Hi Diane,

Thank you for your comments. I can understand the joy in sunshine and a clean kitchen; sunshine makes everything feel light and happy. Thank you for sharing that.

Your question about my process and journey to creating my management dream team is an interesting one.

The journey was definitely intentional. I am fortunate to have joined a division with so many talented people. I did follow some basic principles as part of the process.

I had a vision of what my team should look like and I felt if the leaders in our division had certain core traits, the vision would be realized. Technical skills and knowledge aside, I feel the following traits are important for leaders:

Self-awareness: This is at the top of my list because the qualities most people tend to identify for good leadership are usually a result of self-awareness. Self-aware leaders see themselves clearly. They know their strengths and their vulnerabilities. They put their strengths forward in what they do, and they can objectively and honestly examine their vulnerabilities. They also know that we can all have blind spots when it comes to ourselves, and they are not afraid to get feedback. They take input and suggestions offered by others in the manner in which it was intended, and they use the feedback so to work on being the best version of themselves.

Calm. People respond positively to someone who is calm under stressful situations. A self-aware leader will know the triggers that can throw them off and are mindful of how to address these to ensure they instill confidence in the people around them. A calm leader inspires trust.

Humility. A humble person is not afraid to be vulnerable; they show that they are people too. They ask questions, they ask for help, they show their vulnerability. This allows for true connection with people and facilitates an environment for sharing and trust.

Compassion. People make up organizations and we are all unique, I think it is a strength when leaders understand the people they work with and can be thoughtful and aware of what others’ lives and experiences are like.

Strong problem-solving skills. This is a skill that goes beyond solving business challenges. This contributes to new ideas, better ways of doing things and making things easier for people to understand, which in turn leads to smooth operations.

A sense of humour. Humour has always been known to relief stress, but it can also help to relax people. When people are relaxed, they can be creative , engage others and problem solve. Engaging others and fostering communication helps to build trust and a cohesive culture.

Flexible and adaptable. A person who is flexible and adaptable recognizes that things are always changing, and they can quickly and easily adapt to the changing environment. They have vision and can see the big picture, and they know that a path forward is not always a straight road. They know that there will be twists and turns, and necessary adjustments to get to the end goal. They fearlessly embrace change and are open to different views, with a willingness to accept a different way of doing things.

Service oriented. Service oriented leaders are committed to people- their clients and their colleagues. They can anticipate, recognize, and meet the needs of others-sometimes even before it is articulated.

Strong prioritizing skills: Being able to align priorities to the changing needs of the business is key to an organization’s success. Knowing how to deal with competing priorities and deciding what should be done first, what can be delayed and what can be delegated, demonstrates a person with strong strategic vision. A self-aware person with this skill will empower people and trust them, without the need to micro-mange.

There are other traits that can be considered, but when looking to identify leaders, I really look for individuals with these traits. Knowing the traits that you want to have in a team really helps the process. Then it really is not painful.

Carol

This was a very informative blog, thank you for doing this. It was nice getting to know a little about you, and the goats are really cute.

You’ve shared some valuable information about key initiatives happening at the University. The SSRP, the SEP and the University Services Centre are initiatives that will definitely help transform and modernize 91ÑÇÉ« into a truly world class institution.

It is very interesting that so many people from across this division are, in some form of fashion, involved in these initiatives. As a leader with such reach, influence and responsibility, I would be interested in knowing your thoughts on the biggest issue we face regarding these multiple and very important projects?

I look forward to your next blog and I am hopeful my children will benefit from these initiatives.

Yours truly, Omar

Thanks for creating this blog and sharing updates about the Division. I also appreciate that you shared a little bit about yourself and the scenery that you enjoy on your farm. I agree that it is important to seek things, that bring us joy. For me its sunshine and a clean kitchen!

In your next blog, would you consider speaking a little more about the journey of creating a management dream team. Did you know what you wanted? Was the journey fully intentional or somewhat coincidental? What were some of the pain points in the evolution and how did you navigate?

I'd love to hear your thoughts....

thanks,
Diane