Would you like a cup of BlackBerry?

We've had two good days of meetings with the leaders of the BC & Prairie Divisions. Our discussions have revolved around the role of the Area Commander, a series of values that we would like to work from in the west, and how we can work together around personnel matters. Having the Personnel Secretary with us has added a good dimension to all this.

We were meeting at Grace Manor where we were treated very well. They fed us like kings! Yesterday as we took a break for coffee I noticed that we didn't all get up and grab coffee...no, no...we grabbed our Blackberries! Getting to our emails seems to be more important than coffee. Would you like a cup of BlackBerry?

Sandra wanted a photo of Judy with her Tim Horton's coffee...or maybe just a photo of Judy. At any rate, she decided it should be a photo taken from a certain height!

This morning is a bright autumn morning. The sun is warm though the air is a bit cool, how much longer can our good weather last?

Busy - the new badge of honour

Have you noticed that if you ask someone, especially some you work with, how they are doing they will almost always say: "busy". The common word use to be fine, or good. Now it is "busy".

Busy has become the new badge of honour. Once upon a time the badge of honour was "fine". It was built upon the premise that we should never tell people things weren't fine! But now we don't want people to think were not busy!

To be busy is to be honourable -- or at least that's the value I'm picking up. Am I right? You can let me know what you think. I am wondering though if being busy is really good for us... yes it is to some degree, but when does it become unproductive? When is running on 60% going to lead us to think we might do better to stop running for a bit so we can run at 80% in a while?

Health care is our buzz word at the moment. But soul care is also worth giving consideration to.

What to get the RVer

Wondering what to get your RVer? How about this lovely blue RV shirt? Yes and wouldn't it look great with a pair of plaid shorts?

All you would then need is a pair of patten leather white shoes!

A morning at the AB Legislature

This morning was the Service of Remembrance at the Alberta Legislature. This yearly event always takes place prior to November 11th to accommodate the MLA's so that they can be in their own constituents. I had the opportunity last year to represent the Division, and again this year to sit with the Premier and Mrs. Stelmach, Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition, the Speaker of the House and the Leader of the Democratic Party.

The pageantry of the event is striking even though the number of veterans diminishes each year their reduced number actually heightens the significance of the event which reaches its height as silence, for one minutes, settles on the Legislature Building.

This photo is actually from 2008 and you can see me just behind the podium.

20 Questions to ask a leader

I'm amazed at how often this post gets googled! In fact if you google this topic my site will be your first result. That should tell me something; people want to learn from leaders. They see in leaders characteristics that are attractive - attractive enough to want to learn from!

In my days of developing leadership (and I still have a long way to go) I note this from leaders:

• they know how to prioritize and they work on it


• they are most often have a strong command of their language


• they can read a crowd (that's a great gift if you have it)


• they can 'work the room'


• they pursue personal growth


• they network!

One other thing strikes me - if they really attract me they often have humble hearts. They don't talk about themselves but they ask questions of the people they are engaged with.

If you want to be attractive as a leader; ask questions!

John Daker animated sings...

John Daker sings