SCNetwork - Upcoming Events

TORONTO REGION EVENT: Scaling Innovation - 8/6/2010 - The National Club

Fri, 6 Aug 2010 00:00:00 EST

Scaling Innovation

EVENT DATE: Friday, August 06, 2010
TIME:7:30:00 AM to 9:30:00 AM
SCNETWORK REGION: Toronto
VENUE:The National Club
SPEAKER(s):Shannon Deegan, Director of People Operations, Central Staffing and Business Development, Google
REGISTRATION LINK: https://secure.scnetwork.ca/default.asp?id=1271&event_id=249

EVENT DESCRIPTION:
There is no step-by-step handbook for building an organization for innovation, but that doesn't mean that you need to be left totally in the dark. Explore Google's three guiding principles for innovation � ubiquity, transparency and agility � and learn how these principles can be relevant to your organization. Over the past decade, Google has embedded innovation into everything they do. They have learned how to scale such practices to thousands of employees throughout their many locations. By providing their employees access to information and giving them the freedom to move quickly, Google has built a culture that
allows and encourages every employee, team and office to be innovative. Google is an American public corporation that was founded by Larry Page and Sergey Brin and incorporated as a privately held company
in 1998. The company earns revenue from advertising related to its Internet search, e-mail, online mapping, office productivity, social networking and video sharing services as well as selling advertising-free versions of
the same technologies. Google has continued its growth through a series of new product developments, acquisitions, and partnerships. Environmentalism, philanthropy and positive employee relations have been important tenets during the growth of Google. The company has been identified multiple times as Fortune
Magazine's #1 Best Place to Work, and as the most powerful brand in the world.

SPEAKER BIO(s):
Shannon Deegan, a native of Verdun, Quebec, Canada, is the Director of People Operations, Central Staffing and Business Development at Google. His role includes overseeing the exchange of innovative practices
across the organization and leading Google's global staffing organization to ensure that the company realizes all of its hiring goals. Deegan joined Google after several years in media and publishing, including his role as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company in New York City. He has led business development efforts in Malaysia, Hong Kong and Japan, and served as Chief of Staff and Senior
Policy Advisor on Asia to the Canadian Secretary of State from 1993 to 1996. Prior to his career
in public service, Deegan played professional hockey with the Los Angeles Kings. Deegan has a BA degree from the University of Vermont, where he received the university's Most Outstanding Student award. He also holds a Master of Philosophy degree in international studies from Ireland's Trinity College, Dublin, and
an MBA from the Yale School of Management.

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TORONTO REGION EVENT: The Top Ten Ways the Workplace Has Changed - 8/25/2010 - The National Club

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 00:00:00 EST

The Top Ten Ways the Workplace Has Changed

EVENT DATE: Wednesday, August 25, 2010
TIME:7:30:00 AM to 9:30:00 AM
SCNETWORK REGION: Toronto
VENUE:The National Club
SPEAKER(s):Steve Prentice
REGISTRATION LINK: https://secure.scnetwork.ca/default.asp?id=1271&event_id=242

EVENT DESCRIPTION:

Recession. Twitter. The BlackBerry. LinkedIn. The iGeneration. Toyota. Viral advertising. These are just a few of the ways in which work and the working world have changed in the first decade of the 21st Century. On Wednesday, August 25, 2010, please join us for an illuminating discussion on what has happened, how it has affected the working environment, and where it may be leading us. Our guest speaker will be Steve Prentice, president of the consulting firm Bristall Morgan, author, speaker and expert on business productivity and technology.

For the past 18 years, Steve and his company have both researched and analyzed the relationship between working people and technology and have assisted a large number of companies in achieving optimum productivity through practical solutions.

For our August presentation, Steve promises an enlightening and fascinating glimpse into the future, in a presentation that will include success and failure stories from the world of business, delivered with his brand of clear, practical advice and storytelling. You will be able to return to your workplace armed with a sound awareness and confidence, not only of the trends and technologies to come, but more importantly how to explain them to your boss.

SPEAKER BIO(s):

Steve Prentice is president of Bristall Morgan Inc., a consulting firm with offices in Toronto and New York City. The focus of Bristall Morgan Inc. is to develop and affirm continuous improvement practices with regard to people and their workplace technologies.

Our institute constantly researches and analyzes trends, best practices and industry news for our clients.
Our professional development arm delivers top-quality seminars, workshops and coaching in a wide number of soft-skill and technology related areas such as Time Management, Project Management and Business Writing.

Steve is also in high demand as a speaker and expert on topics relating to humans in the digital age and speaks to companies and organizations across Canada and the U.S.

Steve is the author of two books: Cool Time: A Hands-on Plan for Managing Work and Balancing Time published by John Wiley and Sons in 2005, and Cool Down: Getting Further by Going Slower, published by John Wiley & Sons in February 2007. He also produced a television series entitled CEO-TV and is now shooting episodes of a follow-up series, for both on-air broadcast and for use in a variety of university-level business texts published by McGraw-Hill-Ryerson.

He is also a regular guest on radio and TV across North America, where he is called upon to discuss issues of workplace productivity and stress. Steve founded his company in 1994. It has four associates and a full-time researcher.

Academically, Steve graduated from Concordia University in Montreal in 1989 with a B.A. in Communications Studies and was Valedictorian of the 1989 graduating year. Steve attended Law School in Toronto between 1989 and 1991 and was the official Rhodes Scholarship Candidate for York University for 1990. He returned to York University 10 years later and obtained a B.A degree in Psychology.
In his spare time he is lead guitarist and singer for a charity rock band called Absolutely Jack.

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TORONTO REGION EVENT: The Intangibles of Leadership: Those subtle differences that truly define who makes it at the top - 9/21/2010 - The National Club

Tue, 21 Sep 2010 00:00:00 EST

The Intangibles of Leadership: Those subtle differences that truly define who makes it at the top

EVENT DATE: Tuesday, September 21, 2010
TIME:7:30:00 AM to 9:30:00 AM
SCNETWORK REGION: Toronto
VENUE:The National Club
SPEAKER(s):Richard Davis, RHR International
REGISTRATION LINK: https://secure.scnetwork.ca/default.asp?id=1271&event_id=250

EVENT DESCRIPTION:
After all the competency models and psychometric tests, the leadership frameworks, and books aplenty, there is still a gap in our ability to predict who will be successful for which leadership role. There are two reasons for this: first, there is no single model for leadership that works across all businesses and organizations, but rather a spectrum of qualities that are successful in different areas. In other words, leadership is highly contextual. Second, the difference between good leaders and extraordinary ones is subtle. Although both often posses similar backgrounds and basic characteristics, extraordinary leaders exhibit nuances in their personality and behaviour. Those subtleties are otherwise known as the �intangibles of leadership�.

In his work assessing and developing top leaders with RHR International, Dr. Richard Davis has identified ten such qualities that distinctive leaders possess. Drawing from his new book, The Intangibles of Leadership (Wiley/Jossey-Bass, 2010), Davis will explain each of these qualities, the people who exemplify them, and how to detect them in others. More than this, attendees will learn how to develop the subtle characteristics that will enable them to stand out from the pack.

Learn why...
�   It's often better to aim for silver than for gold
�   Emotional bandwidth is critical
�   Playing hard to get attracts people to you
�   Your peripheral vision is so important
�   It's important to have a slightly inflated view of your abilities
�   So many extraordinary executives have gone through crises early in their lives

SPEAKER BIO(s):
Richard A. Davis, Ph.D., is a licensed Industrial/Organizational Psychologist and partner with the Toronto office of RHR International. Dr. Davis helps senior leaders execute their business strategy through smart decisions about people. He advises executives on senior hiring decisions, integrating leaders into new roles, CEO succession, optimizing teams, M&A decisions, and increasing leadership effectiveness. He has a particular specialty in personality psychology and leadership.
Dr. Davis has been consulting to senior executives for the past 10 years. Prior to joining RHR, he was Director of Organizational Development at a Toronto HR consulting firm. He has also taught organizational behaviour at the University of Western Ontario and Schulich School of Business. He has been cited widely in the popular media, including CNN, BusinessWeek, CFO Magazine, Globe and Mail, Entrepreneur, CanadaAM, and Report on Business TV.

Praise for The Intangibles of Leadership includes:

�In distilling the essence of leadership Richard successfully argues that there is a spectrum of qualities that contribute to great leadership. A must read for all aspiring and existing leaders whatever your field.� -Neville Roberts, Chief Information Officer, Best Buy

"In his book, Richard Davis has really nailed down in a practical yet very thoughtful way what really distinguishes great leaders, how to identify them and even more importantly how to develop more of them. This book really brings a tangible dimension to the intangibles of Leadership." -Stephane Charbonnier, Global Head of Talent Management, Towers Watson

�This is the most thoughtful book on leadership I have read. Instead of handing out the usual one-size-fits-all approach, Davis realizes that different situations require different kinds of leaders. Insightful, practical and readable, it is the best book on leadership available.� � Ford Harding, President, Harding & Company, and author of Creating Rainmakers.

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TORONTO REGION EVENT: Into the Blast Furnace: A Discussion with Courtney Pratt - 10/21/2010 - The National Club

Thu, 21 Oct 2010 00:00:00 EST

Into the Blast Furnace: A Discussion with Courtney Pratt

EVENT DATE: Thursday, October 21, 2010
TIME:7:30:00 AM to 9:30:00 AM
SCNETWORK REGION: Toronto
VENUE:The National Club
SPEAKER(s):Courtney Pratt
REGISTRATION LINK: https://secure.scnetwork.ca/default.asp?id=1271&event_id=247

EVENT DESCRIPTION:

In early 2004, Hamilton based Steel manufacturer Stelco Inc. filed for bankruptcy protection. The ensuing court mandated restructuring was a grueling process with much at stake: 6,000 jobs, 10,000 pensions; the struggling economy of a company town; and the egos and pocketbooks of lawyers, investors, union leaders, politicians and hedge fund managers, each with a special interest to flog and no interest in compromise. At the centre of it all was a CEO who had to clean up the mess, while protecting his reputation and satisfying his conscience.

In this unique session, Courtney Pratt will share his personal experience of Stelco's journey through CCAA bankruptcy protection. Courtney will, in telling the story, identify lessons learned, particularly in terms of the enormous leadership and management challenges that he and his team faced and how they responded to them. Rather than focusing on the complexity of the CCAA process, for the SCNetwork, Courtney will focus on the equally complex human and relationship issues that emerge through the process. He will share the particular challenge of the CEO as the only one forced to optimize a solution for multiple stakeholders.

Following the presentation, Liane Davey will interview Courtney to draw out his reflections and insights about the CCAA process and what it can teach us. Through an informal and interactive discussion, Courtney will share insights about the role of the Human Resources function in crisis situations, the type of leadership we need to be building in Canada, and how to sustain employee engagement through challenging times. We'll also ask him to share his thoughts about the unique advantages of being a CEO who came up through the ranks of Human Resources.

SPEAKER BIO(s):

Courtney Pratt

Courtney Pratt is one of Canada's most accomplished business executives. He has served as a board director, chairman, CEO and president at four large corporations over the past two decades, including Noranda and Toronto Hydro. He is now a director for some of the country's leading corporations and is involved with charitable, educational and health care organizations. In 1999, Courtney was awarded the Order of Canada for his many contributions to the health and prosperity of our country.

Liane Davey, Ph.D.

Liane Davey is Principal and Central Region Lead for Knightsbridge Leadership Solutions. She works extensively with Executive teams at some of North America's leading financial services, high tech, and service organizations. Her work is focused on enhancing executive team effectiveness, particularly in the realms of developing business strategy and building leadership capacity. Liane is also a member of the Board of the Psychology Foundation and active in a variety of initiatives to enhance mental health in the workplace.

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TORONTO REGION EVENT: Driving Business Success by Building Leadership Capabilities - 11/16/2010 - The National Club

Tue, 16 Nov 2010 00:00:00 EST

Driving Business Success by Building Leadership Capabilities

EVENT DATE: Tuesday, November 16, 2010
TIME:7:30:00 AM to 9:30:00 PM
SCNETWORK REGION: Toronto
VENUE:The National Club
SPEAKER(s):Dr. Jackie Greaner and Kelly Neri
REGISTRATION LINK: https://secure.scnetwork.ca/default.asp?id=1271&event_id=252

EVENT DESCRIPTION:

Times are changing rapidly! The new economy has made new demands on businesses and its leaders challenging organizations to shift the way they lead and operate to meet ever evolving industry and customer demands.

Come join us in an engaging discussion on how the Greater Toronto Airports Authority is leading the charge, through leveraging competencies, to rapidly operationalize their new customer focused service model. You won't want to miss the GTAA's journey from a government � run organization to a privatized model with the design and building of a state of the art airport and value proposition.

This session will provide insights � through the lens of one company's journey combined with global research � on what it takes to lead in the new economy and practical ways HR can play a role in expediting business shifts through leadership capabilities. You will also have the opportunity to learn from your colleagues.

Session Objectives:

Learn how HR can play an integral role in expediting your organization's business model to meet new and evolving demands
Discuss what other organizations are doing to adapt to the new economy
Walk away with practical ideas for your organization to build new leadership capabilities

Session Speakers:

Kelly Neri, General Manager, Human Resources & Talent Management, Greater Toronto Airports Authority
Jackie Greaner, Ph.D., North America Practice Leader, Talent Management and Organization Alignment, Towers Watson

SPEAKER BIO(s):

Jackie Greaner is the Talent Management and Organization Alignment Practice leader for North America, for Towers Watson. Her areas of expertise include talent management, change management, executive assessment and development, employee engagement surveys, HR and senior team and board effectiveness development. Jackie also leads talent management technology implementations ensuring clients leverage best practices in talent management processes. A representative list of her clients includes: MGM MIRAGE, Johnson & Johnson, Randstad, ING, IHS, SunTrust, AT&T, Warner Lambert, Edison, Cox Enterprises, Rockwell Collins, Southern Company, and The Coca-Cola Company.

Jackie has a Ph.D. in industrial/organizational psychology from the University of South Florida. She is a recent member of the board and executive committee of the Human Resource Planning Society and has co-chaired 2 national conferences. She also chairs the Membership Committee as well as the Talent Management Special Interest Group. She is a frequent speaker on topics such as change management planning and execution, vision development, talent management, executive leadership, and human capital management.

Kelly Neri is General Manager, Human Resources & Talent Management for the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA).

Kelly is a Human Resources professional with over 20 years of progressive work experience in the field. She joined the GTAA as Manager, Human Resources & HRIS in September 2001, and in January 2009, was promoted to her current assignment as General Manager, Human Resources & Talent Management.

Prior to joining the GTAA, Kelly held management-level Human Resources positions with Doubleday Canada Limited, and Italpasta Limited (rated one of �Canada's 50 Best Managed Private Companies from 1994 to 1996 and in 2001). Kelly has also held Human Resources roles with Primo Foods and Fortress Scientific.

Kelly earned a Certificate in Human Resources (CHRM) with High Honours from Seneca College, and was accredited with the Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) designation in 1999.

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TORONTO REGION EVENT: Holiday Season Social: "Getting in the Groove" - 12/8/2010 - The National Club

Wed, 8 Dec 2010 00:00:00 EST

Holiday Season Social: "Getting in the Groove"

EVENT DATE: Wednesday, December 08, 2010
TIME:5:00:00 PM to 8:00:00 PM
SCNETWORK REGION: Toronto
VENUE:The National Club
SPEAKER(s):Brian Hayman
REGISTRATION LINK: https://secure.scnetwork.ca/default.asp?id=1271&event_id=253

EVENT DESCRIPTION:

Kick off the holiday season in a fun, feastive and musical manner with special guest, Brian Hayman. Brian promises to "get us in the groove" by linking the knowledge & discipline behind the magic of jazz improvisation & its implications for organizational performance.

Presentation and music, followed by our seasonal cocktail reception.

SPEAKER BIO(s):

Brian Hayman - President / Consultant / Pianist.

Two constants have run through his professional life as a metallurgist in a steel company, an executive in a financial services organization, a principal in an international professional service firm, and an independent management consultant: 1) playing piano in jazz ensembles, listening to jazz music, hanging out with jazz musicians and 2) an abiding interest in how people, individually and collectively, learn.

His consulting work had led him to conclude that uncertainty is, arguably, the defining characteristic of our age, and learning how to deal with it creatively rather than defensively, is the defining challenge of our age. The question, without putting too fine a point on it, is inevitably one of figuring out how to prepare for a future that can't be known. What's needed is an approach somewhere between desperately winging it and steadfastly pretending to know more about the future than one is entitled to know. Clearly, an ability to cultivate and sustain a capacity for learning is essential for organizations operating in environments of flux.

The answer: jazz music. The jazz ensemble is not a metaphor for organizations ― it is an organization in that it is made up of people who come together with something in mind and then set out to do it.

"Getting in the Groove" is the product of that insight: a unique entertainment and learning experience that explores the knowledge and discipline of jazz improvisation and its implications for enhancing organizational performance.

More information and registration options...