Canadian HR Strategy

30 executive Series digest hrreporter.com Join the Strategic Capability Network —Exclusivity Without The Price Tag The Strategic Capability Network is a high-level forum for HR and organizational leaders. Our members enjoy provocative monthly programs with inuential thought leaders, CEOs, academics and authors around our core themes of Organizational Effectiveness, Leadership in Action and Innovation. Our low annual membership fee of $225 provides access to all our programs, enjoyed live at the National Club, remotely from our satellite locations, or from your home or ofce. Membership includes vibrant social events, and a host of free profes- sional resources via our afliation with HRPS. As a non-prot association driven by senior volunteers we offer exclusivity without the price tag. www.scnetwork.ca Celebrating 35 years as the premier network of leaders for leaders who believe people are at the core of business success. paN am GamES ready to raise the tent? (leadership in action) By Trish Maguire H earing an insider's view from two executives on the Pan Am Games leadership team heightened my awareness of the criti- cal role leadership has in delivering the ultimate 2015 goal: A successful and memorable world class event. Starting in 2010, the opportunity was to build a unique, sophisticated organization that would leverage best-in-class systems, methodologies and procedures for a fast-growing startup enterprise — becoming a multi-national corporation in fi ve years. Nevertheless, the organization committee continues to experi- ence disorder. e total estimated cost of the event, including secu- rity, transportation and the athletes' village, is now up to $2.5 billion, from an original budget of $1.4 billion. In December 2013, just one- and-a-half years before the event, the Globe and Mail reported that CEO Ian Troop was replaced by Saad Rafi , who removed two addi- tional executives shortly therea er. At a recent Toronto Board of Trade meeting, the Globe and Mail reported that while Rafi spoke about the "world class facilities" be- ing built, reports showed that venues continued to run over budget or were at risk of not opening on schedule. Furthermore, Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne just replaced Michael Chan, who had been Pan Am Games Minister since November 2012, with Michael Coteau. All these scenarios suggest there has been a breakdown some- where in leadership execution. e question is: Where, how and what is this symptomatic of? If the leadership team is not making as big a diff erence as they could, then they will continue to reach only a fraction of the results they are capable of. e organization's vision is compelling; the values of purpose, collaboration, accountability, results and joy serve as a meaningful benchmark. e classic HR strategy includes a fundamental frame- work comprised of principles, policy, practice and performance. Conventional programs are in place such as onboarding, recogni- tion, employee engagement surveys, rigorous performance manage- ment, town hall sessions, assistive technologies, leadership and core skill training. Overall objectives focus on leveraging both economic and leader- ship opportunities as well as heightening diversity awareness. All of which reinforces the organization's commitment to hiring the right people at the right time for the right duration. With just 12 months to go, perhaps it's not too late for the Games leadership team to consider learning and applying the three core management responsibilities that John Adair's Action-Centred Leadership model provides: achieving the task, managing the team or group and managing individuals. All three elements work collectively. Once mastered, this model enable leaders to: maintain a realistic balance between priorities; re- alize results faster; raise and maintain morale; improve quality; foster teamwork; achieve higher performance; and promote adept manage- ment and leadership.

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