The Capital Lab

Next year February 2017 will mark a decade from the first bulletin I wrote, and also a decade since The Capital Lab Inc was formed. Penned below is a letter: from me to myself 10 years back. A considered capsule collection of what has surprised me most, spanning 10 years, and what I reflect on today. 10 years and 10 themes as I consider future days, ‘out of the night’ that covers me, and of the ‘bludgeonings of chance’ that define us all.

 Dear Belinda,

 Its tough to be in this place, to decide today that you will start a business and it will matter. It will make a difference. It will make a difference to you. And to make matters that much more challenging as you start this business, you are quiet, reserved, a single unique point of view, a duck among swans or the swan among ducks. Which is not so important. You have decided you will start a business. You will not know 10 years ago that the very first bulletin you wrote is perhaps the only bulletin you needed write in a decade of work, experience, research…..successes, failures. That first bulletin defined everything. You made a choice to write and put forth a point of view, and as high risk as it was to define a point of view so early on, it would carry you through.

 Stories

 The Need for Narrative and Choice of words captures the essence of what you want to achieve with your business: the ability to captivate and induce ideas, emotion and action through story and language. And then to see that come alive in a great business proposition. In 2007, it was all about doing THAT thing right, exceptionally right, with seamless execution. It was a lonely place then.  But thinking about it, as I sit in the airplane on the way home now – 10 years later - it has been lonely the entire time. Driving stories and ideas as the integral strategic concept to explain to investors, every number and data point requires an understanding of the story, the why. You persuaded your clients to tell great stories, backed by all means of data. And yet, doing so without corporate cover, was lonely. You were unproven. You would not know the tremendous highs and lows you would experience doing this on your own.

 Change

 You will support your clients through all manner of change. And you will not know that you have arrived at one central concept: Throughout the course of history, where strategy has been analyzed in the context of war (as in Napoleon) in the context of idealogy (Marx, Lenin, Ghandi…) and in the context of business and economics (Porter, Kahneman, Peters) one has to acknowledge that in all cases, strategy is changeable, almost always expensive, generally time consuming, biased, historical, subject to contextualization and never gives enough credit to blind luck and randomness. People will decide what facts and suggestions to tell, and which to leave out. The central concept you know now and have spent the better part of the last 10 years experimenting with, is that communication is strategy and strategy is communication. You would not know that every mandate you took on would teach you how to think and reinvent; how to control an essentially uncontrollable environment particularly in the extractive industry where price and revenue has fixed parameters. We are not in control. We never were. But you knew that reinventing an idea, transforming it was a part of your DNA and it was the ability to recognize THIS change as being what creates value, that the very idea of the new story is what creates the most value. The numbers, the data, the proof follows. And it all requires a story. I wanted to be there to help in the telling. I knew back then I wanted to be part of the narration; that was about as much control as I had.

 Control

 I used to tell myself growing up that ideas cannot live in the vacuum of the mind. It was one of those positive affirmations that has served me well and was essentially how The Capital Lab Inc. came to be. It was one idea. And it would not mean anything unless I tried it out…all in. So I developed this idea that I would generate my own income, and perhaps ultimately have a small business. I went ahead and incorporated. This was followed by one baby step forward. Followed by giant adult steps back. And so on and so forth until the steps became more cohesively forward oriented and I started to understand my clients and their needs and the gap I was there to fill in a more detailed manner. And where I am today is a good place. It is not perfect; perfectionists never rest, never accept, never let go of the next ‘idea’. And we never arrive either. But we wish to control ourselves enough that the journey is a self-determined one.

 And it continues to be. The need for control is vital to en entrepreneur; we need to know we can move in any direction at any time. This lack of predetermined direction has served me well. I would not know then in 2007 that the need for control has been instrumental in, oddly enough, teaching me to be flexible and adapt to different cultures, mandates, clients, and work assignments.

 Entropy

 In 2007, it was a good time to look at the extractive industry, the promise of super normal returns in this industry was alluring. You knew you wanted clients in mining and oil and gas, you knew you would make it work or at least try and fail if necessary but not without a good effort. But not trying was not an option and it is not today either. You knew that people would be dismissive, and it would affect you. This skepticism, that bias, and the very real realities that I lacked experience would never be totally overcome but it would make you strong. Over time, over ten years you would begin to see that everyone faces barriers, we are not that different. You would let go of fear and go in, ready at all times to escalate or de-escalate in order to get the job done. Oh but barriers would become draining. Oh the number of times you wanted to switch gears and make pies for a living. Or return to school! Or simply rest…..permanently. And yet the drive, the pull for control, the need to work smarter would prevent you from leaning back, and cause you to ‘lean in’ and plow forward.

 I remember those moments now, these circumstances as when I was told I was great but had no experience, or when I was told we were interesting but the pitch was wrong. And yet I remember amazing moments of work accomplished, transitions made, ah-ha moments in conversations that allowed us to move on from one set of ideas to another bigger, more interesting and supportable set of ideas that transformed our valuation and position in the market. Those moments are worth it.

 Conviction

 Our team worked hard, we stressed, made concessions and I regret none of it today. Not one of the mandates we had, did not wholly inform the person I am today. It all mattered. Every presentation, every meeting with an investor, every site visit…all of those orchestrated moments that took so much of me and my team’s personal emotional energy, mattered.

 It would allow me to say with conviction today that what you do is second to why you do it. As we enter into an environment of deep entropy in economic centres around the world, with governance struggling to keep up with individual advocacy, where we are in revolution of the internet of things fundamentally changing how we exist in the world, I believe we must embrace pragmatism and the ability to choose wisely and achieve balance. Pragmatism and flexibility are the defining virtues of a business in a time of revolution.

 Risk

 You will not know then, that your meticulous ability to generate checklists, to plan ahead, organize yourself and your team, would become a core part of your success in a corporate environment today. You will not know that empowering people to see the future based on their current path will become a driving force of your personality. It will both motivate you and frustrate. You will not realize until today that you are very good at developing matrices of information based on risks and opportunities. What you see is not a result of experience, or instinct, rather there is a learned ability to put disparate pieces of information together to form suggestions and patterns. 10 year working indepdentely would teach you there was no choice, you had to take risks but they needed to be rewarded and thoughtful, every time, each time. Knowing these risks, like how to generate a new mandate, how to provide the best service to a new management tea,, how to build a brad, it will keep you up at night, drive you, stir you.

 You will get one client, followed by another, and soon you will have staff working on a variety of mandates. Revenues will grow, and you will have a brick and beam office with light, and functional space and imaginative art and a team that you admire and respect. You will meet amazing people, see your team grow and change and adapt. You will not know in 2007 that for the lack of formal advisors you will meet a handful of cherished informal advisors and teachers, both clients and colleagues. They will never know the degree to which you are thankful for their sage advice. You know now that good advice, unsolicited and solicited, informs your gut and your soul, and is worth more than all the shit in your brain when a quick decision is required. Why? Because you think you know yourself but you know yourself through self-reflection. Over time you will take advice well, sometimes literally, trusting feedback because it was time to let go and believe. Thank you. Thank you. To those who gave me advice, solicited and unsolicited.

 You will ponder how you will keep it all together in 6 months so you can keep the team together. There were tough times; you would carefully look at working capital, carefully assess opportunities and the risks of failure. If you did not have a functional, high performing team, the stresses would have been less. When it works….you do what is necessary to keep the team together.  You would eventually change the structure of The Capital Lab and never regret it because there was no loss, only the gain of a new direction and challenge.

 Reciprocity

 You will never be really good at networking. It will be hard in 2007 and it is still hard now. You try very hard to network, nonetheless not until later, much later do you recognize that its your need to reciprocate that drives you. The ability to help one person at a time is better for you, than the need to meet a hundred new contacts many times.

 Robert Axelrod wrote The Evolution of Cooperation as a counter to game theory where the message was that cooperative behavior can thrive. It is based on several ideas that speak to me: avoid envy, take absolute gains as a win instead of relative gains, never be the first to defect, and establish logic always to cooperation – do what is needed to tell the other party that cooperation benefits and finally….stop being so clever as others will not know what you are up to. You will focus on helping individuals and today you will realize that helping other people is the ultimate reward, and rewards you back many times more.

 Home

 Ten years of business development at The Capital Lab have led me back home: one day at a time, one working relationship at a time. This home is a place where my family believes in me and I believe in them and the fullness of life that is both about the present known and the future unknown. I will be often exchausted, putting a full glass of water in the cupboard and resting a phone in the fridge. I would tell my girls they can put the kitchen in the microwave for dinner. But these are moments that are real, and they are me, and together we see each other for who we really are: a life in progress, going with grace and running toward our dynamic selves.

 Often I will speak to my daughters about my work, sometimes about success and sometimes on the struggles. It is important to me they understand that problems and solutions lie within us. I hope to show them rather than teach them that problem solving is a skill and not a chore. I aim to give them tools, many many tools, to work with themselves and others to sort through complex problems. Early on I explained mini-max to them. The theory that sometimes we must work with the best of bad outcomes. And my daughters teach me too. They teach me the importance of being complete with them, of resolution and of grace. That a very bad day will be followed by something better tomorrow or the day after. They have taught me that the human experience is imperfect, we are imperfect, however it’s the vision to see ourselves as interesting, dynamic, changing people that relies on our past….with all its warts and hurts and aches and laughs and adventures….that gives our lives its texture. As I was told by my family in Panama; we went looking for an adventure.

 And we found it.

 Fear

 I have no fear anymore. Fear has gone elsewhere. 10 years you will learn to handle all sorts of crazy and interesting situations. Fear will become a gift. I never would have believed back then that my strength comes from a keen awareness of those things I do not control and a need to understand what I am afraid of. The gift of fear is recognizing it exists all around me every day…and knowing I will go in, and finish what I started. I will say, at one evening during a closing dinner, “I have no fear anymore”. I will be embarrassed for placing this unequivocal statement out there and I will not know that the very thing that allowed me to say that was a deep sense of personal direction such that I could do anything, so long as I knew, for myself, in my heart of hearts, why I was doing it. And that I could always come home.The gift of fear has enabled me to always see my exits, leverage my strengths both physical and mental. I am only at the beginning of this journey. I have much to learn.

 Today, 10 years forward I promise to spend more time looking at what brings me energy and what takes it away and manage it so I can give my best when it matters. This includes a significant appreciation for a solid night of sleep and a healthy lifestyle balanced with people and experiences that bring me joy. Long days in a job, with no daily rewards, is not worth it. Lack of sleep and the impact on your health, your family and your abilities, is not worth it.

 Exits

 I would learn difficult lessons as a consultant who would promote herself as a change specialist: at a certain time, mandates would end as the change was implemented. So the strategy must be, perform well now, so you can handle the exit and move on intact. I would take these slow endings hard, and personally even though it was clearly the outcome of my own goal. Over time I would start to see that knowing your exiys could be a very good thing. Have your insurance be prepared for things to end, as they surely will some day.

 I think about the next 10 years with delight and wonder. I see a path that is more dynamic then before, and full of choice. I leave you this poem for your future self, for another 10 years! It speaks of shadow, of light and dark, of drive and the ubiquity of circumstance. Its words speak to me and I hope these words speaks to you as you narrate your own story

 Invictus

 Out of the night that covers me, Black as the pit From pole to pole, I thank whatever gods may be For my unconquerable soul. In the fell clutch of circumstance I have not winced nor cried aloud. Under the bludgeonings of chance My head is bloody, but unbowed. Beyond this place of wrath and tears Looms but the Horror of the shade, And yet the menace of the years Finds, and shall find, me unafraid. It matters not how strait the gate, How charged with punishments the scroll, I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul.

 William Ernest Henley

     With best wishes,

In early 2015 a $35,000 fundraiser by The Capital Lab was completed towards a boat ambulance program in Tanzania. I am thrilled to be in regular touch with the Plan Canada team and inform you that all five boat ambulances that were budgeted were funded and are on the water; and that the new process, including provision of skilled care, boat maintenance and medical equipment is working as designed. Over 150,000 people across the Mwanza and Rukwa communities are able to get to a hospital using these boat ambulances, rather than a canoe, that could take up to 10 hours of travel time.

 Many of you know that maternal health is a cause I care deeply about, and I believe a primary right - that women should have access to pre- and post- natal care wherever they may be – its worth reminding ourselves every day that a right bestowed on you means nothing if you cannot access it. To get access to your rights, you need to be enabled to act on your behalf and you need a social construct around you that can fund the rights you ought to have. You may be aware that maternal health and safe pregnancy was declared a right inside CEDAW (the Convention to Eliminate All Forms of Discrimination Against Women) and within the Universal Declaration of Human Rights making the lack of these rights not about values, or culture, or habits but about justice. Justice is to provide skilled care, ante and post natal treatment when needed and transportation to the care requires a system that is 1) funded and 2) uniquely suitable to the cultural environment.

 There is no plausible rationale for glorifying motherhood within the context of our health and social system in Canada by providing Canadian women with all the care and service they may require to deliver safely, and accepting that women elsewhere, through the accident of their birth place, will die due to preventable causes before, during or after giving birth. 

 While we cannot and should not aim to replicate our health care system in the poorest countries of the world, we do need to recognize (1) that gender bias exists and prevents many women from having a healthy pregnancy (2) making decisions around the spacing of their children impacts health and (3) that community health workers are the front line to health care in the poorest communities and need formal recognition as being part of the health system.These workers are not temporary aid workers, they are the fabric of the community.  Therefore, the concept that we can change the systems, culture and access to funds to improve healthcare, to me, is a recipe for failure. A pragmatist, I think we need to aim for ‘good enough’ and help the men and women at the frontline in any way we can improve their own processes to provide care so that less women die in pregnancy due to causes we know are preventable. We can provide the support and resources, and enable a discovery of improved processes that they themselves will control.

In those invisible communities - where funds and access to health care is almost non-existent – the poorest of the poor, there exist community health workers who have taken it upon themselves to help women in any way they can. Like much of the work taken on by women in sub-saharan Africa, their work is not legitimized, mostly unpaid and yet crucial to the success of reducing maternal mortality from the current rates. These individuals are marginalized: they are neither victims as they help others - so may not get aid or supplies directly - and they are neither skilled or professionally developed in our western sense - so cannot, or do not, want to move to a more urban environment. And yet each community worker can change their world. Each community worker is at the tipping point of positive, high impact change. Each community worker is a hero in their neighbourhood.

 The most recent statistics shows that there were 289,000 maternal deaths in 2013 (UN Women Report, 2015) – remarkably this is down 45% from 1990, but know this: 86% were in sub-saharan Africa and south asia, and that 791 deaths a day is still far too many, and far from the goal set out in the Millenium Development Goals.

 A healthy mother gives birth to a healthy baby with help - certainly not alone - and by taking these matters into her own hands - being her own agent as it were - she accepts help, along with support - and not shame - from her partner and community and then she will surely galvanize change through the simple act of being respected and taking respect, when she needs it most.

 We do not know how the Liberal government will treat the maternal health issue abroad. This is a signature Canadian cause that has defined us positively across the development sector internationally, for years, and should continue. But do not wait for the Liberals to make up your mind on this cause. Government will not solve issues such as these. You will. Each of us, in how we treat each other, creates change. You and I....we are the change we seek.

 Community health workers are the bastions of change in the poorest of the poor communities in sub-saharan Africa. Support them in any charity you are involved with. Know that less than 10% of charitable giving in Canada goes to international aid programs so increase your spending abroad with NGOs that are playing the long game, that go the distance to remote areas but do so with significant accountability, and do so with the ability to manage your money for the duration. 

 Women who are not reaching their full potential due to a lack of access to basic rights deserve this: 

For her work to be legitimized.  

For her to be listened to on her terms, in her language and in her cultural context.

For her to participate as a formal member of society with equal standing to her male partner or spouse.

 I sign off, with love and respect to the women of Tanzania who are making a difference in their community. I don’t know you, but I admire your work and your will.

I learned the most important lesson that Krav Maga will ever teach me on my first class. For those not familiar with this system of self-defence, see a link to a short history and definition below this blog, thanks to IKMF Toronto.

I signed up for an annual membership because of that one lesson, and the lesson was this: always know your exits. For the ambitious woman, the goal oriented among us, we often focus on achievement, on the ‘win’, on the commitment it takes to ‘stick with it’. By training in self-defense with Krav Maga, my body is teaching me how to get away safely, with my head held high (chin down that is), my arms in front of me and with a different kind of confidence that says clearly, ‘I will leave’. And for those of us who aim to ‘arrive’, the lesson to leave is a deeply humbling one. The complexity of this idea should not be lost: to leave will sometimes require de-escalation and the use of force: the ability for me to defend myself and others aggressively until all immediate threats are eliminated. And then leave.

You might suggest that knowing your exits is obvious, but too often, in work as in play, we need to prove and demonstrate our ability, skill and focus by tactically moving forward. We learn at school and at work how to advance our professional lives, how to advance a team towards a goal, how to advance and manoeuvre a company through change. And yet, in Krav Maga, I am learning to leave bad situations as aggressively and assertively as my body will allow. I am to advance in order to retreat, and thereby learning de-escalation and crisis management with my physical self rather than my head. And I am thinking through my body. If you practice yoga, or you are a dancer, or you practice any kind of sport, you will recognize the fortitude that comes from thinking your body. For me, I have not understood this viscerally, until now.

To this lesson, I add four more further below. Because Krav Maga emphasizes training from disadvantage*, I have found myself learning more about crisis management sweating with my partner than I ever thought possible.

Make no mistake, I do not enjoy being aggressive, getting angry or fighting. I do not seek out risky situations, places or people. I am thoughtful and analytical; I am cautious and measured in my work and my relationships, yet when training in Krav Maga, all of my learned behaviours have come undone. Many women will gravitate to behaviour that does not cause pain. Avoidance is well understood, and the problem, at least for me, was to understand that inflicting pain when under attack is necessary to survive. And furthermore, its smart to know how to do this well before being in the position of being attacked.

Krav Maga requires from me personal energy and commitment to fight back, to take control of any situation I might find myself in, and a willingness to, slowly, over time, develop a fighting spirit. This evolution, for some of us and certainly for me, requires training and a psychological break frame that I am still only in the early stages of understanding. With just short of 2 years of training behind me, I sense the change. For me, who is prone to overthinking, this is a revelation, to think through the body.

On May 26, I passed my Practitioner 2 (P2) test. For me, this was more mentally challenging than it was physically challenging because I know am physically strong, and I have long arms and legs with a strong core to give me power when I kick or strike. I am injury free so have no reservations physically. I also wear heels. A masterful kick to the groin with any of my shoes would eviscerate an attacker I like to think. But that is not the point. At first glance you might take me for a more athletic person than I am. I have tried many sports, and excel at none of them. But I am good enough as my daughter would say. Mentally, turning myself into an assertive, physically imposing being, and following through on technical self-defensive tactics with detail, was an obstacle to overcome. Never mind I could use one of my shoes as a weapon (or handbag?). The mental challenge to keep going in Krav, and certainly during the test, was sufficiently hard, that when I wanted to quit it was my body that took me back to class and centred me. Not my mind.  It was my body that said keep going. Not my mind, not my heart. And that is perhaps the most surprising thing about Krav. You learn to rely on your body. That mental effort I thought I needed has been converted into a physical energy to continue.

I think I look funny when I am trying to fight back. I don’t look like one of the boys. I fight like the girl that I am, grunting to make every strike count, and I fight with everything in me, trying to make every limb work in coordination (not se easy when it feels like you are dangling around), thinking if I fake it long enough I will actually assume the real fighting self by sheer force of repetition. But this is not enough, you can get better at the wrong thing. Your brain can shut down and say ‘no more’. And again, my body has centred me and reminds me to think through every small technical detail and the “why” and to keep at it.

My response to this test, immediately on passing, was like this: ‘I am done.’ ‘This is my limit.’ I reached the ceiling where I don’t think I can fight better or try more. I can’t be better even if I am told I need to be better. But days passed, and I realized that I was exactly and precisely where I needed to be and the journey I was on, was beyond my mental stamina to say ‘no’ to. There really is no destination now, for me, with Krav. As my daughter so wisely reminded me, you are who you are because of every action and every decision you made to get to who you are today. Everything that happens to you happened so you could learn from it - everything counts and everything matters. She has tremendous equanimity in her thinking and I am grateful for this. I therefore realize that not only should I not question the path I am on, but further I realize, for the first time in my life, that my body can call the shots. Just try me. I am here, present and right where I need to be.

I feel compelled to share 4 non-negotiable lessons I have learned practicing Krav Maga.

Lesson 1: More on knowing your exits: in my professional role, I take this one very seriously. I am absolutely clear with myself when I start something new that I must understand how I may exit if things go sideways. Relying on trust between colleagues is not enough; one must understand negotiable items and non-negotiable items before entering a contract.  Always be your own agent. Agency is key to negotiating life. Agency is a key concept for women everywhere, and those who have it often don’t take it seriously enough, and when you have it, it is upon you, upon us to ensure women everywhere possess personal agency, to act on their own behalf and therefore, to have the ability to leave a situation of imminent danger.

Krav Maga is first about preventing attacks and danger, but once that danger can't be negotiated, you must always know your exits. I have learned to walk always knowing where I can move to if needed; how to use my handbag as a shield and negotiate an exit; how to use my body to get the hell out of the way of danger as fast as possible; I have learned how eliminating one danger can lead to another danger in which case certain technical skills will reduce that probability. Ladies, in situations of imminent danger, know the advantage of staying on the outside so you can see everything around you. Krav Maga has taught me the physical reality of this.

Lesson 2: Economy of motion is misunderstood. It’s the smartest way to work. Many of us have been trained to believe that providing excessive amounts of detailed work is the same as providing quality of work. Speed is worth a lot. Quantity of work does not equal quality. Understanding economy of motion is not taking a short cut, it's about understanding that efficiency is critical to success and without it, you can fail. The next time somebody puts you on a make-work project, change the conversation around productive work instead. I have learned in Krav Maga to use my body efficiently to cause maximum advantage when being attacked and not to fear those shortcuts but rather to use them. I have learned that the ‘ricochet’ effect of a movement using either my arms or legs, can cause a stunning effect on an attacker and provides tremendous speed, force and economy of motion as a defender. Know that stepping up and learning to react forcefully with economy of movement is not only smart, it can save your life. Krav Maga is about speed among other things, and taking a defence from 0 to 100 in seconds. This kind of aggressiveness requires training and a mindset that says ‘not me, not today, not now’.

Lesson 3: use of force. I am not sure I completely understood what it means to fight back until I started Krav Maga. We may be taught to avoid danger, and prevent dangerous situations more than we are taught to react to violence with violence. Many women should recognize this oddity. We may therefore confuse self-defense with delivering punishment. Do not make that false inference as they are not the same. This is about the right to exercise self-defense, specifically, that if you are threatened with violence, you may exercise your right to defend yourself and need not retreat. You may defend yourself with all reasonable means, using reasonable force, such that a reasonable person in a similar situation may do the same, with similar knowledge. Equally important is that a woman who deems her personal safety as threatened, may use preemptive self-defense if the situation has reached a point where de-escalation or a safe departure are not possible. When talking to anyone about avoiding potentially dangerous people, situations or places, it is unhelpful and limiting to not talk about the appropriate use of force that we as individuals possess and have the right to exercise.

It is easier, more digestible to teach avoidance. And avoidance is key. But not if you sacrifice your freedom of movement, and opt not to do things because of fears you have that you are either alone, or instigating an attack, or making the wrong impression.  Do not choose avoidance over living your life.

Lesson 4: Never, ever give up. Even after passing P2 and knocking against my personal boundaries, where I have learned to fight against choking attacks, headlocks, and being straddled on the ground, I completed the test and thought to myself that this is quite possibly it for me. I am not like the others, I am not good at this. I am not one who naturally wants to fight back and will be good at this.

And then I walked home and met my kids at the park, and realized that the mental word-plays were pointless. My body had already decided it would never, ever give up. I knew instinctively, on that walk home, that I was that person who would fight back now. I belong here, in this space and place. For someone who has spent years exercising her brain, and studying for one written exam or another, for the first time in probably my life, I realized I could save myself because my body demands nothing less.

And the journey continues. 

Origins of KravMaga:

http://www.ikmftoronto.com/about.php

Project X reaches and exceeds it goal to raise $25,000 for Project X – ONE YEAR EARLY! With over $33,000 of fundraising achieved and still ongoing, we are thrilled to provide this gift toward the first boat ambulances in Tanzania.

  It has been an amazing experience to talk to people about this project. And great questions! In this blog here are some of the questions I have been asked - and even asked myself, along with what I have to say about this.

You will also see some photos from our event and a link to the short video taken on December 2 in our office. (Note how my scarf slowly slips off my shoulder until I YANK it back to where it's supposed to be.)

Why Tanzania and why this cause?

It was the issue surrounding maternal health that guided my decision with Plan Canada. I have always taken an interest in social causes and particularly to informing myself on the plight of women and children in developing countries. I think back to my experiences visiting a women’s prison in Mexico, and an orphanage in the same country, and taking the time to visit public school on a family trip to St-Lucia, so my two daughters could meet some local school kids. Its always been a part of me to take an interest in people’s lives, whose lives are different than mine.

Earlier in 2014, I opted to educate myself more on human rights and social issues that are specific to women in the human rights context. Basically, what I know intuitively is something I wanted to understand intellectually and the best way to get there for me was to join an online course offered by Stanford University, on Women’s Health and Human Rights (https://class.stanford.edu/courses/GlobalHealth/WomensHealth/Winter2014/about). I would recommend anyone with an interest in philanthropy, working in human rights or the CSR field to TAKE THIS COURSE. Through webcasts and focused readings I was truly astonished at the intelligence and thoughtful analysis on the issues. It was for me a new beginning and through this course, I have learned an absolute wealth of information that is helped me personally understand what to commit to, but also professionally in terms of implementation and execution of social and community relations programs.

So, once I had defined the issue that was most compelling to me, and because of the tremendous social injustice surrounding a preventable death during maternity, I went to my representative at Plan Canada seeking to make a commitment on the cause. This is a tragedy of my generation and it must be seen as such for people to take action.

Myself personally, and with The Capital Lab, had previously made commitments to Plan Canada in the form of a child sponsor and community sponsor so it was exciting to speak with the NGO and my representative on my interests and finding a project that I could commit to. With the extensive work on healthcare and MNCH (maternal, newborn and child health) inside Tanzania, I believe this to be the ideal place to raise money and awareness on how one can eliminate one of the key barriers to women during maternity: free, accessible transportation to a medical facility during her pregnancy. The program that Plan is responsible for implementing is supported by the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD) and called Wazai na Mwana – Parents and Children in Tanzania.

Don’t you feel more compelled to donate money locally? Why Africa?

I am absolutely compelled to donate money locally and have for many years supported a variety of charities supporting Canadian issues and individuals. In particularl, I would draw attention to Jeremy’s Vision (http://www.jersvision.org/) which is a not for profit organization led by young people to eliminate bullying and discrimination of all kinds in our school system; and also Verity Links (http://www.verity.ca/initiatives.asp) the project initiated by Verity Founder, Mary Aitken, Veritylink, is a Member-led initiative dedicated to giving back and creating opportunities for the women and girls in Regent Park.

Part of my commitment to maternal health is beyond giving; I consider myself to be ideally positioned to raise awareness of this social injustice, and given my broad professional exposure to developing countries, committing to a broader social justice issue is important to me, and serves to remind me of how we can impact our social context, wherever we may work.

How did you come to work with Plan Canada?

Like many individuals who are looking to commit time and financial resources to a charity, I was comfortable already with the organization due to the success I had with the child sponsor program and then discovered for myself what is important in lending my voice to an NGO: a track record of success and an ability to stay in country and get things done (Plan has been active in Tanzania since 1991), so political capital is important. A cost efficient business model and clear direction from the CEO on this, and on the assurance processes for investing in social programs. 79% of dollars raised goes to program development, 21% allocated for administration, operating and fundraising costs. And finally, flexibility and commitment to what is important to me; Plan was open to my ideas and thoughts on Project X, on the extractive industry and its social impacts, and supporting me in raising awareness of Project X.

What does the boat look like? 

Please see a local article on what people in Tanzania have to say about boat ambulances:

http://m.dailynews.co.tz/index.php/local-news/37845-boats-donation-to-cut-maternal-mortality

As a reminder, Project X aims to raise awareness of maternal health as a global issue and the need for access to emergency care during maternity.

Approximately 800 women a day will die due to complications in pregnancy and childbirth (these are largely due to pre-existing conditions left unchecked, severe bleeding and high blood pressure induced by pregnancy – these conditions are exacerbated with young girls)

Maternal health was defined a Canadian issue by Prime Minister Harper in 2010 and was defined the social issue of the G8 in Canada. Today, Canadian commitment to this cause continues.

Mahmoud Fathalla defined the maternal death road over 20 years ago and says that it is the health scandal of our time. It is Endemic, yet almost completely preventable, and is one of the starkest examples of gender discrimination in our world. More about Dr. Fathalla here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gS7fCvCIe1k

http://www.who.int/intellectualproperty/background/members/fathalla/en/

1 in 40 women will die during pregnancy and childbirth; in Europe it is 1 in 3300. 99% of maternal deaths occur in developing countries

When women experience, perhaps for the first time, the ability to act for themselves during their maternity, they will experience their right to care, their right to a safe motherhood. This galvanizes change that can impact their family, their community and their country in the most positive ways. Women need to live through pregnancy to contribute to their family, to their community and their country

It is a privilege today to experience a safe motherhood however it is a right that not all people experience in the same way; this is contrary to CEDAW (Convention to Eliminate All Forms of Discrimination Against Women) and to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, for the full texts see below. Providing means to reduce the barriers to experience these rights is what Project X is aiming to raise awareness of

CEDAW Article 12

 Parties shall take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in the field of health care in order to ensure, on a basis of equality of men and women, access to health care services, including those related to family planning.

Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph I of this article, States Parties shall ensure to women appropriate services in connection with pregnancy, confinement and the post-natal period, granting free services where necessary, as well as adequate nutrition during pregnancy and lactation.

http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw/text/econvention.htm#article12

Universal Declaration of Human Rights Article 25

(1) Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.

(2) Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection.

 http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/

What are you planning next for Project X?

Right now it's about learning more about the project, talking with people who have been there and their experiences, and speaking to others about maternal health. I hope that over time maternal health and Project X will continue, and grow. I would like to continue to awareness and augment the types of events and people we reach out.

We expect to keep the lines of communication open with Plan Canada so that our fundraising can continue for maternal health in Tanzania, and the boat ambulance project.

And most definitely am planning a trip to Tanzania to visit the project. Let me know if you or someone you know is interested.

Happy Holidays and thank you for the support.

Belinda

This is a blog post surrounding branding in the resource space and simple things you can do to grow your company’s brand value in a simple, straightforward, and honest manner. It is an extension of The Capital Lab’s December 2013 bulletin regarding branding.

Why did I include a disclaimer for this blog?

The audience at whom this blog is directed see a lot of blogs, pieces, and emails (some weekly, some daily) about their branding. If you’re anything like me, you see the “B-word” in the title and you’re already reaching to click on that big X in the top right corner of your screen.  After all, no one is more acutely aware than the intended audience of the perceived futility inherent in branding a company whose products are relatively undifferentiated, have benchmarked prices, and exist in a sector where consumer loyalty is driven largely by revenues and costs. Profits and margins. Dollars and cents.  As far as “weak” branding goes (name + logo), executives in the resource sector know that a new jingle or logo will not drive value and a “deep” brand, with significant marketing expenditure does not lend itself to the commodities space. However, a deep brand strategy is worthwhile for attracting and retaining not the consumer, but the investor. 

For resource companies, brand is built on track record.  Sure, it begins with vision and differentiation, but it’s make-or-break with track record.  We refer to this in our bulletin as deep branding – that is, the combination of attitudes and meaning that go well beyond a name and logo. Deep branding is about building connections to shareholders and consumers that may not have existed. Deep branding builds value for your company’s share price and reputation by associating your company with intangibles with which investors can identify and ultimately support and then champion. Deep branding is an ongoing commitment to action, to engagement, and to messages of substance that inspire and build trust. To do this right, a company needs to invest marketing dollars in its brand ambassadors.

I believe that for natural resource companies there are essentially three main categories of branding and association with the customer:

1. Track Record: Risk vs. Predictability:

Are they a solid company financially? Do they routinely meet guidance? Are their operations controlled and predictable? Your brand is differentiated by what you do.

2. Mental shortcut: i.e. a [commodity] producer in [region] that:

You emerge in the investor’s memory as a commodity producer of a certain resource in a certain part of the world. The brand is differentiated by where you operate/explore.

3. An association that aligns with a person’s public image of self

See more on values below.  Shared values attract like-minded individuals to the brand.  The brand is differentiated by who you are and what you stand for.

Why Investor Conferences are Perfect for Deep Branding Resource Companies

Investor conferences are an ideal environment to grow your brand by any of the three aforementioned facets. The quote below from our December bulletin makes it abundantly clear how the conference atmosphere – no matter the current market sentiment – is conducive to what is expected of today’s brands:

“In today’s world a brand must function on a whole new level […] the brand must engage, be truthful, and highly responsive to its users. It should inspire and when necessary respond and initiate with humour. But most importantly, a brand reflects the actions you take every day to make your company make its mark on the world. Make the mark count.”

 Investor conferences give your company a direct opportunity to strengthen your brand and reputation among retail shareholders, and benefit from word-of-mouth endorsement long after the conference is done. Here are some additional advantages and things to consider when thinking about how investor conferences are advantageous to your company:

 1. You carry your brand with you. 

You are the brand ambassador. You are front-and-centre, facing the public, in person, in good times and in bad.  Your attendance and participation informs the audience and the market that you are out in public, telling the story, and making connections. You are in control of the message and the quality of the information is only as good as you make it. There is a story to tell and the investor conference reinforces the storytelling on your terms.

2. You have the opportunity to forge a direct connection between existing or potential customers.

To ignore the chance to talk to an investor, either prospective or existing, is an opportunity wasted. You have multiple audiences with the investing public to respond, acknowledge, correct, or support your company’s brand.  You can build your track record by talking about achievements and performance; you can talk about company values, you can inform and correct. Each person connected with can lead to more word-of-mouth on the company; the endorsement of your brand by others is critical in growing a company’s investor strategy and brand.

3. Not every company attends – fewer companies = less competition for investor dollars.

No matter what you’re showing up to, there is something to be said about showing up.  Say what you will about certain conferences and attendance levels, but people do see you there. Investors and competitors take note.  You attending shows people you’re active, it lets people know you’re out there, and most importantly, it lets people know you want to be seen.

One of the major reasons brands exist is to differentiate a company from a larger group of competitors. Attending the conference whittles down the field of companies competing for investor dollars drastically. If you attending a conference means you can steal a march on one of your peers vying for that same investment dollar, all the better.

In addition, we have seen tremendous support from conference organizers who see a company attend year after year. They get to know you and your company, in some instances they may send investors to your booth or ask you for testimonials. Goodwill extends beyond the booth.

Put the Professional back into “Pro”

A brand is a company’s most enduring asset and has to be reflected by all individuals at all times. It must be constantly managed to ensure it is relevant and correct. Here are a few items to remember to make sure your conference experiences go smoothly and you can carry your brand with the class and integrity it deserves:

Be “on”. You are the face and voice of this company. The sharper and more knowledgeable you are, the better. Be confident, be upbeat, and be positive. Show conviction in your strategy, conviction in your numbers. You are speaking on behalf of a whole company.  You may be jetlagged, you may have had to tie your tie about six times to get it right, but no one needs to know that but you.

Show class. Not everyone you encounter at conferences is a wallet-waving potential investor. Be patient. The majority of your work at conferences is about making connections, not making sales. Tell your story to your audience. Grow your brand. Opportunities will follow.

Make time for solicitors and service providers. I’ve had people ask me for my job (and make a pretty darn good case for it too). While we’re there to meet investors, these conferences are also crucial business development events for many professionals in the sector to maintain or grow their businesses. Give them time, treat them with respect.  You never know who some people know.

Try not to put the “ass” in “ambassador”. I see these exhibitors appear at every conference.  You know the ones who are green by the second or third day of the conference? The exhibitors who wear their hangovers as badges of honour? Yes, them.  We know that guy.  Don’t be that guy.

The Value in Values

In the resource sector, a brand is nothing if it doesn’t have a value to back it up.  Values are shared, and values endure. For those very reasons, a company with genuine values can build a connection with its customers. A company’s values are the foundation on which it is built.  By demonstrating these values through its everyday course of business, a company shows its commitment to these values. By adhering to these values, and working with integrity, a company has already begun to strengthen its brand, as values – and that shared culture – are instrumental in building a company’s reputation.

Well friends here you are, who said what going back the last 6 or so months! My "who said that" quotes, unveiled:

Quel panama! - John LeCarre in opening of The Tailor of Panama, Signifies a real mess.

Never stop a racehorse mid race; not sure when or where I got this one. Could have been when reading the story of Calumet farm. Concept is salient for micro managers, slackers or high performer! Perform but don't tell the horse where the finish line is mid stream or you will slow them down, they're gunning for it anyway. Similar to 1864 speech by Abraham Lincoln's quote: 'An old Dutch farmer, who remarked to a companion once that it was not best to swap horses when crossing streams." Don't change horses in midstream. See prevoous blog Wednesday Oct 31 with book recommendations: Wild ride: the rise and tragic fall of Calumet Farm, Inc., America’s premier racing dynasty. By Ann Hedgehorn. 

Life begins at the end of your comfort zone: http://www.pinterest.com/belindadusbaba/. Follow me on "Talk to me." Thanks go to hudsonjeans.com.

Today me will live in the moment unless its unpleasant in which case me will eat a cookie. The Cookie Monster. I love you Cookie monster. 

Comparison is the thief of joy: Theodore Roosevelt. 

I do my job like I breathe, so if I don’t breathe I am in trouble: @Karl Lagerfeld. From book on Karlisms. I would like to have one dinner with you, just once, and I promise to dress up or you can send me home.

How many cares one loses when one decides not to be something and to be someone. Coco Chanel.Oh Coco!

All the diversity, all the charm, and all the beauty of life are made up of light and shade. Leo Tolstoy in Anna Karenina. Should I aim to read a page a day in russian? Nah....I'll just watch the movie.

It makes a difference when the wind is at your back. Work performance with positive momentum is inspiring, motivating and so much easier when planning for the future. But how do you plan when the market environment offers uncertainty? There is more friction and issue management. More unknowns. When the wind changes course  you have to work twice as hard for the same result.

Yet this is life. And so you adapt and look ahead, and at the same time you look close and determine how you are utilizing your time and your resources. NOW is the tie to look ahead. Before the traditional media hyped up hyperbole on new year's resolutions sets in sort out the planning process for yourself.

The Capital Lab since its inception, was created to provide a slipstream model for companies in a strategic change process. We aim to create efficiency and to provide talent, useful, new and actionable information to make the efforts of the CEO most efficient. The slipstream will enable the most fluid motion possible so that the person leading the slipstream can move at a faster speed than if it was moving independently. Today we bring the slipstream concept to management teams forging ahead.

Adapting my speed and actions for 2014 is at the forefront of my mind for 2014. The poem from Sinbad the Sailor in which he muses that wealth is a crutch, and he much prefers to deliver the treasure chest than own it outright gives me context as the poems ends with the sage advice,

"All I carry I deliver"

What will you deliver in 2014? How will you choose to carry the weight of your assets and to whom and how will you deliver them?

The annual planning process is best started now, and not in January.  The human tendency will be to overthink....new goals, maybe regrets and perhaps recriminations as part of the planning process.

But what if you start now and look forward to what you carry, what you will deliver and how you will make that journey

 Start here.

1. Start where you want to end up

Annual planning should always start at the end. Whether the planning process is 5 years, 3 years, 18 months or 12 months. Start at the back and work from there. This is simple and straightforward advice yet very challenging once you get specific. Specific goals require visualization, it requires getting comfortable with a state of affairs in the future. It requires identifying what your office looks like, who is in it, where you are sitting and how you are planning your day. You must be able to differentiate between the future and present and identify the steps you need to take to get there. Only when you have verbalized (out loud) how the future should look can you plan top get there.

The amazing thing about visualization is that the more you use this tool, the more you manifest the visualized future in your day to day life and start to live where you want to end up.

2. Identifiy and neutralize threats

No activity in the past year has made such an influence on my state of mind as starting krav. Krav Maga, teaches attention to detail, the power of practice, leverage, surprise, speed and survival. At the same time I have discovered a calm mindfulness as I walk, and sense of preparation for the unknown. It teaches all those things implicitly. Explicitly however, as you engage in your annual planning process, contemplate the threats and what you can do today, and in advance, to neutralize external elements that can negatively impact your strategy.  The concept of muscle memory is as relevant in krav as it is in business. Plan ahead for potential volatile situations. Beyond crisis management, ask yourself:

- Do I or do my team members need more support for crisis

communications?

- Does the team feel empowered to solve problems and redesign processes if needed?

- Am I sufficiently aware of the risks impacting my particular position and role? How can I withstand those risks?

3. Spend enough time to do something different

In your annual plan, review opportunities to try something new. The fear of doing something un-usual, or not within the norm should not hold one back. It should be the starting point to a new process or activity that defines you and your enterprise. The "what if" exercise works well in group situations. Be innovative and embrace creativity. Embrace the research and exploration process that leads to change. The most rewarding engagements are those where you have the support to try something new and take a step in a new directions. How can you incorporate this into your annual planning process?

Ask yourself:

What if we changed the venue to something more informal?

What if we had our CEO do an interview on our website specifically to discuss questions and concerns on this issue?

What if I got help with this problem that has been plaguing me?

What if I had a courageous conversation with someone I don't get along well with?

From the One Thousand and One Arabian Nights, Sinbad the Sailor sings this song:

Oh I have carried golden treasure

Half across Arabia's sands,

And I have seen the cost of pleasure

Pouring out of rich man's hands.

But do not think of me as rich sir,

Because I carry treasure chests,

For I count myself much richer

When I lay them down and rest.

I am a poor young porter -

All my meat is caught from rivers,

All the wines I drink are water -

If you have not already read or heard about the OSC’s initiative to increase female representation on boards and at senior management of TSX listed companies, it’s not too late to start.

Here it is:

 http://www.osc.gov.on.ca/en/Investors_inv_news_20130930_roundtable-women-boards.htm

“On May 2, 2013, the Ontario government delivered its budget which included the following statement:

The government strongly supports broader gender diversity on the boards and in senior management of major businesses, not-for-profit firms and other large organizations. In conjunction with others, including the OSC, the government will consider the best way for firms to disclose their approaches to gender diversity, with a view to increasing the participation of women on boards and in senior management.

On June 14, 2013, the Minister of Finance, Charles Sousa, and the then Minister Responsible for Women's Issues, Laurel Broten, requested that the Ontario Securities Commission (the OSC) undertake a public consultation process regarding disclosure requirements for gender diversity. Specifically, they requested that the OSC undertake a review and public consultation process over the summer considering a "comply or explain" disclosure regime for reporting issuers listed on the TSX relating to board and senior management gender diversity policies and practices and provide recommendations regarding specific disclosure requirements for TSX-listed reporting issuers and best practices for this type of approach to gender diversity by fall. Consistent with existing requirements relating to the disclosure of corporate governance practices, the focus is on TSX-listed (and other non-venture) issuers due to concerns about the potential regulatory burden on reporting issuers listed on the TSX Venture Exchange.”

The discussion on this topic has been tremendous, and so it should be. This is a conversation many have wanted to address in a formal, organized and statistically sound framework, and the OSC initiative enabled this. I attended two hosted panel sessions on this topic, one by the Institute of Corporate Directors and one by the OSC. With the comment period now closed and the OSC set to render their recommendations to the Minister of Finance, the OSC has effectively put the business case in full view of the public, but it has done so much more. It has turned the spotlight on a simple but meaningful statistic which is the low number of women on boards of TSX listed companies.  Here are my key takeways layered with the most prominent facts.

See this link for the transcript of the OSC roundtable:

 http://www.osc.gov.on.ca/documents/en/Securities-Category5/oth_20131016_58-401_transcript.pdf

When the data shows anomalies and weakening trend lines, great management teams fix the trend.

In 2011, 10.3% of directors of public companies were women, which represents a zero increase from 2009.

More than a third of public companies in Canada had no women senior officers in 2012, in their ranks.

If this does not call one to action, it should be a call to action and a call to question. Taking a closer look at the extractive industry, resource companies represented in both mining and oil and gas, this number has been stated to be approximately 7% - and this sector represents approximately 30% of the listed TSX issuers. The resource industry has enormous potential and value to Canadian economic health and particularly to our status as the country of choice in which to access capital, yet the representation numbers are inadequate. If we want this sector to grow and prosper, the representation numbers should increase, in the same way we would want to improve any other data point that impacts business profitability, sustainability and safety. 

If you don’t know where to start, start somewhere and start now and provide real measurable goals.

The dialogue around women on boards opened up useful and appropriate conversations around diversity in general and the necessity to review policies around ethnic, age and other diversity criteria. The panel at the Institute of Corporate Directors had a consensus view on this, which is women on boards is the right place to start and changes will begin from that point. At the OSC roundtable, the comment was made that greater diversity criteria was not part of the government mandate but should be reflected back to the Minister for consideration.

I agree. The country I grew up in is a multi-cultural mosaic of people, customs and languages that defines our heritage and our culture. Our differences celebrated here in relative peace are what make us Canadian and that diversity should be reflected across the companies that have chosen and committed, deliberately, to access capital here.

I am keenly interested in how our regulator will tackle the question and comments received around measurable targets as the conversations did not show consensus. The OTPF came out with a significant and visionary comment report indicating that not one woman on a board was sufficient, but three would indicate real change. See it here: http://www.osc.gov.on.ca/documents/en/Securities-Category5-Comments/com_20131004_58-401_ontario-teachers-pension-plan.pdf.

While others believe that “comply or explain” is enough of a catalyst; I have myself not perfectly reconciled whether it is the regulator’s responsibility to set those targets, or is up to the stock exchange to enhance its issuer requirements. Without a doubt, the conversation that has started and the representation of women on boards and at senior management levels will continue to be researched, data mined and reported on. Fortunately. If the recommendation is for an annual review of the Comply or Explain policy, I believe this alone will spotlight the statistics and continue the conversations started now.

The most compelling argument for actual targets was the comment made by Alex Johnston from Catalyst. She explained that getting the 10% number of female representation on boards to 25% would require 90 female directors annually to be placed. Or, alternatively, to get that same level of representation without a measurable goal one can wait 20 years for its move gradually to that level based on historic trends. I think that point alone cleared up the view that a) we don’t have enough qualified women and b) the goals are not achievable. (see page 56 of the transcript).

The agenda

Functional teams of any size review their progress against agenda items and minutes. The agenda therefore is a catalyst. The OSC draft policy identifies what needs to be on the board agenda in terms of representation of women at the board level and at senior management. It is my expectation that this self-evaluation process alone can make a huge impact. Moving from 0 to 1 for any issuer is a move in the right direction. The question for the OSC is how fast does it want to see change? If a person brings talent, skill, timely experience and cultural fit to the board I hope they get their seat. But hopefully no one was missed in the process.  I trust that the OSC policy will encourage deeper, broader searches to ensure representation is more balanced so that the doors to senior level positions and board positions are as visible to men as they are to women.

After presenting workshops to the Toronto Society of Financial Analysts on Communication skills: Techniques and tools when under Fire, I have reflected on some of the comments received during these workshops and how the skills of dealing with an irate or challenging audience is a skill that is 100% learned, but not in the traditional sense. To reframe challenging business communications into a productive series of conversations, it is a skill that must be re-learned. So keep those ditches in mind and make the path raised in the middle yours.

Often, in stressful situations, we revert to patterns of behaviour that we are familiar with and these may not be the most effective to you or your cause so the key to success is to 1) recognize this and 2) systematically change the behaviour by pre-committing to a new path. The intellectual exercise occurs at the point where one realizes that pre-committing to a course of action requires time to plan and time to understand current choices we make when under stress, and how to change those choices to something more effective and productive.

Here I share 5 reasons why I think it is so important to understand how to communicate when you are hit on the flank, and when the going gets tough unpredictably, possibly forcefully and definitely annoyingly:

1. Presentation skills are unhelpful when your presentation is derailed:

A good presentation always comes with focused slides and, or, high quality content and a narrative that tells a compelling story. The problem becomes when you do not see what is on your flank. What is on your flank can be as follows:  your intended audience is having a very bad day; is over-relying on the past or may not be in agreement with your agenda. They may be seeking data points that are a 360 degree move away from your projected outcome for the meeting. What is required to deal with this situation is insight into how people make decisions, how they ask questions and how you control your narrative throughout the process. This requires some forethought.

 2. The Ulysses contract of pre-commitment is vital when under stress:

The impulse to act and engage the intuitive mind when under stress is very strong. Yet, the ability to understand this intellectually during a non-stressful workshop is effective as you can engage the analytical or reflective mind. Making a commitment on your course of action the next time your presentation is derailed requires training and practice. Do not wait until a crisis arrives to flex your reflective mind as the response times required will be fast and furious.

 3. In good times and bad, lead:

 It is helpful to remember that irrespective of your role, if you have been asked to a meeting to present a point of view and things get difficult…you have already been invited in and therefore should assume the full force of that engagement. In other words, no need to be apologetic or ask to make a comment. State your opinion and views in the affirmative. Particularly when the conversation goes on a tangent into something speculative, irrelevant or to a private matter, state these as reasons to get back on track affirmatively and directly.

 4. Confidence comes from a base of knowledge:

I am a firm and steadfast believer that knowledge is the anchor that steadies you when the sea becomes stormy. Therefore, know your options, know what works for others when they have had to work through the spectrum of verbal attacks or leading questions. The power of a focused workshop around this topic is the exchange of perceptions and opinions on what works and what does not, through the use of scenarios and role plays. Hard to get that kind of interaction any other way and highly productive at the same time.

 5. Emotional Intelligence:

Much has been written on the importance of emotional intelligence in driving success and leadership throughout the career life cycle and in particular when moving into leadership positions. The ability to manage  your emotions and recognize them in others is the basis of empathy. At a recent parenting workshop I attended at Davisville Public School, I was fascinated to learn from , Dr. Karyn Gordon that empathy is taught and not inherited, and we can (and should) actively teach our children about emotions and how to understand them - and there are hundreds! When under fire, it is essential that you also can distinguish between emotions and potential reactions to those emotions.

I look forward to your questions and comments on this blog, please be in touch at [email protected]

Talk to you again soon,

I am an armchair traveller. Almost my top travel destinations on my to-do list originated from a book! Rajasthan, India, Newfoundland and the Spice Island, Grenada are on the list. St. Petersburg and Moscow as well. Seeing the Bosphorous in Istanbul originated from a picture however and its high on the list also. Panama City was one such place that was high on my list and finally, after years of wanting to go, I recently booked a ticket and hotel online (and that took less than 10 minutes!) without any planning. I was headed to the city that I read about in Le Carre’s Tailor of Panama, with no agenda, no guidebook, just some vague ideas of the possible with an ipad in hand and a concierge to make it happen.

Panama is so fascinating, the skinny country is accessible from coast to coast within one day’s drive. In the morning I could leave the comfort of my skyrise hotel and by 11am I was sitting on a crotchety little skooner to take me to a Robinson Cruso style island for a day or rest and relaxation (i.e. no internet access).Perhaps the most important reason for me to visit Panama was to see “that canal”. Everyone who asked me, “why are you going there?” It was always the same answer, “always wanted to see that canal”. Having worked for a large oil producer out of Colombia, I could now see a model of one of those oil tankers crossing the canal. I watched ships cross with names such as the Shen Zhou and the Epson Trader pictured here. I photographed all of them, from Asia to Europe, these ships travel far and my bet is each is its own storybook. The canal is surprisingly beautiful and lush, and the industrial background not obvious - as you see green hills on either side. It stretches 77 km from Pacific end to the Atlantic end and requires 3 passages, or locks, to get the ships up to the level of the Gatun lake which feeds the Canal.

To get the full backdrop of the Panama Canal and life in Panama when it was being build, visit the Panama Canal museum in the old town.

The Canal was originally dredged by a French contingency, in 1889 to 1891. Over 20,000 French workers lost their lives from malaria and yellow fever, and the effort by the French was abandoned at which time the Americans initiated a commission to build the canal deeper under the presidential leadership of President Roosevelt. Today the Canal is being expanded again under full Panamian control. Two new flights of locks are being constructed, which will most certainly maintain the Panama Canal as one of the seven wonders of the world and a pre-eminent waterway that I want to revisit again as soon as possible. Its an incredible engineering feat. When in Panama City, you see the ships waiting for their turn to enter, with mornings and afternoons rotating East/ West directions. Interestingly, only a Panamanian captain can take the ship through the Canal.

In the space of one month I attended two seminars offered by the Toronto CFA Society on the topic of deception. The first referenced latest trends in financial deception and the second referenced detecting deception in a verbal and written statement. Yikes! It is that level of skepticism which confronts the investors and those making investment decisions. 

These presentations were not made to new rookies at the local police force, nor to forensic accountants. These were educational seminars offered to professionals in the securities industry: those who make investment decisions, or are influenced by them in some way.

From an investor relations point of view, we should not turn a blind eye to the existence of these seminars and their concepts, whether we agree or disagree with concepts. These seminars will ultimately create pressure for professionals in IR to seriously review communications efforts:how companies disclose information, and how these professinals can and should make affirmative and proactive recommendations. The onus on professionals working in this business will be to not avoid deception or know how to outthink an analyst, but rather to be a confident and decisive speaker.

If financial deception exists then what also exists is bad faith.As an investor relations professional who has worked in a professional capacity in corporate communications for over 10 years, the information tools presented by the speaker underline why simple language is not just vital to corporate communications and the accounting profession, it is necessary. It is not always easy however. Consider what is not deceptive and not in bad faith:

Maintaining rules of disclosure that govern public company communications and are enrforced by the OSC.

Maintaining confidentiality.

Avoiding discussion of people, facts and situations unknown to you. Avoiding gossip, rumour or speculation.

Explaining an event when not all facts are known. Stating what is known versus not known.

Reframing an issue or broadening its scope to better capture all variables to the decision making process.

Explaining a process when not all decisions have been taken.

Managing under uncertainty for a public company requires the skill to explain the events, facts and process when you don’t have all the answers. This is not deception, this is following an order of information flow that is rational, logical and thoughtful. 

Those responsible for working with the public and explaining actions and information of a company or corporation must recognize the skepticism of what is being said is increasing; meaning, if you are presenting your story to a stakeholder…beware, this person is interviewing you and forming judgements. Beware they may be judging you on your word order, choice of works, length of your statement etc.

Consider that in the seminar on detecting deception with statement analysis, the speaker presented over 9 language and grammar based situations to watch for, each of which may present a deceptive statement.  The premise is that people mean exactly what they say so listen carefully.

One of the first Bulletins I produced for The Capital Lab was on the topic of “your choice of words”. Today, I continue to believe that we must be clear on what we say. I opt for short sentence structures. I choose active verb tenses. I prefer clear analysis that explains what is sequential versus what is concurrent. If I don’t see it, it gets killed. Do not provide, ask for or seek fancy or over-elegant writing. Be clear. To write well and speak equally well, it requires first the ability to listen well and ask questions before putting pen to paper. 

I discovered the Toronto library system by necessity: what to do when someone is short on space and long on reading?

My initial unvarnished response to using the library was the cliché you are probably thinking to yourself right now.... “People still use the library?” Prejudice aside and necessity being the mother of invention I did eventually make it over the local centre and am a loyalist.

I am, as it now stands, hooked to the Toronto library.  I have saved hundreds of dollars and checked out esoteric magazines like The Atlantic, Art in America and Cooks.

Here are a few facts about the library:

It’s free. FREE. 

It’s online. You can research, download, order books, renew books all from your home computer. Without leaving the home page you can see the top books on the New York Times bestseller list, staff favorites, and lists upon lists of award winning books.

http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/books-video-music/books/award-winners/

You can take out 50 books out at any given time. Yes that is indeed a carload full of books.

The librarians are as a friendly as your neighbourhood barista. Truly. The nicest people are at the library.

The books are available for your e-reader in a downloadable format. And yes, also free.

You can take out DVDs, talking books, magazines and CDs.

Often the conversation with my friends, after the usual discussion on design (this fabric or that?), clothes (!), shoes, stock markets (!!), and other subjects which shall remain nameless out of discretion for my friends and colleagues....the conversation often meanders to what we are reading. I have had the good fortune of reading a series of books that I consider to not only be enjoyable, but life affirming, rich in content and allegory and fully worth sharing here on this blog. So here goes.

When you are stuck. Read The Paper Garden. Mrs. Delaney begins her life’s work at the age of 72.By Molly Peacock. http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/detail.jsp?Entt=RDM2684797&R=2684797

To understand displaced people and refugees. To know why some things just must be done, maybe not now... but ultimately, some things must be done. Read A Thousand Splendid Suns. By Khaled Hosseini.http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/detail.jsp?Entt=RDM155216&R=155216

Because we make decisions every day but rarely organize our thoughts on why or how we make those decisions. Read about cognitive illusions and the man who delivered loss aversion as a concept – this is an intellectual gem of a book worth reading, sharing, and bringing into your daily life. Read the Nobel Prize prize-winning godfather of behavioural economics, Daniel Kahneman’s Thinking Fast and Slow. http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/detail.jsp?Entt=RDM2795573&R=2795573

Contemporary art acquisitions are so much more fun than M&A. Steve Martin entertains in New York City with An Object of Beauty. See this book filled with colour images of works described in the book and talks the business of art (its not so dissimilar from your friendly neighbourhood investment banking shop!) http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/detail.jsp?Entt=RDM2685100&R=2685100 Steve Martin is a respected collector of primarily American artists and entertains and informs in his book. To see what is in his collection: http://artintelligent.com/2011/12/15/steve-martin-art-collector/

As previously mentioned in the July 30th blog, http://thecapitallab.posterous.com/, The Extraordinary Life of Gertrude Bell, written by Janet Wallach will tell you how Arabia became Iraq, and how one brilliant woman was recruited by British intelligence during World War 1, ultimately creating the lines defining the modern Iraq. That story combined with afternoon teas under fig trees is a pretty compelling story of Baghdad as it once was. http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/detail.jsp?Entt=RDM194086&R=194086

When you want to know the behind the scenes, mostly untold story of conspiracy and genocide in the Caribbean and the political agnosticism of Fidel Castro, read this hard to put down novel by Alex Von Tunzelmann: Red Heat, Conspiracy, Murder and the Cold War in the Caribbean. http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/detail.jsp?Entt=RDM2735497&R=2735497 

Provenance: how a con man and a forger rewrote the history of modern art. Provenance is as interesting as the art itself. This book is a great complement to anyone’s art collection! By Laney Salisbury. http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/detail.jsp?Entt=RDM2523850&R=2523850 

Wild ride: the rise and tragic fall of Calumet Farm, Inc., America's premier racing dynasty. By Ann Hedgehorn. You can go long a thoroughbred, and yes, you can short it. Here is the story that takes about syndication from the lens of racing. http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/detail.jsp?Entt=RDM800173&R=800173

As for books 9 and 10? Back at you in a few months. These are my best selects for now.

19 ways to love Toronto now. In the spirit of finding the finest Toronto has to offer for both the hipsters and serious among us, our favorite things:

Cheap and delicious wine. Few can argue the merits of good and cheap, and it is especially rewarding when you discover both totally by accident. When you arbitrarily decide you are buying wine for $13 or less amazing discoveries can be made. Here is the current favorite: 2009 Strut Wines Risqué Rosé Niagara Peninsula VQA

Best for our friends and colleagues. La Societe. You treat us and our TCL friends, like your friends. Always ready with a fantastic booth table, in the round, for informal knoshing and frites worth every decadent calorie. That mega large chocolate dessert cup is particularly perfect for summer lounging on the beach, which takes me to....

A fuss free beach vacation. Straight to the beaches of Sandbanks. Pack your lunch and be happy with soft sand and azure waters. And when not dipping toes in the sand at the beach, head to the County Cider Company for a pizza in wood burning oven, and to Closson Chasse for a real treat (but no $13 bottles of wine here).

The Toronto Public Library. Free. Easy. And you can reserve books online. Need I say more?

Pleasant Sunday Afternoons. PSAs. Gertrude Bell, the authentic British adventurer who helped demarcate and establish the modern state of Iraq was known for her Sunday afternoon teas: everyone who was a someone in Baghad was invited to these round-table afternoon conversation sessions under the fig trees of her courtyard garden. Here’s to bringing 1920s Bagdhadi PSAs to Toronto. Anyone want to volunteer their backyard?

The Courtyard patio at Georges restaurant. Nudge nudge. Simply the finest place to while away a summer afternoon. Small, discrete, replete with tiny water fountains and extra large tables. My secret garden.

Pizza and beer lunches at Capital Lab. Somehow we manage to run out of groceries on a weekly basis but we have a seemingly endless inventory of beer. I am not sure how this works. But it does.

For compelling surroundings. Make your way to Jamie Angell’s gallery. Thought provoking and interesting, there is always something to adore in his space. And the brightest, craftiest, savviest young artistic talent make it happen.

Finding the mental space. To learning a new language. Right here in Toronto travel away away and learn Russian, Spanish, French at Hansa. I will soon be whispering sweet nothings in Russian, and because its so f-ing hard that might be as far as I get.

Pack refreshments and some snacks and sail away on Lake Ontario. If you don’t know someone with a sailboat, get on it and start sailing lessons for an experience that is unforgettable. Really!

Shop at local (well...sorta). The Narwhal for front end New York style, topped off with a $16 pint of strawberries at the Harvest Wagon next door.

Toronto’s distillery district. With ten brick-lined streets and 40 heritage buildings the distillery district is the largest collection of Victorian-era industrial architecture in North America. Do not miss the Boiler House and anything at Soma.

Your Toronto Blue Jays. The Toronto Blue Jays are only four games out of a playoff spot midway through the season, and despite an injury-plagued roster, are still playing meaningful baseball. Enjoy it while it lasts. Take seats on the 100-level bases for Saturday or Sunday afternoon games. Or, you’re feeling like ‘no one ever listens’, a seat in the corner outfield ensures that you’ll always have the ear of the visiting left or right fielder.

AGO – Art Gallery of Ontario. Oh, they just have a Picasso Exhibit kicking around, no big deal. Exhibit lasts until August. Just go already.

For grand entrances. Pink, orange or in my case teal coloured Manolos. Colour never looked so good than this season.

Farm fresh groceries on a Tuesday. Head to the Davisville park with kiddies in toe from 4pm to 7pm for hot off the wagon beets, kale and berries. And other good and earthy stuff.

Enjoy the Garden season – May 1 to October 31. Step back in time and explore Toronto's Majestic Castle Casa Loma and even better the garden at the Spadina House next door. A wide range of horticultural displays you can visit without having to do a lick of weeding.

For a firm behind. Walk, and walk everywhere. It takes precisely 75 minutes to get from Queen and Yonge to Davisville and Yonge. Leave the car at home.

Robert Friedland had asked a roomful of people at the BMO Mining and Metals conference who had read the China 5 Year Plan. A few scattered hands were raised in the enormous room filled to capacity, but you had to look hard to find them. And I was not among them. So naturally needed to fix that. Research comes second nature to me and it’s a huge part of how we work. Ask anyone here what is the one quality we all hold in common, and it would be “resourceful”.

After a little bit of research post conference on the China 5 Year Plan I was very intrigued. While the actual Plan is written in Mandarin, we went about finding useful summaries and getting behind the analysis of the plan. We hope you find the piece useful and interesting. For the reference material, please contact [email protected] our resident analyst and researcher.

Looking for more? Here is an edited list of my personal favorite sites for news and views:

Wikipedia – my go to spot for quick information

Huffington Post, Canada – love this one – free app

Brookings Institute – easily digestible and unique analysis of global events and politics – free app

McKinsey Quarterly – find an educated opinion super fast here

The Collection - New York Times shares views from the street on everything style & design related – free app, my newest find

Monocle – global view on design, business, style and trends

FT.com

Globe and Mail – love this free app