Count Me In... And Other Revelations

Trust is tricky. People are tricky. Right now there's a lot of uncertainty. Today we'd like to talk about the intention in building this community of ordinary people talking about extraordinary challenge and opportunity. We're addressing the feedback and letting you in on the conversations we are bringing to you in the next few weeks.

Commercial aviation is so unsettled right now and there are a lot of people who want to change everything about aviation in Canada; a lot of which is manifesting in interesting ways in high-achievers. The jury’s still out. The business of law, however, has never been busier and the people I’m working with are hitting the wall. The HR piece is a whole animal of its own because the human resources part is about humans; and they are tricky.

There is a very long back story to this project. After having the same conversations over and over again with different people in different sectors, we sure discovered that we are so much more alike than different. Although we are often having conversations with people from different worlds – same problem – same solution that’s usually not rocket science – its guts. They likely can’t speak directly to each other because there might be some limitation or conflict. So I wanted to create a space where all of these different kinds of people can speak to each other free from “real or perceived conflict” – even if that means speaking to me or through me on a podcast or video. And Ascend Legal 101 was born. Although I haven't figured out how to avoid those crazy guys who always show up on a forum.

When I was working exclusively on historical sexual assault cases from residential schools, the elders told me that people trusted me with their stories because I could be their voice. But I wasn’t their voice. I was just a carrier taking their stories from one world to another. That’s the environment I want to create with this project: a bridge.You know how people always say if you are speaking to everyone you are reaching no one. I’m not sure that’s true.

While I get clarity on my own message I’d like to balance the discussions I am having with both men and women, management and staff, regulators and operators etc. I’d love to really engage in a big way but I know that some people are participating only by watching and listening to learn something they are too afraid to talk about. I know that because 2/3 of my coaching clients are men. Some of them are losing their marbles right now because they are frustrated in a career or relationship. All people forget that they have agency all of the time. 

How you can get involved in these discussions; do you want to lend your voice to one? If you had the ability to dig in without limitation what conversations do you want to have? What would be valuable to you? What is your currency – personally or professionally? What do you want to learn and know and teach? What do you want the people you interact with to know? If you didn’t have to clear everything with your media team or manager, what would be an interesting and enlightening discussion to have out loud? Those are the kinds of discussions I have in private all day, every day, across sectors, position or class, and gender. The problem is that people are having them with me – not each other.

Join the conversation to inspire possibility and empower leaders (and people who don't think they're leaders... yet) to share their vision with industry professionals across sectors and organizations.

Now all of our long form interviews can now be found on your favourite Podcast platform. Please take a look for Ascend Legal 101 on Podbean, Spotify, Amazon Music, Audible, iHeartRadio, Apple and Google Podcasts.