Irene Wright Has The Courage To Lead On an unseasonably warm evening in November, ICA Canada and its affiliates gathered at Markham House in Mirvish Village to launch our fundraising season and celebrate Irene Wright as this year’s winner of the Courage to Lead (CTL) Award. As usual with an ICA event, we quickly moved into an in-depth exploration of the leadership challenges we are each experiencing, and a focused conversation (led by ICA Board member Ekta Bromley) leading to new insights and ideas for moving forward. Violence in communities, efficiency in project management, guidance to children in families, and lean collaboration were some of the topics raised, and at least two of the changes people wanted to see were: empowerment to see leadership without having or requiring a title shrink the problem: focus on positivity These ambitions were served by emerging insights, including: Watch out for any assumptions you may be making Take a comprehensive perspective of the situation (see #4 on the leadership compass below); look at all aspects and contributors Being a “follower” allows for critical thinking and insight into leadership

Behind A Boring Headline In the 40th year of ICA Canada, we’re taking a look back at where we’ve focused our energy and attention, and acknowledging the results of our efforts as we plan for our future. The value of our interventions didn’t always make for a catchy headline either, as Bill Staples explains in a 1993 issue of Edges: New Planetary Patterns magazine (an ICA publication): “The following event has happened dozens of times. A town meeting is held to discuss what to do about a plant that will soon close in a small town. If ICA does not lead the meeting, the newspaper next day may run the headline “Mass Layoffs Anger Mayor.” Anger is genuine and sometimes such events just can’t be turned around. However, if the town meeting is facilitated by ICA, the residents will spend their time deciding what alternatives they have for the future. When ICA leads the town meeting, the result is often consensus and a new sense of direction in which everyone participates. The next day the city newspaper would have to write, “New Consensus Might Work.” You have probably never seen

Beyond Academics: An “A” for Courageous Leadership Beyond Academics homework club was started by Cyleta Gibson-Sealy and has been enhancing education potential for Toronto kids for several years.  Gibson-Sealy credits the United Way and Action for Neighbourhood Change with inspiring her to develop the program to have the impact it’s having today.  Read more about Gibson-Sealy’s courageous leadership here.

Courage To Lead Award Night: Nov 26, 2015 ICA Canada is pleased to be hosting this year’s COURAGE TO LEAD Award Night on Thursday, November 26th. This year’s award is presented to Irene Wright of the University Health Network in Toronto. Irene’s leadership has helped establish the values of the Courage to Lead book and course deep within the culture of UHN. We look forward to presenting the award and holding conversations about the meaning and opportunity for leadership in our time, and in our place. Light refreshments, wine and beer will be served from 6:00 pm. The program runs from 6:30 to 8:30 after which there will be lots of time to talk. To learn more, contact 416-691-2316 x2247 or email: ica@icacan.org.

Common themes & courageous leaders: CTL alumni event On Tuesday, Sept. 29th, a group of Courage to Lead alumni (past participants and current facilitators of the course offered at University Health Network) gathered to re-connect with each other, and explore the impact of Courage to Lead on their lives. Duncan Holmes (ICA Associates) invited us to consider the 12 stances of Courage to Lead, and identify which one had the most influence for each of us – was it disciplined lucidity? comprehensive perspective? self-conscious reflection? Most of us replied that every stance was influencing our work and lives in some way!  It was fun to note how one stance stood out more strongly for each of us as well. Next, we talked about the leadership challenges we continue to face in our unique and/or shared circumstances.  Common themes emerged around reflections on changes in organizational leadership, a desire to influence and inspire positive change, and the struggles we encounter when different people are motivated by different things. Participants were heard and wisdom was shared, and there was a general feeling of strong need and potential for

Courage To Lead Alumni Event: University Health Network "Courage like a muscle  - it is strengthened by use." The University Health Network (UHN) has been an enthusiastic ambassador for The Courage to Lead program – to date, over 500 UHN employees have participated in the courses and their next course is starting soon. This Tuesday, September 29th, the first ever UHN Courage to Lead alumni event will be held where participants will have the opportunity to: Re-learn how to apply the concepts in the book (including the New Edition)! Mix & mingle with course facilitators and participants from various sessions Gain invigorating new insights into courageous leadership Share stories about your experiences since taking the course All UHN Courage to Lead alumni are welcome!