Aarluk's Chris Grosset Awarded in Iqaluit

Ever modest and ever dapper, Chris Grosset receives the Schwabenbauer Recognition Award

As mentioned in a previous blog entry, Aarluk's Chris Grosset organized and co-hosted the first-ever Nunavut Congress of the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects (CSLA).  Chris was the NuALA (Nunavut Association of Landscape Architects) representative on the CLSA. Last year, he pitched the idea of hosting the annual CSLA Congress in Iqaluit at the National level, and when approved, proceeded to put on a conference that surpassed the expectations of everyone in attendance. Chris had thought of every detail imaginable, from the brown paper snack bag (complete with chocolate) for delegates on day excursions to the blue colour marker to represent water at the design charette held outdoors at the beach in Iqaluit.

The success of the conference and the obvious delight of its participants in their first northern trip came as no surprise to colleagues Marla Limousin, Geoff Rigby, Rosemary Ipeelie, and the rest of the planning committee, who saw the amount of effort Chris had put into preparing.

Apparently it came as no surprise to the CSLA either, who presented Chris with the Schwabenbauer Recognition Award during the closing gala dinner. This award is bestowed upon a member of the CSLA in recognition of their unselfish and devoted service to the CSLA at the national level over a period of not less than five years. The selection criteria for the award include:

• Contributions that have had a substantial meaningful impact on the CSLA as an organization, and/or to the membership of the Association;
• Advancement of the Association through the nominees professional and personal contributions; and
• A passion and enthusiasm for the profession of landscape architecture.

Passion and enthusiasm - that's our Grosset. Congratulations Chris on both the award and a job well done! And thanks to the many folks - planning committee members, performers, caterers, volunteers, delegates, folks from Nunavut Parks and the City of Iqaluit, Mayor Madeleine Redfern,  and everyone else who helped things run so smoothly.

Weird Google Links of the Week

Here's our weekly top three list of the weird google search terms that led readers to our website. The envelope, please - thank you.  This week three lucky seekers found us, somehow, by googling:

• Manitoulin fortune lotion (good luck with that!)
• Are Aborigines Happy? (We're not sure, but we'll ask them.)
• A wasp landed in my beer (Bummer. But if you don't want it, pass it to Clootch.)

Dr. Boult'sTraveller's Tips

Nobody puts more miles on their odometer every year than Dave Boult, who travels incessantly for both business and pleasure.  A few trips from our most seasoned road warrior:

1) Memorize your Aeroplan number – if you can use’em, collect’em. Just memorize your number so you don’t miss the points or keep all those people behind you waiting as you fumble through your George Costanza-sized wallet or purse or man-satchel or…….

2) Crossing a border? Keep a photocopy of your passport folded up and hidden in your primary piece of luggage. If it ever goes astray and loses its label, the photocopy will help you prove it's yours.

3) Going to a food trade show? Have to bring a pair of stretchy-pants. Not those fancy Euro, spandex thingies. No. You need an honest pair of stretchy sweat pants. Sure you can put a stripe down the side with masking tape if you are going to a formal event, but you just never know when you are going to hit that perfect sampling section. Editor’s Note: also good for community feasts when you just can’t get enough of igunaq from Hall Beach or Igloolik. Just don’t try bringing any home on the plane.

4) Bring extra work and novel (s). Sure, the weather report says it is all clear and lovely. Hah! Don’t believe it. Seasoned northern travellers are well aware of Environment Canada’s (and Mother Nature’s) cruel sense of humour. You only tempt fate by not being prepared. We all have war stories of how long we have been weathered in. That’s not the bad part – the bad part about being weathered in for long periods is not having any extra work or a good book or two (God forbid you should need three) to help pass the time productively, if not particularly pleasantly.

5) You probably know this one already - but always travel with your meds in your carry-on baggage. You can always rinse your socks in the shower, but you probably won't be able to replace your blood pressure medication if your suitcase is in Whale Cove and you're in Kugluktuk.

6) Don't worry about looking like a tourist - check out the sites. If you haven't seen the Baker Lake Visitor's Centre, or Mount Pelly close up,  or the view of Sylvia Grinnell Park from the hilltop - do it!

Great Moments In Golf History

In 1368, a Ming Dynasty Scroll illustrated, for the first time, a member of the Chinese Imperial court swinging what appears to be a golf club at a small ball with the aim of sinking it into a hole.

In 2008 Tiger Woods won what he always called "my greatest victory": with a torn ACL in his left knee and a double stress fracture in his leg, he won the 2008 US open on the first sudden-death hole.

And on Friday June 22, 2011, the Aarluk/Consilium/Stonecircle Team rocked the 9th annual Tungasuvvingat Inuit Charity Golf tournament.

It was a hot and sunny day at Champlain Golf and Country Club in Aylmer, Quebec. As many readers may or may not know, marketing on a Friday afternoon golfing is one of the favorite pastimes of several Stonecirclers, Aarlummiut, and Consiliumites. Ok, let’s be honest: Ron Ryan, Kory Goulais, Chuck Gilhuly, Jennifer David, Chris Grosset and Victor Tootoo are total Tee Addicts. With Jennifer away, Ron out of play due to a trip that was cancelled last minute, and Chris swamped with work before vacation, the task of defending our corporate honour fell to Kory, Victor, Chuck, with special ringer guest Hunter Tootoo (who, when not golfing, fills his time as Speaker of the Nunavut Legislative Assembly).

The scorching 37o temperatures made no difference to a team already on fire.  They shot an eight under 64, the lowest score of any Consilium, Stonecircle, or Aarluk team in the entire history of golf. At the end of the day they were crowned co-champions, the first time in TI tournament history. For their efforts, the Consilium team received a handshake and a pat on the back, and the knowledge that they will spoken of in hushed and reverent tones wherever Consilium golfers gather and reminisce.

Plus, of course, the satisfaction of contributing to the fine work of Tungasuvvingat Inuit, Ottawa's Inuit community center. Doesn’t that make it all worthwhile?

Planes, trains, automobiles, riots and moodle!



Chuck and Victor at the U Vic Campus

Travellers' yarns from northern consultants are usually about the the three-week layover in Whale Cove, or the forced landing in Kugaaruk, or the twelve day diet of frozen peas at the Co-op Hotel.  So when Chuck and Victor were contracted by Nunavut Arctic College (NAC) to work with the University of Victoria to plan a pilot distance education series for their Municipal Government Programs (MGP), there were more than a few envious mutters rattling through the ivy-covered halls of St. Crispin Towers. A trip to Victoria. In May. Some guys get ALL the cushy gigs. 
And then...well, let's let Victor pick up the story. 

The Anti PowerPoint Party of Switzerland

From the excellent country that brought you cuckoo clocks, neutrality, raclette and Marianne Smith comes a new political movement many of us can sympathize with: The Anti PowerPoint Party, or APPP.

Founder Matthias Poehm admits that the party is partly a platform to sell his book The PowerPoint Fallacy, but he insists there's more to it than that. The APPP blames PowerPoint for the loss of approximately US$160 billion in lost time while employees sit through incomprehensible presentations.

We're not talking sides here, but it's an interesting read, with links to some thought provoking resources.

ht/Geoff Rigby

Happy Birthday Chuck!

Chuck Gilhully

As he does every year, Chuck celebrates his birthday by taking the month off. And, as he does every year, he ends up working half that month. From all of us at Consilium, Stonecircle and Aarluk, GO HOME CHUCK!!! Oh, and err, Happy Birthday!

Wrecking the Stage and Fixing the Weather: The Weekly Poll

Last Week's Poll: The Collapsing Stage

We invited our readership to speculate on the cause of the Notorious Bluesfest Stage Collapse, to enable us to provide helpful suggestions to the Fire Marshall's investigation. You were pretty evenly split on the question.

• 27% of our readers felt the Stage collapsed because Cheap Trick was playing, and God doesn't like 70s music. (And who can blame Him?)
• 27% felt it was cause by a trapped hot air pocket flowing in from Parliament Hill.
• 27% thought that recent Federal Funding Cuts to Arts and Cultural Events had led to a deadly bolt shortage.
• Only 16% blamed sabotage by classical music terrorists trying to steal audiences away to the Music and Beyond Classical Festival. You're off the hook, Mr. Armour.
• And no-one thinks it was all just a Story invented by Stu Mills of CBC to fill a slow news morning.Phew. A rare but welcome vote of confidence in our our beloved public broadcaster,.

 

This Week's Poll: Everybody Talks About the Weather

...as Mark Twain famously said, "but no-one does anything about it". And look what happens when you let weather get out of hand: weeks like last week, that's what.

Well, we're consultants, and when we see a problem, we fix.

To be fair, until this year the Harper Government hasn't been able to do much about bad weather, either winter storms or summer swelter.   In a minority government it's difficult to achieve consensus; and let's face it, nothing gets Canadian more emotional than talking about the weather.

But now we have a majority government; it's time to hold Environment Canada and our politicians accountable  for the weather they're supposed to be governing on our behalf.

The problem, as always, is achieving agreement. Some, as they say, like it hot: some like hot not so much. Since our readers' tremendous success on directing Constitutional Reform, we return to you for guidance. Let us know what kind of weather our government should be delivering, and next Monday your preference will be conveyed to the Minister of the Environment, the Honourable Peter Kent.

So: How would you like your weather?

1) Just like last week: hot and humid.
2) Just as hot, less humid.
3) Just as humid, less hot.
4) Less hot AND less humid.
5) Whatever, as long as CBC shuts up about it.

The Consilium Poll - The Only Poll That Matters - is open!

Rare, Intimate Photos of Chuck on Holiday

For those of you who wonder what Chuck Gilhuly, Consilium's CEO, looks like while enjoying his summer vacation, here's a candid and completely unretouched photo of himself on Day Two of his holidays, taken at 6:30 a.m. It looks a lot like Day One of Chuck's holidays, when he was in the office "just finishing off a couple of projects." Come to think of if, it looks a lot like Day Minus One of Chuck's holidays, when he was still at work "getting everything wrapped up so I can take off tomorrow guilt-free". We suspect it may actually have more to do with the excellence of Consilium's Air Conditioning than with Chuck's need for Leisure Enjoyment Counselling.

Tell The Nice Consultants What They Need To Know

Being the second of Greg's tips on how to write an RFP that will get you the proposals you're hoping for.


Earlier this week we talked about the importance of NOT overloading your RFP with unnecessary mandatory requirements. Here's another hint.

TIP No. 2: Tell The Consultants What They Need To Know


When you issue an RFP, you're looking for support. Sometimes you just need more hands on the wheel; sometimes you're looking for help to figure out exactly what kind of help you really need. But at the beginning of a project, at the RFP stage, no-one knows more about your actual requirements than you, the client. And the more you tell the consultant about those requirements in the RFP, the better and more focused the proposals you receive will be.  It's like dealing with a doctor or a real estate agent; you'll get quicker, more effective responses if you provide complete and accurate information about your needs.

If there is a need for the consultants to travel to “various Aboriginal communities to be determined” - do you know how many communities? Or what regions? If not, do you have a travel budget to guide the poor schmuck of a consultant who has to guess whether you mean two trips to Golden Lake and Kitigan Zibi, or a dozen tips that include Terrace, BC and Grise Fiord, Nunavut?  That's a $30,000 difference right there: it would be helpful to know.

If the project is to involve "interviews with various stakeholder groups", do you have a sense of which groups? Clients? Funders? Partner organizations? Local businesses? Program staff from government? Special interest groups? Each one of those target communities is going to require a slightly different approach and tools, which changes the scope, scale, method, and of course the cost of the consultation. We can try to guess what you have in mind: but the clearer you are, the more accurate about costs and methods we can be.

If there is a key document, such as an evaluation framework, that you have developed to guide the project work –  share it with all bidders so they better understand your requirements.

Have you taken a hard and honest look at what you're really trying to achieve, and agreed internally on what your real priorities are?  Some years ago we were invited to bid on the evaluation of a provincial component of a program delivered on-reserve. The program officer we spoke to was very helpful. He explained that the sponsors of the evaluation were looking for three things:
- they needed the evaluation done as quickly and inexpensively as possible
- they wanted to ensure a high level of community engagement, so the consultants would be expected to train a network of community workers to do most of the data gathering, review and analysis;
- and finally, they wanted in-depth, highest-quality scientific research results that can only be obtained by highly qualified and experienced professionals.

Each of those objectives was worthwhile, but it was impossible to meet all three. We decided not to bid: a month later, we read that the RFP had been withdrawn because no other bids had been received. 

Achieving clarity in an RFP shifts part of the responsibility for project results to you, the client. But there's real value in defining your own real needs and goals before releasing an RFP, instead of simply describing a broad need and then waiting to see what you get back from the consultant. You'll be dealing with fewer and better proposals, and you'll be much better prepared to manage the consultation to come.

Consinema Reviews: Transformers - Less Than Meets The Eye

Rating: 1.5 popcorn bags (out of 5)

Title: Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Director: Michael (Big Bang) Bay (Armageddon, Pearl Harbour)

The Pitch: Toy Story Meets Godzilla In Chicago

Plot Summary:This year we learned in X Men that Mutants caused the Cuban Missile Crisis: now we learn that Robots were behind the Apollo Missions.

The Verdict:

We have a theory. A handful of heroic studio executives kept Smash-Bang-Boom director Michael Bay locked up in a secret dungeon while J.J. Abrams (Star Trek, Lost)  shot the first hour of this film. To your surprise, the plot begins to unfold with a little sly humor, some amusing nods to conspiracy theorists and past SF films, and the introduction of some amazingly good actors apparently having great fun in some delightfully over the top cameos and minor roles (John Tarturro! Frances McDormand! John Malkovitch!)

And then Michael Bay escapes, kills JJ Abrams, and, bent on revenge, spends the next hour destroying both the city of Chicago and whatever wit, narrative or fun was generated in the first hour, in 3D. It is stunning: and we do NOT mean that in a good way. 

What shines? Leonard Nimoy's voice as a Giant Evil Robot. Too bad they couldn't get Shatner to play a Decepticon.

What sucks? the fact that you paid to watch one hour of Hasbro Action Figures with delusions of grandeur and an insane production budget throw buildings at a camera. Will you NEVER learn?

Watch For: One lovely series of shots of parasailing good guys floating through Chicago.

The Clients' Home Journal: How To Write an RFP: Part I

Over the last four months, some of the most popular posts we've published here have had to do with the care and feeding of consultants - tips to help you get the most out of the client/consultant relationship. 

Some of us here at the CCG have been consultants for more than thirty years. And we love each and every one of our clients, past, present and future - honest! But the client/consultant relationship is link that needs to be created and maintained on both sides. Like any relationship, it works best in an atmosphere of trust, openness, and clarity. And it starts when you first put out an invitation for service usually in the form of a Request for Proposals, or RFP.

Your goal in issuing an RFP is simple. You're inviting consultants to tell you clearly and succinctly who they are, what their experience and qualifications are like, how they will meet your needs,  and what it's going to cost you. A well-written RFP will elicit that information from qualified consultants, discourage those without the appropriate qualifications from wasting your time (and theirs), and give you a clear basis for selection. Many RFPs, however, ask for too much information, not enough information, the wrong information, or fail to provide the information a consultant needs to respond intelligently to your request.

We polled our team here and came up with a few hints potential clients who are issuing RFPs. We are convinced that following these tips will result in more and better proposals that are appropriately scaled to the scope of work and budget you have in mind; greater clarity on project goals and objectives. And yes, if you're wondering - they're all based on real experiences.

TIP No. 1: Avoid excessive stacking of mandatory requirements

Mandatory requirements are Pass/Fail essentials - miss a single one and your proposal is shredded. Some “mandatories” are essential: you need to screen out those who clearly do not have the qualifications and experience you need, and you need to let potential bidders know just what level of experience or skill is necessary.

But in developing your RFP, there's a tendency to add mandatories that may not actually apply. And piling up too many mandatory requirements on top of each other has three obvious and negative consequences.

1) You may rule out some otherwise highly qualified bidders who could do a great job for you – except you won’t even look at them because they can’t make one mandatory. For example, do all the relevant projects you want described absolutely have to be within the past two years? Couldn’t the bidder’s five, ten, fifteen or more years of relevant project experience count as well?

2) You're driving up your own cost. Sure, we can put together a team comprised exclusively of fluently bilingual people with twenty years consulting experience and doctorates in biology.  But that's much more costly than a team headed by senior consultant with that degree, working with folks who have all the necessary skills and knowledge, but not necessarily those twenty years.

3) You're probably excluding newer or smaller firms from bidding: and if part of your mandate is to promote Aboriginal expertise or local suppliers, you maybe ruling out some of the good companies you're trying to help out by including mandatories that only a huge consulting firm with a hundred year history can make.

The bottom line: mandatory requirements are essential, and help you separate the wheat from the chaff in your selection. But consider each one carefully, and ask yourself: is this really necessary? Or is there an alternative, or an equivalent qualification, that would do the job as well?

Tomorrow:Tell Them What You Really Want

Building Local Economies: Kimmirut Revisited

David Boult, Exactly As Shown

Developing a local economy is a demanding process anywhere. It's especially challenging in Nunavut, where small populations, big distances, and the high cost of doing business present real difficulties.

To date Aarluk has developed economic development plans for over half the communities in Nunavut. The most recent example of this work was a June visit by David Boult to the beautiful community of Kimmirut, south Baffin Island, to update a previous plan done by Aarluk in 2007.

David met with a number of people in the community involved in business and economic development, and particularly enjoyed his discussions with Mayor Jamesie Kootoo, the hamlet staff (including Akeego Ikkidluak, SAO) and members of the Hunter and Trapper Association, including manager Mary Akavak. In addition, he visited Don Power, a manager of the Kimik Coop, the Northern Store, and Patrick Akavak, Parks manager for the area. Their insights and opinions will form a critical basis for the plan update.

A highlight of the trip was a tour of the immediate region hosted by Qapik Ikkidluak, the hamlet’s economic development officer. The tour provided important insights into some of the economic development activities underway in the community and once again left David with that most satisfying feeling: “I can’t believe I get paid for this”.

The Consilium Poll: Shame of the World and The Collapsing Stage

Last Week's Poll: The Cap of Shame

Inspired by loyal reader Brian M., we invited our readers to select which article of headgear Consilium should adopt as its official Cap O' Shame.  Your verdict was swift and merciless.

Leafs Cap: 18%                  DunceCap: 25%     Rupert Murdoch's Ball Cap: 57%

 So shame on you, News of the World, and thanks to our readers for all for the votes (a classier group of readers than ever graced a tabloid, we might add.)
 

This Week's Poll: The Mystery of the Collapsing Stage

As you've no doubt heard, the main stage at Ottawa's Bluesfest mysteriously collapsed last night during a performance by Cheap Trick. The Fire Marshall and Ministry of Labour are onsite this morning investigating the collapse; but our readers have shown themselves to be a remarkably acute and insightful group of analysts, so we thought we'd ask you. What's your theory? Why did the stage collapse?


1) God doesn't like 70s music
2) Trapped hot air pocket flowing in from Parliament Hill
3) Sabotage by Julian Armour from the Music and Beyond Classical Festival
4) Story invented by Stu Mills of CBC to fill a slow news morning
5) Federal Funding Cuts to Arts and Cultural Events led to bolt shortage

The Consilium Poll - The Only Poll That Matters - is open!

jBrAD's Idiom Police

photo credit: Cyrus McCrimmon - the Denver Post photo credit: www.blueplanetbiome.org

Okay, it's not that we ENJOY being smart-asses about terms like "tenterhooks" and "the Five Senses". It's just that...well...uh...

Hm. Come to think of it, maybe we DO enjoy being smart-asses. I mean, we're only human, right?

So here's another one. It's "Just Deserts" Not "Just Desserts"

We all know that the expression means. It refers to someone who gets what's coming to them, whether bad or good. Usually bad, though. King Lear trusting the wrong daughters. Anakin Skywalker trusting the Dark Side. Rupert Murdoch. That kind of thing.

The misconception stems from the fact that most of us are unfamiliar with the word "desert" (pronounced "DEEzert"), which means, more or less, "that which you deserve". Instead, when you see the word "desert", you think of "dry sandy wasteland" (which is pronounced "DEHzert").

"DEEzert" and "DEHzert", both spelled "desert", have their origins in two different Latin words. The word "desert", as in hot sandy wasteland, is derived from the Latin word deserere, meaning to forsake. The word "desert",  as in "to get what's coming to you", comes from the word deservire, which is also the origin of the word "deserve".

To further confuse things, "dessert" (pronounced "duhZERT"),  as in the sweet confection,  comes from the Old French word "desservir"meaning to "clear the table", which is why this course comes last in the meal!

So to sum up: the pronunciation of "just desert" as in "just DEEsert" starts to make more sense when you remember it has the same origin as the word "deserve". The expression "just desert" actually now makes complete sense, while "just desserts" which makes no sense at all, unless one has eaten all of one's vegetables (even the Brussels Sprouts") and awaits one's "just desserts".

You gotta LOVE this crazy language. 

source: www.misconceptionjunction.com

Strange Google Searches That Brought You Here

We're always fascinated by the ways people find their way to this website - and of course, Blogger, our platform, tells us precisely that in the "Stats" page. Many of you arrive here as the result of a facebook link, or by clicking over from our corporate website. And a surprising number arrive via Google.

Often those seekers are looking, prosaically, for "Consilium" or "Stonecircle Blog". But some of you end up on this page by a pretty strange path. In the last week, here are some of the Google search terms that led readers here:

- Zombie teens. (Oh, yeah. That must have been about the 'Zombie Teen Prevention Project' we did for GN's Department of Health and Social Services.)

- Iron bridge to Manitoulin. (Nice. Sounds like an unreleased Neil Young CD.)

- Buzz words for a Canadian Wedding. (Good one. How 'bout: Hey, there's a wasp in my beer, eh?)

- Vicky Oyu.(Never met the lady, but we'll let her know you're looking for her.)

- What I did on my spring vacation. (Ok, kid, quit surfing the net for something to plagiarize and just write the damned essay.)

- XXX Russia Porn. (Err...no idea, and we're not gonna speculate.)

- Franklin expedition hockey. (A new theory - the whole expedition got lost chasing a loose puck down Prince Regent Inlet.)

- Përshëndetje. (Mirë se vini në miqtë tanë në Shqipëri. Galin është duke bërë mirë.)

- Differences between Canadians and Americans. (We think the Air Farce was funny, and we get wasps in our beer.)

- What yarn is best for tea cozies? (Oh, yeah. That must have been about the "NAFTA Tea Cozy Yarn Exchange Cost-Benefit Analysis" we did for the Department of International Trade.)

Whatever the path, we're glad you found us. Have a great weekend, and we'll talk to you again on Monday.

The Shanghai Acrobat

In our profession, and in our culture, we’re conditioned to fear the idea of failure. Here's a true story about something I once saw that puts “failure” in a slightly different perspective.

In 1985 I got to attend a performance of the Shanghai Circus (in Shanghai, of all places).

The whole show was breathtaking. But one performer made an impression that’s stayed with me for twenty five years.

He was the last act of the evening - forty-ish, slightly pudgy, wearing blue cotton pants and a shirt, and slippers, not like the brightly coloured silks the rest of the performers wore. He was accompanied by a young woman with a large, covered cart.

"On The Land" In Iqaluit

Chris Grosset and conference co-organizer Richard Wyma introduce delegates to the Legislative Assembly

The peripatetic Chris Grosset is in Iqaluit this week, finally getting a chance to enjoy the result of a year's planning; Chris is the co-organizer of the first-ever Nunavut-based Congress of the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects.

The CSLA/AAPC Congress is taking place from July 14 to 17, 2011, hosted by the Nunavut Association of Landscape Architects (NUALA). The theme of the Congress is “On the Land”, and its unique Iqaluit setting offers delegates the opportunity to experience the Arctic landscape, to explore the strong connections between people and their land, and to reflect on the different roles Landscape Architects can play in cross cultural settings.

With its own blog, Facebook Page, and Twitter Feed, this may be one of the most internet-accessible events since the Royal Wedding - and by all accounts everything is proceeding brilliantly. Kudos to Chris Grosset (it was worth those sleepless months, wasn't it!), to the CSLA, and to NUALA for a world-class event. And watch this space for a special announcement early next week from conference.

"On The Land" was partially sponsored by Consilium, Aarluk, and Stonecircle.

Making the Most of your ASETS

Organizations working in labour market development with First Nation, Inuit and Metis have seen a major shift in the past year. The federal support program,  the Aboriginal Human Resource Development Agreement holder program, referred to as AHRDA, has been replaced with a new program called the Aboriginal Skills and Employment Training Strategy (ASETS). Many elements of the old program were carried over, but ASETS places a much stronger emphasis on partnerships, and on developing programs that encourage training and employment in 'in-demand' sectors of the economy. It's an important shift, and requires careful consideration and planning on the part of former AHRDA holders making the transition.

Stonecircle has been contracted by the Native Women's Association of Canada to look at its current labour market development programs in light of the new program,  and recommend options for revamping and improving them.We will now help NWAC make a smooth transition which will allow NWAC to ultimately provide valuable and important labour market programming for Aboriginal women across Canada.

jBrAD’s Things You (maybe) Didn’t Know: Making Senses

We're all familiar with the traditional "five senses" (sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste) celebrated in song and story.

The notion of five senses is credited to Aristotle, who also believed that everything in the universe was made out of earth, air, fire, water, and aether. So that tells you how seriously you have to take HIM. It turns out, in fact, that there are at least nine senses, and most researchers think there are up to twenty-one.

Ready for a tour through the New Sensory Carnival? Keep reading.

The Negotiator's Primer, Part 3: Planning Your Negotiation

In the first part of this series that  we suggested that every negotiation is trying to accomplish three things. You're trying to achieve your own, real goals: you're trying to do it as efficiently as possible ; and you're trying to do it in a way that protects and builds your relationship with other parties to the negotiation.


In Part Two, we illustrated three approaches to negotiation, and suggested that the idea was one in which both parties identified and sought to meet their real goals, not just their negotiating positions.


Every formal negotiation can be broken down into four stages.


1. Decision to Undertake Negotiations

At this point the parties decide that a negotiation is required, and agree to commit the people, time and money required. Each appoints the negotiator or negotiating team; and the parties agree on the broad strokes of the approach they'll use in the negotiations


2. Planning

Both parties analyze the situation, define the primary and secondary issues, determine their own interests, and try to understand the other party and their interests. It's at this point that you dDevelop objectives, options and initial negotiating positions/


3. Negotiations:

The parties develop an agenda for negotiation, and get to know each other. If both parties are seeking a win/win resolution, they'll share their objectives with the other party, and commit to a win/win outcome.

During the negotiation proper, both sides will put their issues on the table, identify areas of disagreement, and work to find solutions, identifying options to solve areas of disagreement in the interests of both parties.


4. Agreement

AKA the happy ending. When agreement is reached, terms for implementation are agreed to by both parties and recorded.

Happy Birthday Patti!

Patti Black

Warm birthday wishes go to Event Planning Guru, Shareholder and, well, Probie, Patti Black! Patti shares her birthday with American comedian and actor Bill Cosby (please note the editors said birthDAY, not birthYEAR), which could explain why she loves to laugh, and American fitness trainer Richard Simmons, which could explain why she loves to laugh and  stay in shape... Happy Birthday Probie... err, Patti!

Dear Jim Bell...

To the Editor of Nunatsiaq News:

I must express in the strongest possible terms my disappointment at the disparaging headline published online in today's Nunatsiaq News, which alleges that Polar bears and the Irish are linked through cross-species mating.

While I have the highest possible regard for polar bears, I cannot countenance this appalling suggestion. Speaking as a Canadian whose father was born in Co. Cavan, I can assure you that the Irish have NEVER engaged in highly inappropriate relationships with polar bears, or, for that matter, with ANY mammal of the Ursidae family. To suggest otherwise, sir, is scurrilous. On behalf of all Canadians of Irish descent, I demand an immediate retraction and apology.

It may well be that members of the Polar Bear community are equally offended by this appalling allegation, but I shall let them speak for themselves.

Yours, etc.

Terry "Paddy" Rudden

The Blog And The Cap Of Shame

Last Week's Poll: Blog or Newsletter

Last week we kept the promise we made when we launched this blog - to check in with you at the three month mark and find out whether you preferred getting your hit o' Consilium in this medium, or in our old newsletter format.

We're delighted (and somewhat relieved) to report that 67% of you prefer the blog, while 33% preferred the newsletter.

We got several emails from the newsletter fans explaining their choice. One respondent finds the white on blue format hard to read; we're currently looking at a major change of look for September, and we will definitely keep that in mind.  Another wrote that she preferred the newsletter because it was easier to keep track of  -  it arrived once a month. Good point! But we should note that the blog publishes approximately as many stories in a month as our newsletter used to contain (although they ARE longer pieces). However, in response to this suggestion, we'll be revisiting our tagging system, so that readers with a particular interest can more easily find the material they care about.

And to the fans of the blog, and our reader in (seriously!)  Brazil, Israel, Russia, Gjoa Haven, France, Taiwan, Albania, Australia, and Council Bluffs, Iowa...thanks for reading, and drop us a note sometimes to tell us about yourselves!  

This Week's Poll: The Cap of Shame

Last week jBrad the Indefatigable sent out the monthly blog digest to our mailing list, realized seconds later that she had included EVERYONE'S name and email address in the "To" box (instead of the discrete "BCC" box), and sent out a mortified apology, offering to don the Cap of Shame for week in penance.

Her reference to the Cap of Shame prompted a reflective email from reader Brian M., speculating what exactly a "Cap of Shame" would look like. He provided a suggestion, which we have expanded into this week's blog poll.

The task is yours, dear readers. Which of the following options do you think Consilium should adopt for its Official Cap O' Shame?

Cap O' Shame Choices, From Left To Right: Options One, Two, or Three?

The Consilium Poll - The Only Poll That Matters - is open!

Happy Nunavut Day!

Purple Saxifrage (Saxifraga oppositifolia)

The official flower of Nunavut is Purple Saxifrage (Saxifraga oppositifolia). Chris Grosset took a photo of this beautiful flower during his recent visit to Gjoa Haven in June. Purple saxifrage grows well in cool weather, and it's among the first flowers to appear on the tundra after the snow melts. It’s a small, bright-purple flower that grows like a mat over rocks and gravel. It can be found growing all over Nunavut, which is why the territory chose it as its floral emblem in 2000.

Nunavut Day isn't OFFICIALLY until tomorrow, July 9th. But since we don't publish on the weekend, we're getting the jump on our greetings. To all our friends, colleagues and clients in Nunavut -  Happy Nunavut Day!

The Difference Between Americans and Canadians

Just prior to the royal visit, the Globe and Mail published an article explaining to Canadians how to talk to the royal couple.

On the same day, the New York Times published an article explaining to the royal couple how to talk to Californians.

h/t Nancy Greenway.

JbRAd's Things You Didn't Know

Why do we say "Cut to the chase"?

As you know, this expression urges the listener to get to the point immediately, without wasting time.

In theatrical history, an earlier version of the phrase (1880-1940) was "Cut to Hecuba". Matinee crowds were notoriously impatient, and producers would often instruct the cast to "Cut to Hecuba" while performing the matinee version of Hamlet - that was a cue to drop all the long speeches in Act II., Sc. ii, and jump directly to the reference to Hecuba, she who sought revenge by scratching out the eyes of her son's killer with her bare hands. That would get anyone's attention. 

But in the 1920s  movies replaced theatre as the most popular form of mass entertainment, and recondite references to Greek mythology needed updating.

Most early silent films consisted of initial introductory sequences, which would then branch out into fairly standard romantic/comedic/dramatic plots. But they almost inevitably climaxed in a chase scene. Writers, directors, and producers who feared that the exposition or the storyline was getting too complicated or boring would often simply "Cut to the Chase" - i.e., forget all that tedious storytelling and jump right to the chase sequence most of the audience had come to see. Thus - Cut to the Chase.

Now go forth, impress all your friends, become the life of the party, and never forget you learned it all here.

The Negotiator's Primer, Part 2: Approaches

We explained in yesterday's post that  every negotiation is trying to accomplish three things. You're trying to achieve your own, real goals: you're trying to do it as efficiently as possible ; and you're trying to do it in a way that protects and builds your relationship with other parties to the negotiation.

With that in mind, consider  the following three examples of a simple negotiating process.

The Negotiator's Primer, Part 1: Who , ME?

So you're not a negotiator. Really? How many times have you been in one or more of the following situations?

-You want to convince your son to finish cleaning up his room.
- Your co-worker is a big fan of Viking death metal thrash music - she says it helps her to concentrate - while you like Bach.
- The Board you serve on needs to negotiate a contract with the new manager.
- An employee you supervise asks for a salary increase.

So. You STILL think you're not a negotiator?

The truth is, we're all negotiators, every day. Sometimes it's informal - an exchange in a short meeting, on the phone, in a conversation at the front door as you leave. The negotiation may last only a minute or two. At the other end of the scale are formal negotiations between organizations like Nunavut Tunngavik and the Federal Government, which can go on for years. But no matter who you are, or what role you play - director, manager, client, purchaser or parent - it is important to develop your understanding and skills in negotiating.

In this series of posts, we're going to dig into our experience and approaches, and provide some models and techniques that will help you to carry out the negotiations you will be involved with. We can't guarantee success in getting your teenage daughter to clean up her bedroom, so we'll deal only with formal negotiations that are recognized by the parties as organized negotiations, although the principles we discuss should apply anywhere. The main difference between formal negotiations and other types is the need for planning.

We're going to cover this in three chunks.

1. We'll define the purpose of negotiation and identify basic models for negotiating with another party.

2. We'll describe the stages of the negotiating process.

3. We'll set out the key steps in planning for successful negotiation.

So what exactly do we mean by "formal negotiation"?  Well, it's a continuum, not an absolute term - but general, "formal" negotiations are characterized by: 

• a longer-term process that involves more that a single meeting; 
• two or more parties 
• a difference of opinion or a difference of goals that needs to be resolved 
• agreement between parties to work towards a solution
• agreement that whatever solution is reached will be acceptable to all the parties.

In a nutshell - negotiation is a formal process by which two or more parties with different needs and goals agree to work together to find a solution that is acceptable to both.

As we suggested above, the range of negotiations you can get into is a pretty big field - from figuring out who's going to cook supper this weekend to completing a Land Claims Agreement (not that one is necessarily easier than the other.) But any negotiation has certain things in common: they all tend to share three goals. 

1. In any negotiation, you're trying to secure your own interests through an agreement that will work.

2. In any negotiation, you're seeking to establish the most efficient process you can, so that months - or years! -  don't get spent in non-productive discussions.

3. And most important, as any good salesman will tell you - in any negotiation, you're trying to protect or build relationships, as a basis for implementing the agreement, or for future negotiations.

Tomorrow - Approaches to Negotiation.

Why We Love Our Readers

No other blog readers in the world would have the wit to rate Zombie Apocalypse instructions as "useful".  Oh, you guys...

True Trainer Tales of Terror

Every trainer with enough mileage has at least one story of the Workshop That Blew Up. Most, however, don't happen live on network television.

Many years ago I took part in an ambitious and ground-breaking week-long northern experiment in management training. Workshops for managers were being delivered across Nunavut, Nunavik and Nunatsiavut over the former TVNC network.  Presentations and demonstrations were broadcast live from Iqaluit, watched in classrooms by small groups of learners and facilitators (and anyone else who cared to tune in); the materials were then discussed and worked on locally in those small groups, with local role plays, problem solving exercises, and other activities.

My job was to deliver a half hour session on dealing with difficult participants in a meeting - you know, participants who don't talk, or talk too much, or want to deal with a personal agenda in a meeting, or lose their temper...the usual stuff.

Piece of cake.

The Pick of the Poll is Pond!

Last Week's Poll: The Most Canadian Vista

Last week, heading into the Canada Day weekend, we invited you to tell us which one view of Canada  everyone MUST see in their lifetime. And the results confirm that this is one beautiful country - the votes were closer than any other poll we've run.

Here's what you said.

a) 14% of you chose Haida Gwai, another 14% Quebec, and a final 14% Lake Louise. Very respectable results for three remarkable places.

b) 18% chose the Qu'Appelle Valley on a summer night. No surprise - we've been there, and it's magic space. And a further 18% voted for the Cabot trail, near Ingonish, Nova Scotia. We suspect that's coming from the Golfers' Caucus, voting for one of the most stunning golf courses in Canada.

Top Honours  for Most Beautiful Vista in Canada, at 22% of the vote, was won by Pond Inlet, Nunavut.  And no wonder. If you've ever stood in the visitors' centre in the midsummer afternoon light, looking out for miles across the strait to the glaciers and mountains, and then down at the icebergs floating by, and maybe even a bowhead whale - then you understand.
 

This Week's Poll: To Blog Or Not To Blog?

At Consilium we try to walk the walk. And one of those walks is the idea that you - the folks out there reading this stuff -  know what you like, and we should ask you often and clearly.

Those gifted with longer memories will remember (perhaps dimly) those pre-blog days at  Consilium, four months ago, when we used to email out notice of a monthly newsletter. That was fun - we enjoyed writing it, and you seemed to enjoy reading it.

We decide in March to switch from a monthly, online newsletter to a daily blog. That's been fun too: we still enjoy writing it, and we hope y'all still enjoy reading it.

BUT we promised ourselves we'd check in with you after three full months of blogging to see how YOU feel about it. This week's question is simple. Most of the folks who now follow the blog were followers of the newsletter. So we're asking you:

Blog?

Or Newsletter?

The poll is open!

Consilium Rules for a Long and Happy Life, # 9,948

No matter HOW much they annoy you, NEVER say "Bite Me!" to a zombie.

Astonishing Canada Day Factoid

First written reference to C.A.N.A.D.A

DID YOU KNOW...

That the word "Canada" was originally an acronym?

Popular wisdom holds that the name of our county is derived from the word "kanata", the Huron word for "village".  However, in 2004, research by Professors Jon Goodman and Eli Rauschmann of Memorial University confirmed that, in fact, the word "kanata" was adopted by Hurons (and subsequently other Iroquois nations) only AFTER its introduction by the French as the name of their newest north American colony.

The actual origin of the word was chronicled by Father Yves-André Cloutier, a close friend of Jacques Cartier. In a 1536 letter to his sister in  Mont-Saint-Michel, France, Fr. Cloutier commented on the famous explorer's amusing (and, at the time, quite unusual) habit of making "to do' lists for himself. Over a glass of wine on the previous evening, Cartier had complained about the impossibility completing everything that had to be done in the few short weeks remaining before the party's return to France, brandishing his famous checklist of tasks for emphasis.  Reviewing the list, the priest exclaimed: "Au moins une de ces tâches se résout! (Translation: at least ONE of these tasks resolves itself!")

He pointed to #28 on the list, which read:  Colonie A Nommer,  Auprès Des Amériques (translation: "Come up with a name for this colony near the Americas"), and tapped his finger significantly on the first letter of every word.

And the rest, as they say, is History.

(By the way, the preceding story is completely bogus. CBC has cornered the market on REAL Canadian trivia, so we just thought we'd manufacture some of our own. Happy Canada Day!)