Catalyst Strategic Consultants

Christmas time has arrived: all drop tools for a while. There’s a pause in the drivers of the workaday world. No oomph, no urgency. Neighbors out in force, bustling around, getting ready. But always sparing a moment for inquiry and good wishes to their near ones. The time for that is upon us – ’tis […]

Any time I can have supper at Mercado is a super treat. The bistro in Mission – and its sister up on the West Hill – distill Italian fare at the highest standard true to tradition. Carlo Belluschi and Brian Peterson started a men’s dinner there back in 2005. They invited 16 in their contact […]

I stopped in at the bank. Needed to pick up my new credit card and had it sent to the branch to avoid delay. The young lady greeted me. Hearing my story, she said: “If the card had arrived here, you would have gotten a call.” “Would you please check to see? I’m going to […]

We have a saying in strategy: if the horse is dead, get off it. Here’s a succession variation: don’t be the rider whose horse dies beneath them. Occupying the leadership position has many perks. Aside from the material, the incumbent exercises privileges of outside influence. One’s opinions carry weight, nay, carry the day. People attend […]

After long anticipation, we are launched. Squirreled away in the Rocky Express Inn but dining in the Dragon Palace next door at the end of a difficult weather drive. First, Wayne had to slug it through late season snow over the Kicking Horse to get from the coast. Then we had to leave the Calgary […]

Remind me why we live in Calgary? Sometimes the long winter, the traffic [and construction!] the slow spring, the slowing economy, now the smoke, make that difficult. And then there are weekends like this – taking a course – at the highest levels – from a specialist, in person. You can’t do this in the […]

So the last time I talked about the Way – it was to highlight The Camino Channel and the accumulating interviews Bob Carrothers and I did last fall on the impacts of the Camino for Pilgrims. Check it out here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qa7k0ESnbLw Now I’ve just passed over the southern tip of Greenland in a big blue […]

Always awkward talking about health. Listeners get defensive: “Uh oh! I’m gonna get preached at.” “That’s fine for you!” “Yeah but somebody else said that was bad for you..” Under the breath “Don’t tell me what to do!” But usually we get around to the topic with every coaching client because, well, it’s so central. […]

A WestJet Response to my Rant I was surprised and gratified that a confirmed West Jetter took the time to respond and I thought I should share it. Hi Doug, The below note from your blog post made it’s way to my inbox. As a proud WestJetter, I felt compelled to comment on your experience […]

Anticipation is a key life skill – core to executive function. In fact, the farther out in time it can be conducted – not to make the incumbent a worry wart – but to think ahead, the more potent the contribution. I had a dream about the new CEO of WestJet. Not him the person […]