career. Don’t send out links to articles/posts etc that you haven’t read. Some people blast things out just for the sake of doing so. You want to make sure what you are recommending is something that resonates with you. Finally, don’t feel that you have to connect with everyone. Think of your goals and the purpose of your network.

SARAH LAWLESS IS THE ENTERPRISE RELATIONSHIP MANAGER AT LINKEDIN CANADA // Mary Teresa Bitti is a journalist and founder of MTB Writing & Editing Services Inc., a firm that helps businesses and organizations tell their unique stories

wxn in ireland:

a snapshot at our events overseas

irelandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Most Powerful women:

top 25 leadership summit & awards gala 2014 2.

july 2014 | the opinion

celebrating women Left page: 1. awards gala keynote presentation by cara group joint managing director & co-founder ramona nicholas (wxn top 25 award winner 2014). 2.wxn founder pamela jeffery. 3. 2014 hsbc corporate Executives Award Winners. 4. DEPfA Bank Chief Risk Officer and Executive director fiona flannery. 5&6. top 25 awards gala guests. 7. tesco ireland legal affairs director sarah gallagher (wxn top 25 award winner 2014) and guest

This page: 1. guests at top 25 leadership summit. 2. wxn advisory board member; special olympics president & managing director, europe eurasia region mary davis. 3. microsoft ireland managing director cathriona hallahan (wxn top 25 award winner 2013 & 2014) and google global director, real estate and facilities jennifer kelly (wxn top 25 award winner 2014) at the leadership summit. 4. Q&a. 5. guests at the top 25 leadership summit

july 2014 | the opinion

wxn canada events gallery 2014 2.

july 2014 | the opinion

AT WXN WE WOMEN TO LEAD

SMART

Left page: 1. WXN Luncheon during the Calgary Stampede featuring GE President & CEO Jeff Immelt, NRStor Chair & CEO Annette Verschuren (WXN Top 100 Award Winner 2007 & 2009), ENMAX Corporation President & CEO Gianna Manes, Purdys Chocolatier CEO Karen Flavelle (WXN Top 100 Award Winner 2012). 2. (Second from the left) WXN Director of Integrated Marketing Amy St. Louis, with friends Sandra Zingaro, Folasade Apanisile and Dana Sirri, at the ‘My Toronto’ Breakfast at the Ritz-Carlton. 3. Our Panelists at the “What Would You Do If You Weren’t Afraid to Fail?” Breakfast in Vancouver. 4. Kristen 5. Lucarelli with Breakfast Keynote, LinkedIn Canada’s Sarah Lawless. 5. ACCA Engagement Manager Jillian Couse with State Street Alternative Solutions’ Kate O’Brien at ‘My Toronto’. 6. WS & Co President Kathy Cheng (WXN Top 100 Award Winner 2013) and friends at the Top 100 Awards Gala in Toronto. 7. LinkedIn Canada’s Sarah Lawless giving a keynote in Mississauga This page: 1. WXN Breakfast attendee with Panelists Cause+Affect Founder and Director Jane Cox with CTV News Anchor Norma Reid in Vancouver. 2. A full house at WXN’s ‘My Toronto’ Event at the Ritz. 3. GE Canada President & CEO Elyse Allan giving a keynote in Toronto. 4. Co-Authors, Darling You Can’t Do Both: And Other Noise to Ignore on Your Way Up, Nancy Vonk & Janet Kestin giving a keynote at Breakfast in Toronto. 5. Breakfast Panelists Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) President and CEO Paul Melia, Hydro Ottawa Group of Companies Chief Human Resources Officer Lyne Parent-Garvey, and TELUS National Director, Community Affairs Shannon Gorman at the Rideau Club. JULY 2014 | THE OPINION

what’s in your toolkit? about the impact and outcome your skills and expertise have had on organizational efficiency and effectiveness, team collaboration, productivity and growth or improved organizational communication and decision-making abilities. Further, think about the audience who are the beneficiaries of your impact. Is it your team, division or organization? Is it a client or a group of individuals?

hen we are introduced to someone new, the question invariably comes up “What do you do?” Many of us respond with a job title… “I’m an Account Manager, I’m a Pilot, I’m a Project Manager, etc.” However, we are much more than our job titles. Titles don’t describe the full package we are in terms of impact, outcome, skills or expertise that each of us possesses. We should consider ourselves a ‘tool kit’ of skills, knowledge and expertise that we happen to be applying to our current opportunity as an Account Manager, Pilot, Project Manager, etc., and that we continue to develop and hone and could potentially be applied in a very different situation. Because we are emotionally and, in some cases, psychologically invested, it is difficult to step back to a position of objectivity and think about what’s in our tool kit. So, how do we identify what is in our tool kit? Meet with your network, a trusted friend or colleague, your mentor, your personal ‘board of directors’ and ask them. These individuals will be open, honest and forthright about what skills, knowledge and expertise they have observed in you. Ask them for their input in the categories of communication, leadership, time management, presentation skills, team building and collaboration. While this list is certainly not exhaustive, it does give you a starting point and these are skills we all use day-to-day regardless of the position or circumstances we are in. Once you have identified these, think

I also believe that many of us do not consider the results of not being fully aware, understanding or appreciating what is in our tool kit. Think of it in the following ways … PigeOnholing By only describing ourselves by our job title rather than our skill set, we pigeonhole ourselves and appear to be almost one dimensional. In turn, our acquaintances, colleagues and network perceive our skills as limited to our job capabilities.We are all so much more and I don’t believe it matters where these skills, knowledge and expertise have been developed; it could be through previous positions, volunteering, special assignments/projects, education or training, even parenting. These skills, knowledge and expertise are part of who we are and how we approach, manage and resolve professional challenges. Missed Opportunities Have you ever heard or read about an opportunity that sounded fantastic, only to read the description and requirements and think “I could never do that” or “I’m not qualified”? By thinking in this way, we lose from a couple of perspectives. First, job opportunities are often described via a list of tasks and duties, what I call the technicalities. But they typically do not fully describe or represent the type of person that is required or the additional skills and expertise that would be beneficial to the organization. Secondly, by not understanding the organization in a holistic manner, you fail

to understand the ways in which you can offer your skills, knowledge and expertise and utilize them to make a difference. Learning more about an organization enables you to gain insights into their clients and stakeholders, their product or service offerings, their corporate culture, etc. and allows you to then identify and describe how your skills, expertise and knowledge align with that organization and their goals and objectives. For example, if the client website states that the corporate culture is one where colleagues are self-motivated or do superior work within tight deadlines, your letter of application should describe a situation in which your initiative enabled you to achieve results above and beyond expectations or describe a time when you worked to a challenging deadline to meet a project goal and you came in ahead of deadline and under cost. Missed Career and Personal Growth If we waited for those opportunities that were a perfect fit for us from a technical or experiential perspective, we would miss numerous opportunities for career and personal growth. Approach a potential employer with an outline of your expertise and describe the skills, knowledge and abilities you bring. Identify and describe the positive outcomes and impacts these have had in previous positions. While these may be outside the ‘job description’, they represent the value you bring, the results you can generate and more importantly, enable you to represent yourself in a rounded and complete manner. As a result, you will open up more opportunities for growth and refinement of your skills and expertise. So what’s in your tool box? If you don’t know, it’s time to take stock and build an inventory. Janet Armstrong is edmonton’s Managing Director for modis canada inc.

JULY 2014 | THE OPINION

key communications principles

in managing

a crisis

ne of the most important skills for senior communicators is the ability to manage a crisis, whether you work in government, the non-profit sector, or in a highly regulated industry. during my career as a senior communications professional, i have gained a significant amount of experience and learned many valuable lessons navigating a variety of different issues and crises. below are seven core principles i recommend. 1. PLan ahead FOr whaT COuLd haPPen anticipate as many different “what if” and worst-case scenarios as possible. put a plan together that addresses each realistic risk, focusing on key elements such as the different stakeholders, what your key messages will be, how you will distribute that information, and how you will monitor and evaluate the situation as it unfolds. it’s also important to establish a base of operations – a “command post” – in the event you are required to work at a new location. scenario planning and yearly simulations will help work out any issues and ensure your company is prepared.

coordination of the local, national, continental and global teams. there is a likely risk to your company’s corporate reputation if messages aren’t unified among the various offices of multi-national and global companies. consider having a senior executive leader as a primary spokesperson. this will personalize the organization during a crisis. The spokesperson should communicate with a genuine voice, articulate messages from a perspective that puts customers first and offers solutions. process is also important in today’s reality of always-on communications. management reviews should be held at regular intervals, depending on the specific circumstances of the crisis. Crises no longer have geographic boundaries. today brand and product issues in one market can be negatively affected by other markets. 3. Be hOnesT, inFOrMaTiVe, eMPaTheTiC and PaTienT Be proactive and take responsibility. if your organization is the cause of the problem, acknowledge it and apologize. provide honest explanations and your company’s management plan. don’t be evasive. never speculate. don’t lie. 4. Find The righT TOOLs TO heLP yOu COMMuniCaTe If applicable, take advantage of visual aids, from infographics to actual product demonstrations. these can help you to most effectively communicate the issue and demonstrate the solution. consumers accept information in many ways, meet their needs and inform their understanding.

2. uniFy The TeaM

5. COMMuniCaTe in PersOn and On siTe

erroneous or incomplete information is a likely outcome if there is no

at toyota, we adhere to a philosophy called “genchi genbutsu,” which means

july 2014 | the opinion

– “go to the spot and see.” That often means operating from the location of an issue is very important. being on site enables you to have the best information gathering possible to deal with matters immediately, and it reinforces the message to those in the immediate crisis area that addressing it is your top priority. 6. COMMuniCaTe using aLL aVaiLaBLe resOurCes the realities of today’s “24/7” news cycle and the “always-on” world means your company will need to deliver information when people want it. tv, radio, newspapers, and online publications are all available resources. social media has a very important role. twitter is excellent for targeted, realtime communication, while facebook can be useful for sharing regular updates and gaining a sense of positive or negative feedback and reaction from stakeholders. that is critical, because it’s important to monitor what others are saying to allow you to correct what may be inaccurate and you can provide real-time answers to real-time questions. 7. COnduCT a rigOrOus anaLysis at some point, the crisis will end. don’t miss the opportunity to fully capture what you learned. what did your company do right? Where did it make mistakes? What could have been done differently? incorporate that into your plan, which, as a living resource, needs to be continually reviewed, updated and practiced.

sandy di felice is the director of external affairs at toyota canada inc.

things every employer needs to know about non-compete clauses non-compete clauses are generally enforced only when carefully drafted and in specific circumstances. The following are three principles that must be kept in mind when drafting non-compete clauses in employment agreements and later enforcing them against ex-employees.

our employee has quit. You have a non-compete clause. Now what?

You’ve just sat down to your desk, hot cup of coffee in hand and ready for a productive week at work. Then it happens – your star employee walks in and tells you she’s quitting. She’s given you two weeks notice and is now going to work for a competitor across town. It’s your move. How do you respond? In today’s competitive economy, workers are more mobile than ever before. Long-term loyalty of an employee to a specific employer over the course of a career is more the exception than the rule. For this very reason, non-compete and non-solicitation clauses in employment agreements have become increasingly common. However, these types of restrictive clauses must be carefully drafted or else employers’ risk, at best, having the clause disregarded, or, at worst, having the entire contract declared unenforceable by a judge. Employers should be cautious. Courts are inclined to side with employees. Despite respecting the right for employers to protect their business interests with contractual limitations,

1. Agreed to before employment begins First, the non-compete or nonsolicitation clause must be accepted by the employee before she begins employment. Trying to enforce these restrictive clauses, without additional consideration, and that was signed after employment began will fail. An employer can only subsequently enforce a restrictive covenant if it forms part of the employment contract with the employee before she begins actual work. 2. Absence of duress Second, employers must demonstrate the absence of any duress towards an employee. The courts are certain to set aside any non-compete or nonsolicitation clause in the event an employee was forced or coerced into signing it. This is also why it is best to ensure that all prospective employees sign on to the restrictive clauses before they start their employment. 3. Reasonable and Fair The third requirement is that the terms of a non-compete or non-solicitation clause must be considered reasonable and fair. What is reasonable and fair will vary from situation. However there is case law that provides employers with guidance and this should be carefully

incorporated into your employment contracts. Despite the fact that courts typically side with employees, employers may still draft such clauses if they are precise, specific to the employee, and limited in terms of their restrictions. Employers must be cautious. This is not a ‘one size fits all’ area of the law and boilerplate contract language is likely be to disregarded by the courts. Finally, employers should consider drafting non-compete and nonsolicitation clauses separately so that the latter can be enforced if the former are deemed too harsh. The employer can then seek to enforce the less onerous non-solicitation clause, which is much more likely to succeed. If you haven’t take the necessary steps to protect your business before an employee quits today to join a competitor, you might find your options are limited. However, it’s never too late to take steps today to protect your business in the future. Have you updated your employment agreements? This subject matter of this article does not constitute legal advice and provides only an overview of the subject-matter. The information in this article may not be applicable to your particular circumstances. Always seek specific, qualified and competent legal advice. This article is offered for information purposes alone. 2014 © Conduit Law Professional Corporation. All rights reserved. No reproduction without prior written consent. Reproduced in THE OPINION with permission.

PETER CARAYIANNIS IS THE SENIOR PARTNER AT CONDUIT LAW

JULY 2014 | THE OPINION

a conversation with jp gladu president and ceo of the canadian council for aboriginal business (ccab) population. As the country awakens to the enormous potential and opportunity that is aboriginal business in the 21st century, jp is busy prioritizing amongst the many new initiatives that are landing on his desk. “All of a sudden, it’s cool to be aboriginal and in business,” said jp.

ccording to the cbdc 2013 annual report card, only 1.3% of people sitting on corporate canadian boards are aboriginal. that is far below what jp (jean paul) gladu, president and ceo of the canadian council for aboriginal business (ccab), would say is an adequate representation. despite the low number, jp has a very positive view of the improvement of female aboriginal business development in canada: “we’ve got aboriginal women who are taking centre stage in politics, like Michèle audette from the native women’s association of canada; in business; and in entertainment.they’re literally pushing themselves to the front of the line. They’ve been standing in the back for way too long, and they’re coming to the front and that’s great to see.” When asked about the percentage of aboriginal entrepreneurs that are female, jp said a large percentage of ccab’s members are women. in fact, his mother and sister both run their own businesses. aboriginal businesses will play an integral part in the canadian economy in the years to come, according to jp. it is expected that 13 billion dollars will be generated by aboriginal business by 2016 and it is the fastest growing, youngest demographic in the canadian

july 2014 | the opinion

despite the great advance in recent years, aboriginal women still face a “glass ceiling” in the Canadian marketplace. Companies looking to increase aboriginal representation amongst their employees are often looking at the entry level positions, and not executive management or corporate directorships. even when they do reach the board level, there are still obstacles facing aboriginal women at the table: “I think Aboriginal women are often pushed into boxes of self-doubt when they raise their voice or their concerns, providing constructive criticism, and I think their voice gets overshadowed,” said jp. “if they’re not feeling like they’re participating, then they start to feel guilty about not participating. there’s this ‘damned if you do, damned if you don’t’ kind of mentality that starts to happen, and we need to break that cycle. the way we do that is by celebration of our aboriginal women in business and by showcasing our spearheads, our leaders, who are forging ahead and making new pathways in business.” to address the problem of low aboriginal representation in executive management, ccab currently offers a program called the Certified Aboriginal Business Program (CAB) that certifies aboriginal business ownership for companies looking to hire and partner with aboriginal-owned companies. a

second program offering, progressive aboriginal relations (par) helps canadian companies raise the bar in their aboriginal relations strategies and support continuous improvement in this area. the canadian board diversity council (cbdc) applauds ccab not only for its impressive development (in the last two years ccab has increased membership by over 100 and continues to grow revenue), but also for having a board with 30% female directors. We look forward to supporting ccab in its goals for the near future: strengthening relationships through their events and programs; empowering entrepreneurs through their financing; and, providing support and procurement tools for businesses. what can corporate canada do to improve the representation of female aboriginal directors on boards? in order for the canadian economy to reap the benefits of this demographic, Corporate canada needs to better understand the enormous potential and opportunity they represent. to do that, they have to give more aboriginal leaders a place at the boardroom table. corporate canada needs to recognize the great advances in recent years of the aboriginal community and to begin to pave the way for aboriginal candidates to move into executive management and corporate directorships. it’s not just good for the community, it’s good for business.

tannys williams is the senior manager at the canadian board diversity council (cbdc)

Big Data Challenges and Opportunities Big data is innovating technology, transforming business and ultimately redefining our relationship with customers. advertising and product and services offers that are specifically tailored to a particular individual, based on his or her attributes. Big data combined with the use of mobile devices can result in offers to individuals that are highly relevant, delivered at the right time, and (with mobile and geo-location tracking) at the right place. In the health care sector, big data e are in an era of data has been making progress in predicting behaviour and providing explosion. Every day 2.5 patient quintillion bytes of data preventative care. Multiple technologies techniques, including data are created – so much that 90% of the and data in the world today has been created visualization software makes it possible in the last two years.1 The evolution of to present a view of highly complex technology has allowed us to capture and large datasets revealing underlying the increasing volume and detail of and previously unknown patterns and information. The rise of multimedia, interactions between patients and social media, the Internet of Things providers. Data collected from wireless, and information powerhouses such as wearable devices and social media also Google and Amazon inevitably fuels the begin to be utilized for analysis. growing enthusiasm for the notion of Many believe the convergence of ``Big Data.’’ intelligent devices, social networking, What is big data? Big data is a collection pervasive broadband communications, of data sets so large and complex that it and analytics is redefining relationships becomes difficult to process using on- among producers, distributors, and hand database management tools or consumers of goods and services. traditional data processing applications. While there’s nothing particularly The challenges include capture, curation, new about the analytics conducted in storage, search, sharing, analysis, and big data, the volume, velocity and variety visualization.2 of data drives technology innovation Representing a large and growing to create marketable solutions capable opportunity across sectors, big data is of handling the scale and complexity not only about the access to data but otherwise unimaginable previously. By the ability to analyze and act upon it that technology advancement, big data offers an immense opportunity for people to creates the competitive advantage. ask questions, re-evaluate, and think For consumer marketing, the about what is possible. potential for big data is enormous (and The answers to these questions could some would argue that the confluence of profoundly change the way businesses online marketing and big data represents the “Holy Grail “of marketing). Big data operate, make decisions and interact with can allow marketers to target customers customers, or even poise to exam the precisely and efficiently by providing broadly adopted sample based statistical

theory as the vast data now becomes available. The implication of big data extends into many other areas including government, security, legal, education and human resources at various levels. The impact of big data is immeasurable. With big opportunities come big challenges. Technology The sheer volume, speed and complexity of data pose challenges at all stages of the cycle from data acquisition, storage, and analysis to result interpretation. The heterogeneity and lack of data structure (e.g. audio, tweets), error-handling, timeliness, provenance and virtualization are technical challenges across a large variety of application domains that require transformative solutions. Industry leaders, Google and Amazon have exhibited success in resolving some of these challenges by utilizing the MapReduce and LINX database solutions respectively. While deploying new technologies (e.g. storage, computing, and analytical software), legacy systems, incompatible standards and formats tend to be the major roadblocks for the integration of data and more sophisticated analytics. System and data architecture becomes increasingly important in addressing the multi-dimensional challenges. The growing computing power required to develop new analytical techniques may be a resource constraint that should not be ignored. Legal and Regulatory Big data also poses some risk to both the companies seeking to unlock its potential and the individuals whose information is now continuously being

JULY 2014 | THE OPINION

collected, combined, mined, analyzed, disclosed, and acted upon. There is a set of policy issues that will become increasingly important, including but not limited to: privacy, security, intellectual property, liability and ethical issues. The implication of the Canadian Anti-Spam Law (CASL) that came in force on July 1st 2014 is a good example to protect personal information being used without the individualâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s knowledge and consent. Organizational and Talent

Change

A significant constraint on realizing value from big data is the shortage of talent particularly with deep expertise in statistics and machine learning. The new type of role is called a data scientist, who is able to model data sets mathematically, find insights, tell stories from their data

and turn them into actions that present the most challenges. It requires a deep understanding of the business to know the questions to ask. Managers and analysts who know how to operate companies by using insights from big data are in demand (McKinsey projected a need for 1.5 million additional headcounts). Furthermore, many organizations today do not structure workflows and incentives in ways that ultimately capitalize on the insights for better decisions and take more informed action. Access to Data In the foreseeable future, organizations will increasingly need to integrate information from multiple data sources to enable transformative opportunities, in some cases, gain access

to business partner or third-party data. This is not always straightforward. Stakeholders may be reluctant to share certain data sets considered to be the source of a key competitive advantage. The broader mass market for big data has not yet materialized, however, the effort in transforming organizations by using big data will continue. Recognizing the potential opportunity as well as the strategic threats will help organizations assess and determine what is necessary to capture big data opportunities relevant to their organizations. Note: 1. IBM estimate. 2. Wikipedia definition of Big Data.

Sarah Shu is a Strategist with a Telecommunications Provider.

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JULY 2014 | THE OPINION

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building leadership through competency based learning defines my brand.

ow often do you think about your leadership style? have you taken a deliberate approach to your style and career or has it just happened organically? for the early years of my career i worked in hospitality and foodservice sector. The work was interesting and challenging. i was building my management experience, learning about managing work and people and applying the theory acquired at university. not much thought was given to my career, my leadership style or my skills and competencies. one day my job became the casualty of a merger, the large insurance company I was working for as foodservice and event manager merged with another insurance company. it was in that moment i decided i needed a better set of tools in order to take charge of my career. through the support of an outplacement firm I came to learn about competencies, the behaviours and skills that an individual must have or acquire to perform well. a job description may define the duties, responsibilities and qualifications of a role – the black and white. the competencies provide the colour and the texture, the set of contextual, specific qualities needed to excel. Competencies provide a framework on which to approach one’s career and leadership development.They help define a leadership style. i aspire to be a selfaware leader who listens, is collaborative and inclusive, while ensuring that results are delivered that make a difference. This

further refinement of a brand allows you to differentiate yourself from others as competencies are an important source of uniqueness. these are the things that i hone and develop to do distinctively well to set me apart from others and are typically sought after by employers. the best part, competencies are transferrable from job to job, sector to sector and between professional and personal life. being aware of my strengths and those i would like to develop has led me to make better choices – in the work that I choose to do, the professional development i pursue and the organizations i want to work with. It has also led to progressively more interesting and challenging work. you can have fun with it, by choosing one or two competencies to focus on each year, aligned with your learning objectives and tracked to see progress is rewarding. this year i am focused on strategic and critical thinking. during the merger, my focus on competencies resulted in a major career change. My skills in customer service, problem solving, and leadership and relation management were recognized and a senior executive in the insurance company encouraged me to pursue opportunities in information technology, which at the time, seemed out of the realm of possibility to me. Who knew, (I didn’t at the time) that my competencies were a good match to managing a team of technical desktop support analysts. i spent the next eighteen months focused on developing technical skills to complement what i brought to the role of Desktop Support Manager. job hunting, in the purest form became passé, replaced by an ongoing search for opportunities to develop or leverage my competencies. these opportunities can take the form of a temporary assignment, job shadowing, mentoring, volunteer activities or adding pieces of work to a current job. When i wanted to build project management skills I volunteered to lead an employee

fundraising campaign, garnered support for project management training, secured an experienced project manager to coach me and ran the campaign like a formal project. The framework can also be used to validate the type of work and organizational culture that is a good fit. if an organization values innovation and creativity and you have a strong interest and ability to “think outside of the box” and to go beyond the conventional than it is worth pursuing. if there is a role or particular opportunity that catches my interest i assess it for the competencies needed and how it aligns with me. my move to the ontario government is a good example of that. i wasn’t on an active job search when an opportunity for a senior resource manager, it source came to my attention and piqued my interest. the job description sounded interesting but more importantly the work aligned to my competencies of it resource management, service management, human resource management and team leadership, and it was an opportunity to be part of a team building a new service – something I had always wanted to do. the competency framework guided my decision and put me on a path that has brought me to the role i am in today: head, it source. the merger of those two insurance companies is one of the best things that has happened to my career. since then i have embraced competencies as a significant tool to use in support of my development. it has provided a context in which to manage and monitor my strong suits and opportunities. it has reinforced the significance of transferrable skills by rewarding me with a fulfilling career, and most importantly it changed my approach to my career and leadership development by guiding my choices to look for those opportunities that will develop and stretch my key competencies. it is providing the foundation for lifelong learning and the stepping stones of a healthy and successful career.

liZ mackenZie is the head of it source for the central agencies cluster, ministry of government services, ontario government. it source is a branch providing it project support and solutions across the government of ontario, including project tools & methodologies, project resourcing and cloud-based business solutions.

july 2014 | the opinion

intellectual property considerations for the entrepreneur

work with a very broad client base that includes entities of all stripes; from blue-chip corporations to start-ups consisting of a single founder. what never ceases to amaze me is how these businesses of vastly different sizes have a lot of similar needs – for example, boot-strapped start-ups have very limited resources, while blue-chips have extensive intellectual property (“ip”) portfolios and are highly cognizant of the bottom-line. in the end, both clients are incredibly cost conscious for differing reasons. accordingly, it is very important to invest in the creative side of your business in an efficient and results-oriented manner. it is my intention that the following brief summary should provide a run-down of the ip considerations that founders and ceos of small and medium enterprises should heed when getting their venture off the ground. To start, IP rights are broadly broken up into four distinct yet complimentary areas: patents, trademarks, industrial designs and copyrights. i will deal with each area below, but the important takeaway is that one, some or all of the above ip rights may in fact apply to your venture, and each ip right has a particular strength of protection and associated cost that must be carefully weighed before proceeding with a particular strategy.

Patents protect the technical concept behind an article or process. a good patent offers incredibly broad protection and such powerful rights come at a significant cost. however, if your venture is based on an innovative method or product that is truly state-of the-art (i.e. the zipper) then the investment in a patent can be well worth it as a granted patent provides the right to exclude others from making or selling anything described by the patent for a period of 20 years. the subject matter of a patent must essentially be confidential before filing a patent application and as such if you think you may have a blockbuster idea, guard it jealously until you speak to an ip professional. Trademarks are a name, design or a ‘get-up’ that is used to distinguish your products from your competitors. Trademarks are focused on branding; think of iconic trademarks such as the name “BMW”, the nike® swoosh or louboutin’s red soles. Trademarks are significantly more affordable than patents, but also do not offer such broad protection. another convenient aspect of trade-mark law is that you do not have to register a trade-mark – merely using a trademark in commerce gives rise to common-law rights that are defensible in court. however, if you intend to make branding the focus of your venture, registering your trademark offers a host of advantages at a relatively reasonable cost. A trademark right can last into perpetuity upon payment of a renewal fee every 15 years. industrial designs offer protection to the aesthetic makeup of a product that do not have any primarily technical function which would instead be the proper subject matter for a patent. for example, consider the glass Coke® bottle, Doc Marten® boot or a herman Miller® coffee table. Industrial designs

have a limited life span, but yet again can provide powerful protection for a product that heavily relies on its visual appeal such as the iconic products mentioned above. obtaining an industrial design has a relatively moderate cost and one should ideally keep a potential design confidential until it has been filed with an appropriate industrial design office. Copyright protects an author’s expression, whether in the form of writing, quotes, depiction and drawings, musical, software code, etc. examples of copyright are almost literally endless; hemingway’s “for whom the bell tolls”, the software code behind Instagram® mobile application or florence + the machine’s entire discography. similar to trademarks, copyright arises automatically on creation of the work for a period of the author’s life plus 50 years in canada, however a host of advantages are conferred when a copyright is officially registered by the owner for an absolutely minimal cost. a ﬁnal consideration one should note is that ip rights are strictly jurisdictional; that is you only acquire protection in the jurisdiction in which you file your patent, trademark, etc. As such, you must carefully consider where you are doing business when designing an appropriate and cost-effective ip strategy. as one will readily appreciate, this becomes somewhat complex considering the global and online nature of many modern business ventures. If you have any specific queries about any of the above, feel free to contact the author at atracey@mbm.com.

adam tracey is an associate lawyer, patent and trademark agent at mbm intellectual property law

july 2014 | the opinion

is ca$h still king when it comes to attracting the best talent?

Recently named one of the 50 Best Workplaces in Canada, Capital One’s Jenny Winter weighs in on what makes a great employer. survey found that as employees age, not surprisingly health and retirement benefits became increasingly important, with almost half (48 per cent) of Canadians aged 55-plus ranking this as a top three aspects of a good employer, compared with 35 per cent of those aged 18-34. In our office, our workforce is represented by millennials, gen xers and boomers, which is why we review our benefits package with each of these distinct groups’ needs in mind.

n my career, i had the good fortune to travel extensively, and that inevitably led to some very interesting conversations with fellow travelers on long flights or in airport waiting rooms. during those sojourns, a question i was often asked is what makes a great place to work. In my experience, there are some core elements that never change, such as feeling valued and working with a great team, however, as your priorities change throughout your lifetime, what you value in a great employer will also evolve.

aside from the tangible factors such as compensation and benefits, people want to learn and grow. this desire for personal and professional development never stops, ranking high among all canadians, regardless of age and gender. for anyone looking to change employers, I always recommend asking about development opportunities during the interview process because it speaks to how much that employer is investing in its people. i do want to point out development isn’t always on a vertical spectrum. horizontal learning adds diversity to resumes, extending the skill set and experience of an employee.

understanding what people value is so important in my role at capital one canada, which is why i decided to dig a bit deeper to find out what makes employees happy and engaged by commissioning a canada-wide survey. it wasn’t a huge surprise to learn 65 per cent of Canadians rank salary and compensation as a top consideration in defining a great employer. But pay is not the only factor that excites people and there are important differences to be mindful of when you drill down on gender and generations.

Workplace culture is another vital factor for building a top team. while not easily definable, access to the c-suite, social activities for employees and a collaborative approach at work all contribute to creating a compelling work environment. This is especially true for men who were more likely than women to rank People and Culture as a top aspect of a good employer (26 per cent vs 16 per cent). this emphasizes the different ways people interpret culture and it reinforces the need for leaders to dig deeper to understand these differences and strive to create that environment.

companies need to regularly review the benefits they offer if they want to meet the needs of the changing demographics in the workplace. Our

another trend we’ve noticed and embraced is giving our associates the freedom of a flexible working schedule both in terms of hours and working from

july 2014 | the opinion

home or elsewhere. Providing flexibility at work is an important consideration, especially for women -- we found they are more likely than men to rank flexibility as a top three aspects of what makes a good employer (35 per cent versus 25 per cent). we’ve witnessed how this freedom helps our own associates have a good work/life balance, builds trust and puts the right focus on results and outcomes. for employers looking to implement this benefit, I highly recommend taking the time to fully grasp the motivation behind why their employees would value this kind of flexibility so you can build an effective program. what canadians value in an employer may change throughout the course of their careers, but many of the fundamentals remain constant. whether you’re a recent graduate or part of the senior level management, it’s always important to regularly review your personal values and ensure that they continue to align and be fulfilled by your employer. We’ve taken a look at just some of the factors that make a good employer, next time we’ll explore what drives job satisfaction. The top five most important aspects that makes an organization a good employer are: 1. competitive salary and compensation (65 per cent) 2. has a comprehensive health and dental benefits (43 per cent) 3. personal and professional development opportunities including mentorship, education courses and ability to move-up (35 per cent) 4. Offers flexible working hours (30 per cent) 5. strong employer reputation and image (24 per cent)

jenny winter is the chief people officer at capital one canada

help me help you

mentorship: a cornerstone of career development at blg

ike WXn, Borden, ladner gervais (blg) also puts a strong emphasis on the importance of fostering mentoring relationships. mentee wendy whelan sat down with her mentor and colleague, cynthia Clarke to highlight the key takeaways from their experiences, both as a teacher, and a learner. ww: cindy, what was experience as a mentee at blg?

your

cc: i was very fortunate as i had excellent mentors, both men and women, formal and informal. these mentors were people who took an interest in me as a professional and as a person. they were curious about my professional progression. while we had a formal review process, my mentors also offered contemporaneous feedbaww to ensure i had good information about my performance. WW : What was the key to having a good relationship with your mentor? cc: i always had very collegial relationships with my mentors but the key to the successful relationships, in my view, was the connection i had with my mentors. This connection, when I think baww on it, grew out of mutual respect. i greatly respected each of my mentors for their different experiences, skill sets

and strategies. in turn, i felt respected and valued by each of them. when they gave me a challenging work assignment I realized that this was a career gift and a show of confidence in me. my mentors helped me understand from the beginning that i had choices to make about my career; as opportunities were presented i could embrace them or pass on them. they made opportunities available to me that allowed me to grow. ww: were these mentoring relationships similar to today’s blg mentorship program? cc: yes. today’s blg mentorship program has a structure for selection and ending the formal relationship. it has created room for choice and provides a third party who helps both the mentees and mentors navigate the relationships. The official mentorship relationship lasts only two years, after which the mentee can be matched with a new mentor. this allows several members of the firm to help shape the development of a mentee. ww: cindy, as you evolved into a mentor, what did you discover about the mentor/mentee relationship? CC: It is harder than you think to be a mentor. You need to find a way to advocate for your mentee, standing with

them in difficult times, and yet, being candid regarding their strengths and weaknesses. i try to be honest with mentees about what i can and cannot bring to the relationship. I let them know my strengths and weaknesses so they can go to their informal mentors for what i don’t offer. rather than doing lunches, drinks or dinners, we plan 30-60 minute meetings and get focused. i also found that candour is critical. while a friendship often develops between the mentor and the mentee, the mentor needs to be able communicate with the mentee candidly about some of the softer issues such as mannerisms, clothing, demeanour, presence etc. i have been told that these conversations have in fact provided meaningful information. ww: cindy in your experience as a mentor and now as a firm leader, what can the mentee bring to the table? cc: the mentees that come to the relationship with energy and ideas are usually the ones that get the most out of the relationship. i greatly value proactive mentees who seek me out, find time in my calendar for meetings and bring issues forward for discussion. a passive mentee can get overlooked because work life gets very busy with multiple

july 2014 | the opinion

demands. If the mentor needs to impose herself too much then the mentor might wonder if the mentee really values the relationship.The more the mentee brings to the relationship the more she will get out of it. It is also critical to maintain professionalism in the relationship recognizing it is an immense challenge to do it well. This is a two-way street for both the mentor and the mentee.

important to career development. I had and still have both here at BLG. The sponsor is more of a professional advocate. I try to actively sponsor women to ensure that they are promoted and are considered for significant client opportunities. Whether it is a mentorship or sponsorship, I try to foster a relationship of trust where they can come to me with mistakes, debate issues and have frank and open discussions without judgment.

WW: Cindy, we hear a lot these days about sponsorship as well as mentorship. What do you think the difference is between the two?

WW: Finally Cindy, do you think it is important for women to have women mentors and sponsors?

CC: Mentors and sponsors are equally

CC: Not necessarily. I had both

women and men here at BLG. Each contributed something unique to the relationship. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t believe anyone should limit themselves by gender. As your career develops, you will find that you need a connection with an individual who has been in the role you are hoping to attain. Often times these individuals are men. My experience has been that regardless of gender, the individual is enthusiastic about being part of your development and success. Cynthia Clarke is Partner and National Group Head Specialized Litigation at Borden Ladner Gervais LLP and her mentee Wendy Whelan is an associate at Borden Ladner Gervais LLP.

And if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not already connected with us online, make sure to join in on our conversations:

JULY 2014 | THE OPINION

Leadership is unlocking people’s potential to

outside your comfort zone and stay open to both vulnerability and innovation – which we will classify as two sides of the same coin. If you are lucky, you have experienced what it is like to work with an inspirational, engaging leader who encouraged you to find your voice. If you are going to take that next step in your career you will need to experience more of those same opportunities at increasingly complex levels of strategic thinking.

he leadership development code is constantly evolving and, in a sense, my team and I are fortunate to be involved in re-writing the script. Which begs the question - how do we best empower those around us to willingly take on the risks, rewards and sacrifices that accompany a senior leadership role? Leaders today are faced with constant pressure to accomplish more with less and due to this demand, must be mindful of their level of influence and ability to lead change. On the surface, opportunities for emerging leaders to grow into more senior positions appear prevalent. However, the story we consistently hear from talent management professionals, in various industries, is that many high potential employees are hesitant to step into the next level. We know it takes courage to step

Knowing how to foster that open environment with all the teams you work within means honing your skills to build a respectful dialogue with peers, clients and bosses alike. So how do you start if you aren’t presently in that environment or want to step up your game? Taking your first step in a safe place to practice those conversations could set the stage for an engaging, interactive learning session where developing and seasoned leaders have the chance to problem solve together - building your leadership confidence, relevance and excellence. Ensure the support you are seeking provides a mixture of blended adult learning principles such as action learning projects, simulations, scenario planning and other methodologies so you learn to be fast on your feet and adaptable as you manage both risk and change. Action learning projects have become more popular over time as companies seek greater evidence for a return on investment from staff engaging in training.

According to Kirby Wright, Adjunct Professor with the U of A Executive Education, “these group projects are powerful learning experiences because they bridge learning with real life. When you experience these opportunities you will gain perspective on an organizational problem and have the opportunity to apply your leadership competencies learned in the courses. You will then be in a position to present solutions to leaders or designated sponsors to initiate a collectively managed and innovative change for a sustainable future.” As a leader looking to prepare for the next step, here are a few helpful points to consider, based on feedback from leaders at all levels who have participated in our Executive Education programs: 1. Set your Intention There is no better time to start than now. Be clear in your mind that you want to step up to the next level. Create a list of goals and related skills necessary to demonstrate you are ready. Construct a timeline to achieve before the end of year. Engage others in your pursuit of excellence to stay accountable. Many U of A clients work directly with an executive coach or we make group coaching available as part of the followup for a training program to ensure the team is well-aligned to reach their vision.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful,

JULY 2014 | THE OPINION

o become better.

- Bill Bradley

concerned citizens can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has.” - Margaret Mead 2. Stretch Yourself Step outside your comfort zone. Consider the following: you are either refining your skill set or falling behind – there is no such thing as standing still. In a complex, ambiguous, competitive environment, this mentality will encourage change leadership.

“The best way to develop people is to constantly get them out of their comfort zone.” - Ziad K Abdernour 3.Test Your Thinking Carve out dedicated time for selfdevelopment – the rewards will be significant. Challenge yourself to go the extra mile when learning a new skill or topic area. Determine the best course of action to stay motivated, which may include immersing yourself in the latest books and research articles; for others it may mean discussing current issues with peers and colleagues. Explore the learning environment that suits you best,

JULY 2014 | THE OPINION

and stay open to change your perspective in order to debate both sides of an argument.

“It is the mark of an educated mind to entertain a thought without accepting it.” - Aristotle 4. Act with Courage Leadership is messy. Especially when faced with an unpopular decision or in the midst of a crisis situation. Respect the positions of those around you and then act with conviction. Resilience cannot be built in a safe harbour – at some point the waters must be tested to manoeuvre the ship through a storm. Chances are strong these experiences will prove to be the most memorable.

“There is no innovation and creativity without failure. Period.” - Brene Brown

skills further. A negotiation or improv course could shift your performance to the next level. What is your next step to grow into the leader you envision? Work your strengths and consider your passions.

“Develop your people. Focus on their strengths, then make high demands based on a person’s strengths.” - Peter Drucker We believe leadership can be taught and is a skill to be constantly refined. The level of competition has risen on an international scale. Combined with an increased desire for environmental stewardship and meaningful community engagement, emotionally intelligent leaders are in high demand. It is worth your time to take an honest assessment of leadership capacity both personally and within your organization to consider how you can best meet and overcome the challenges of the future.

5. Play to your Strengths Be authentic to develop your unique leadership brand while recognizing the value a specific skill can hold to balance team performance. Are you a strong influencer? It may be time to refine these

Stephanie Mahovlic is the program Director of Executive Education at the Alberta School of Business

‘career capital’ is key to our success rbc supports them in developing their careers and achieving their full potential. through a blend of on the job experiences, mentoring, coaching and formal learning, rbc managers inspire their teams to continuously learn and advance their careers in new ways.

e live in a world of constant change, driven increasingly by technology. Today’s workplace offers opportunities and challenges for women that we only could have imagined 20 years ago. how does this affect how women leaders are created? gone are the days when we chose a profession and moved up the ladder a rung at a time with the help of evening classes and a mentor, and the idea of having a computer or a phone in your purse was unfathomable – even for those of us with the biggest totes. today, online universities are open around the clock (just reach for that iPad in your purse), there are audiobooks to download instantly to your phone for your morning commute, and professional networks such as WXn are just a Google search away. These remarkable developments have given rise to a golden age of “career capital” – those differentiated skills that define and advance our careers. The best employers recognize it, and will leverage career capital development to engage and energize employees, who in turn will maintain a competitive advantage as they grow and reach their goals. that’s why leading companies will continue to sharpen and develop their people’s skills through innovative training and leadership development programs that prepare them for the future. Zabeen hirji, chief human resources Officer at RBC told me that one of the things employees consistently tell her is how much they value the way in which

at accenture, we spent $850 million in our last fiscal year on training our employees, which now number more than 293,000 in 120 countries. To help further career capital development, this year we celebrated international women’s day in more than 40 countries by releasing “knowing and growing your career capital”. our research surveyed 4,100 business professionals from medium to large organizations across 32 countries including canada, split evenly by gender, and balanced by age and career level. the accenture research revealed that 89 percent of female professionals around the globe, and a similar number of male respondents, believe building their career capital is their key to success in the workplace. Most surveyed said they are working to increase their career capital for growth opportunities, influence decisions at work, increase credibility among colleagues and peers, and reach their goals (cited by 57 percent, 56 percent, 53 percent and 51 percent, respectively). two-thirds said knowledge or competency in a particular area contributes the most to career capital. what aspects of career capital are most important? it depends on your role and organization, but our respondents said the most marketable skills would be the ability to multi-task, speak more than one language, be a team player, and navigate most computer applications. perhaps not unsurprising amid this environment of constant change, about nine out of 10 professionals agreed that the most successful employees will be those who can adapt to the changing workplace, and a similar number reported that they thrive on, or don’t mind, change. three-quarters of respondents felt they are equipped to succeed in the future.

So think of career capital development as workplace Darwinism in action: those who adapt to change and learn new skills will become the strongest leaders, and most apt to survive in an evolving business environment. for example, let’s say you are suddenly faced with a budget freeze, and you’re pressed to come up with creative ways to deliver results and motivate your recently-halved team. you will draw on your career capital to find ways to survive in this harsh new business environment – perhaps you will apply newly-honed digital technology skills, or build a shared-services team model across your organization. whatever you build, it’s your career capital that will be your survival toolkit. the rise of career capital development has led to real opportunities for employees and employers alike, and in particular, the progression of women in the workplace. Attracting, advancing and retaining high performing women depends on providing an environment and culture that develops leaders, empowers women and enables them to thrive. the optimism in this new age of career capital development was evident among our respondents: • nearly three-quarters of respondents (71 percent) think the number of women on boards will increase by 2020; • seven in 10 (70 percent) say the number of women ceos will increase by 2020; 15 percent believe the increase will be significant; and • nearly half (44 percent) say their companies are preparing more women for senior management roles than they did last year. there has never been a better time to be a woman with leadership potential. we can only imagine what the next 20 years will bring.

jodie wallis is the managing director of canada banking at accenture

july 2014 | the opinion

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july 2014 | the opinion