Tag Archives: Chief Administrative Officer

Free Webinar – Federal Technology Fund Addresses Covid-19 Community Challenge

Webinar – Federal Technology Fund Addresses Covid-19 Community Challenge

COVID-19 is forcing over 3200 communities across Canada to find new ways to address the immediate and ongoing challenges posed by the pandemic. Infrastructure Canada created the Healthy Canada Communities Initiative to help municipalities identify and deliver innovative digital projects that address changing community needs through the use of data and connected technologies.

The agency responsible for coordinating the procurement of all proposals under the $31 million fund will be announced shortly.

In the interim, communities especially the smaller ones, are encouraged to develop innovative project ideas that address immediate and ongoing needs arising from Covid-19. To help you with that, we invited the federal government, technology leaders and social service organizations to share ideas that will help build successful innovative digital projects that is inclusive and recognizes Canada’s proud history of diversity and youth. Our panel of experts will share how digital solutions can respond to immediate and ongoing needs arising from COVID-19 as municipalities build back better using good tech as tech for good.

The diverse panel of experts include Minister Bardish Chagger MP for Waterloo, Iain Klugman of Communitech, Tracy Elop from Carizon, John Neufeld from House of Friendship, and Dana Fox from Athena Software.

Kick start your conversation and discover innovative digital projects that address your changing community needs through the use of data and connected technologies.

Your build back better plan starts December 11 at 2 PM EST with ideas, planning and funding. It’s all here.

Click here to register.  

We look forward to seeing you there!

 

 

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muniSERV and LXM LAW LLP Announce Partnership

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For Immediate Release – November 25, 2020

muniSERV and LXM LAW LLP Announce Partnership to bring enhanced membership value to clients of both organizations!

muniSERV.ca and LXM LAW LLP have joined forces to bring even more value to our respective customers and members by providing them with enhanced access to municipal procurement expertise as well as integrated savings!

Both companies offer powerful resources that have been developed to help municipalities throughout Canada. By working together, muniSERV and LXM LAW LLP are able to foster connections between municipalities, help build procurement capacity and provide unique opportunities and savings to muniSERV members.

Our partnership will provide a platform for muniSERV members to share lessons learned and best practices in municipal procurement while offering muniSERV members discounted rates on services. 

LXM LAW’s monthly open call-in shows will provide muniSERV members exclusive access to experts to answer their specific questions on procurement. 

Watch for dates and times of these upcoming call-in opportunities in the Events section on muniSERV.

For more information about muniSERV.ca and LXM LAW LLP, contact:

Lise Patry, Partner

613.601.6333| [email protected]

www.lxmlaw.ca   

 

Susan Shannon, Founder & Principal, muniSERV

855.477.5095 | [email protected]

www.muniserv.ca

ABOUT LXM LAW LLP

LXM LAW LLP is a multi-disciplinary Canadian law firm that offers legal and consulting services for procurement and contracting needs.  LXM LAW LLP has in-depth experience in Canadian municipal procurement through our experienced professionals.

Our legal and consulting professionals have been on the frontline of public procurement for decades. We’re exceptionally well-versed in both the legal and business aspects of procurement and contracting, including policy and procedure development for organizations of varying sizes and scale. 

ABOUT muniSERV

muniSERV is a uniquely original online platform that masterfully connects Canadian municipalities and the municipal businesses that serve them. Our membership continues to grow with now over 1,800 municipal and professional members across Canada.

Drawing on the 25 plus years of experience of the owner as a municipal administrator, puts muniSERV in the unique position of understanding how to bring an innovative business perspective to municipalities while at the same time helping the private sector gain a better understanding of municipal operations.

 

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The Communication Advantage Part 2

2 men talking

Have you ever heard the words, “Watch your tone!”?

Are you sending the right message?

Are people hearing what you mean to say or are they only hearing how you say it?

In our last blog we looked at how our facial expressions communicate. (https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/working-improving-your-communication-watch-what-you-dont-ed-heinrichs/)

In this article we will look at Paralinguistics and how they can help or hinder our communication.

 

Pitch: Does your voice tend to go up if you are nervous or angry? You can develop the ability to control the pitch of your voice to maximize effective communication.

Each of us are able to speak within a vocal range, and vary the pitch. This ranges from the higher, nasal tones to the richer resonant tones that come from within the chest. Many studies indicate that speaking from the lower range instills greater confidence in the listener.

Pace: Are you speaking at a reasonable rate or does it sound rushed? Are you slowing down or
pausing at appropriate points in your presentation? Reserving the increased pace to bring additional
energy and suggest passion will enhance your speech.

Are you intentionally adding moments of silence? These pauses can be as powerful as the
words spoken. Think of the rests between the notes in a piece of music.

Volume: What do we do when someone whispers? We instinctively lean in to hear what is being
said. A whisper can be amazingly powerful since it connotes a secret or special knowledge.
How can you use this as a way to draw in the audience?

Timbre: Timbre refers to the quality of the sound as it is perceived by the listener. It is often
used to describe musical instruments and is distinct from pitch or volume. As an example, compare
Kermit the Frog’s voice to the voice of Morgan Freeman.

Are you using ‘upspeak’ and is it undermining your communication? Raising the voice at the end
of a sentence can transform a statement into a question.

The Power of Prosody! This is the application of all these elements into engaging and effective
communication. Dreary dull, unvaried or monotonous delivery of what could be great content is
going to effectively undermine the entire presentation. A varied, energetic tone can serve to effectively
help communicate ideas.

Remember when you were told to “Watch your tone!”? Those are words worth paying attention to.
What is the next right step in your ascent toward your communication advantage?

We are here to help you succeed.

NB: For a more in-depth consideration of this topic check out:
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-paralinguistic-cues-can-help-you-to-persuade2/

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What is Virtual “Just-in-Time Learning”?

Virtual “Just-in-Time Learning “Training

Virtual Just-in-Time Learning is a new, timely training approach – especially during these challenging COVID-19 times.

Whether an employee is working on the road, at home, or at the office, each municipal employee can access “Just-in-Time” Learning training from a computer or their smart phone whenever they feel compelled to acquire the training.

This training approach provides municipal employees on-demand, flexible, agile training that enables them to acquire need-related training exactly when they need that training’s information.

It is a virtual training approach which closely aligns with today’s knowledge-driven, speed-oriented world where people want “just in time” information quickly.

Since there is no one right time to provide a group of municipal employees training on a topic, the resourcefulness of virtual Just-in-Time Learning will be appreciated by municipal employees since it provide them in-the-moment, relevant, real-time training exactly when they need that training.

Also, having experienced a need for that real-time training, they will likely retain the training longer.

The topics of this training approach are delivered in modules. Not only can employees initially learn the module’s training, they can also revisit a module, or a section of a module, time and time again, for tips, solutions, and training reinforcement.

Virtual Just-in-Time Learning also enhances a municipal employee’s productivity by providing them real-time performance support when they are experiencing a situation calling for that municipal support.

If you have questions or would like to learn more, please check out my profile and/or contact me:

Bill Dennis, 

CEO and President,                                                                                                                      

Cultural & Generational Training                                                                                            https://crossculturalconnecting.com

 

 

 

 

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You’re Invited – Supply Chain Canada, Ontario Institute to their Holiday Networking Event

We would like to invite you on behalf of Supply Chain Canada, Ontario Institute to their Holiday Networking Event on Nov. 26, 2020. The past few months have been like no other and it is time for some celebrating! Join us for an evening of fun, celebration, learnings from 2020 and some great conversations as we prepare for the new year.

Date & Time: November 26, 2020 | 5.00 pm – 9.00 pm EST

Price: Members – $10 | Non-members – $15

MuniSERV Members can get Supply Chain Canada, Ontario Institute member pricing with CODE MUNI10

CPD: 2 CPD Points

 

Highlights of the Holiday Event:

  • “Hindsight 2020 – Lessons Learned” – Panel Discussion with (Fellows) FSCMPs, and Board Chair – Ontario Institute: Insightful dialogues from our Fellow Designation Holders of 2019 & 2020 – Robert Wiebe, Chief Administrative Officer of Loblaw Companies Ltd. and John Salt, Senior Vice President – Supply Chain from Canadian Tire; Lani Lindsay – Board Chair, Ontario Institute and VP, Replenishment & Supply Chain from Walmart; Jim Peeples – President & COO of Challenger Motor Freight
  • Honouring and recognizing our long-standing members: A significant number of our members have achieved their milestones of completing 25 to 60+ years with us, this year. This is our chance to acknowledge their contribution to the association and to the profession.
  • A chance to give back to charity: Supply Chain Canada, Ontario Institute will match the amount raised from the registration fees to donate to a charity that will be revealed at the event.
  • Virtual networking: While this will be a virtual event, the facilitation of break-out rooms and one-on-one conversations will be made to encourage interesting conversations. Furthermore, to foster more one-on-one connections and participation, a draw for a free 1 or 2 Day workshop will be conducted during the networking sessions and you have to be online to claim your prize, if you are the winner selected.

Agenda for the evening (the time below is in EST):

5:00 pm – 6:00 pm – Welcome and Member Recognition Celebration

6:00 pm – 6:30 pm – Panel Discussion – “Hindsight 2020 – Lessons Learned”

           Moderated by:  Jim Peeples, President + COO Challenger Motor Freight

           Panelist:   John Salt, SVP Supply Chain Canadian Tire

           Panelist:   Robert Wiebe, Chief Administrative Officer, Loblaw Companies Limited

           Panelist:   Lani Lindsay, VP Replenishment and Supply Chain, Walmart Canada

6:30 pm – 6:50 pm – Q+A and Conclusion of Panel

6:50 pm – 7:00 pm – Break: Grab your favourite Holiday drinks and snacks

7:00 pm – 8:00 pm – Speed Networking via break-out rooms

8:00 pm – 8:10 pm – Closing comments

8:10 pm – 9:00 pm – Open Networking for those who wish to stay on and network

Please confirm with us here your intentions of staying for our online networking starting at 6.50 pm EST. For those who stay back, we will be conducting three draws for a free 1 or 2 Day workshop.

REGISTER HERE

We look forward to seeing you on Nov. 26, 2020 as we celebrate each other and collaborate for a more resilient future.

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COVID and Communication Challenges

two girls talking - facial expressions

Watch what you don’t say.

 

I have heard people talk about ‘finding their voice.” But, what do you do if you can’t use words?

 

It was 2 a.m. and we had just arrived at the Bangkok, Thailand airport. We needed to find a cab to our hotel. We discovered how dependent we were on words to communicate. At the same time, we realized the power of gestures and facial expressions. While words are an important part of communication, there is great value in understanding how rich our communication systems are.

 

We generally think of communication in two categories -verbal and nonverbal. We are very aware of verbal communication, but did you know that there are at least nine distinct categories of nonverbal communication? We try to choose our words carefully, but might be unaware of our nonverbal signals, and yet, these speak loudly to our listeners.

 

Each one plays a major role in your presentations, speeches, and general communication. This is an important part of Emotional Wisdom and becomes a powerful part of communication.

 

In a series of upcoming posts, we will look at these categories in more detail. Here is the first

category and some comments on how this might help or hinder your communication:

 

Facial Expressions

This is probably the most easily recognized of the nonverbal communication categories. Within this category are over twenty distinct expressions. It is also helpful to know that many facial expressions are universal in nature. This makes it possible to understand across linguistic boundaries. Facial expressions are responsible for a large part of nonverbal communication. The look on a person’s face is often the first thing we see, even before we hear what they have to say.

 

The challenge with wearing masks is that we lose about 50% of what is being communicated through facial expressions. Due to the design of the human eye, we can easily identify precisely where people are looking.

 

Watch an audience as you are being introduced. The eyes of the audience will shift. They are watching you before you arrive at the podium. Your facial expressions, body language, and general posture are already communicating to the audience before you speak a word.

 

Watch what you don’t say.

 

By the way, we did arrive at our hotel…eventually.

 

If you are interested in finding out more about how to increase your effectiveness as a communicator,

presenter or public speaker let us know.  We are here to help you succeed.

 

Learn more about Enrich Services

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Covid 19 – Federal Funding for Municipal Solutions

The Covid 19 pandemic is creating a massive strain on resources in communities across Canada. Human service solutions in education, justice, social and health were never designed to take on this much for so long. Canadian municipalities are making adjustments to accommodate the surge in demand and the ever changing needs of their community. 

 

Some of our communities are now in the red zone creating the need for further restrictions. Federal, provincial and municipal governments are responding with additional funding and co-operation to help reduce the damage and improve the outcomes in less time. 

 

On August 13 2020, The Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities announced the creation of the Canada Healthy Communities Initiative with up to $31 million ($19M 2020-21 & $12M 2021-22) in federal funding to support community-led solutions that respond to immediate and ongoing needs arising from COVID-19 over the next two years.“ The demands placed on families and individuals by COVID-19 have exposed a real need for low-cost, locally-driven ideas to help communities adapt and thrive. The Canada Healthy Communities Initiative will help breathe life into these small projects that can have a big impact as local governments, Indigenous communities and their non-profit partners rethink public spaces and how they deliver services to people.”

 

While Infrastructure Canada (INFC) is providing the funding, there is another organization yet to be announced that will organize, evaluate and distribute funding based on your proposal. This announcement will be made shortly. Your municipality will be able to submit a Covid 19 related infrastructure proposal that is between $5,000-$250,000. Three focus areas are: digital solutions, improved mobility solutions and safe and vibrant public spaces. 

 

A community project that develops infrastructure -related solutions to address changing community needs through the use of data and connected technologies starts with the ability to understand who is affected, what is being delivered and what needs to be done with priority. Measuring outcomes and sharing this information in a secure way becomes the source of truth for social service, health, justice and education partners that are focused on helping those most affected by Covid 19. Any municipality working to solve these complex and rapidly evolving stress points without a case management solution will have overlapping solutions that cost more than required and fail to see the gaps, reducing the outcomes. When you have time and budget, municipalities will continue to manage human services in a way that offers a path with least resistance. 

 

Covid 19 has exhausted both time and budget. Human services in your community need to work together efficiently. Working to save lives today and preparing for the future depends on it. Athena Software is a Canadian company that has experience working with every level of government in 15 countries around the world helping them find a way to do more with less and get better outcomes. Let me know if you would like to see how this can work for your community. 

Learn more: Athena Software

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Five Driving Needs (Part 4): An Expanded Understanding

Happy man in front of his laptop

De-complexify the mysteries of organizational life.

This fourth article in the series further explores the what, why, and how of the Five Driving Needs framework.

Belonging. Security. Freedom. Significance. Meaning.

These needs are universal and personal.

Nature hard wires us with innate needs like belonging and security. They’re vital to the well-being of every person born regardless of their ethnicity, era or postal code. In this way, our needs are universal – hardwired.

But our nurture imprints each of us with a unique need mix. That is, we each prize certain needs far more than others. This happens in two ways:

a) Some needs are thwarted. Example? If our need for belonging went unmet in our home environment, it became disproportionately important to us as adults. Job #1 in any situation became, “How do I get accepted here? What do I have to do to be included in this tribe?”

b) Some needs are pre-eminently valued. Consider. If the need for security was given the highest priority by our parents or our culture, it can overrule the others for the rest of our life – driving us to avoid ambiguity and seek out predictability and clarity in every situation.

All humanity is hardwired for all five needs but some people need certain ones more than anything else, because their environment deprived them of it or prized it above all else. So, when you think of needs, think universal and individual, nature and nurture.

These needs are constant and dynamic.

Read the rest of the article by Brady Wilson

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COVID-19 Pandemic – What’s next.

girl looking at a piece of paper

The pandemic continues to rapidly expand in communities across Canada. At the time of this article over 267,000 Canadians have contracted the disease, 217,000 are recovered and 10,552 died. The number of cases each day is accelerating.

The effects of this highly contagious disease are catastrophic when left unchecked. Health systems are at risk of collapse affecting all other health issues. Covid 19 is not just affecting health care. Municipalities are being asked to address the surge in demand in every human service sector – education, justice, social and healthcare.

Primary care and wait times are measured with traditional outcomes in most communities. The wave we do not see coming as easily is just outside of the range of a 911 call. Mental health issues, loss of income, housing, food, education, relationships are all affected with Covid 19. The cold dark days of winter are coming. The risks associated with Covid 19 and issues associated with the disease are going to increase over the winter months.

While a vaccine may be available early 2021, it’s unlikely every Canadian will have access to the vaccine when it is approved.

Municipalities need to proactively seek strategies that wrap programming around individuals and families at risk. Traditional models of care that involve home visits or appointments are shifting to tele-health.

The federal government in co-operation with the provincial and territorial governments announced funding and extension to funding as the need requires.

It’s time to consider the short and long term requirements of your community during and after the pandemic and make use of the funding currently available to enable your municipality to not just survive but build its way out to a better future.

Contact us to learn more about Athena Software!

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Five Driving Needs (Part 3): Creating an Energized State of Being

Woman running

Powerfully productive days are the result of energized brains

If a person’s natural M.O. is to contribute and make a difference but they are blocked from doing so, it produces an unmet need. This creates internal tension – the gap between their desired state and their current reality. There’s good news about tension – it has energy right inside it – and that energy can be released. When a driving need is fulfilled, the tension is resolved – and energy is released, producing a state of being. A state of being is more than just a feeling—it is a pervasive emotional condition that includes but transcends the emotion – affecting one’s entire being.

An emotion is like the temperature in your office, a state of being is like the weather in your city. For example:

Feeling accepted by a coworker in a meeting is good, but it can be a fleeting emotion.

Working in a team where you experience a solid, stable sense of belonging is a state of being.

Being given the chance to work on a new project is good, but it can be a fleeting feeling. Experiencing undisrupted freedom to make decisions and take action is a state of being.

An employee – let’s call her Jasmine, who experiences belonging within her team as a state of being. It’s the state of being – not just a passing nod of acceptance that releases a flow of oxytocin – freeing up mental bandwidth by bathing Jasmine’s brain with feelings of bonding, rapport and trust. Oxytocin is such potent juice that it can flush out fears of rejection, exclusion or isolation.

If she is also experiencing a state of significance, the potent juice of serotonin bathes her brain with feelings of agency, belief, confidence – flushing out the fears of being discounted, sidelined or disrespected.

Imagine Jasmine experiencing all five – a five-fold state of belonging, security, freedom, significance and meaning. Her ability to connect with people quickly unlocks trust in the group. Her calm brain sees things so clearly, cutting through the clutter, constantly re-focusing the team on what matters. Her creative thinking permeates the conversation with a sense of possibility – possibility that is infused with a sense of agency and purpose. Jasmine’s juiced brain makes her indispensable.

The addition of each juice does not produce a 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 sum. It’s multiplicative. Our clarity multiplies the impact of our connection which multiplies the impact of our creativity, our possibility and our purpose. The juices working in concert are a source of super-performance that scientists do not yet understand. It’s the inter-relationships of the juices that creates human magic.

Read the rest of the article by Brady Wilson

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