Relentless change-maker Nobina Robinson: more than 3 dozen op eds in 6 years
October 19th, 2018You may not recognize her name, but chances are high that you’ve been influenced – if only indirectly – by her informed opinions. Nobina Robinson attended one of our Writing Compelling Commentary workshops in 2012. Since then, she’s authored or co-authored more than three dozen op eds. Her commentary has been published in a wide […]
Are students universities’ most effective means of mobilizing knowledge?
July 30th, 2018Now that Russian interference in the US election has been clearly established, many are concerned about the implications for democracy. But universities and researchers should be paying attention to another contributing factor to Hillary Clinton’s loss. By all objective criteria, she was more experienced and more knowledgeable, less narcissistic and less impulsive. She was also […]
9 tips to improve the chances of getting your op ed published
July 18th, 2018In the dog days of summer 2017, when many people were at the beach, or glued to the media coverage of Charlottesville’s neo-Nazi march and the shocking response from the leader of the free world, a small posse of women with informed opinions were speaking up to make change. University of Ottawa law prof, Liz […]
Women need to let go of perfectionism: it’s the enemy of good (and of engagement)
May 25th, 2018Why would 80 women who spend most of their working hours talking to people from the front of a room be nervous enough about their speaking ability to sign up for a presentation skills workshop? I asked myself this the first time the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario (ETFO) hired me to deliver such workshops. […]
Mama Bear Instincts in Action
May 10th, 2018In honour of Mother’s Day, I’m sharing a tribute to my own, which was originally published as the postscript/dedication to my most recent book, OMG! What if I really AM the best person? My mother was extremely proud of her nurses training and the use she put it to. But in 1959, as she lay […]
What Impact are We Having? What More Can We Do?
April 27th, 2018We recently surveyed hundreds of women who’ve participated in our workshops and remained on our mailing list. Email overflow and work-life demands being what they are, we were happy to log 57 responses from women in 16 cities across the country. They gave us insight into what use they’ve made of the training we deliver, […]
On Personal Branding, Being Authentic, and Avoiding Irrelevancy
April 18th, 2018I’m speaking to a select group of rising star business women. In mid-sentence, I pause to pull off my suddenly too-warm jacket as I smile and murmur “hot flash”. At the end of my talk, the marketing VP of a major credit card company approaches. “You’re so authentic,” she exclaims. “That really works for your […]
Frances McDormand and my Oscar fantasy: the Unvarnished Truth of Women’s Faces
February 25th, 2018When Frances McDormand accepted her Golden Globe in January, her dramatic performance in Three Billboards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri wasn’t the only thing that made her stand out. At a Hollywood party populated by women poured into form-fitting dresses, precariously balancing on pain-inducing stilettos, and sporting elaborate make-up, her comfortable clothing and relative lack of […]
Unconscious Bias and the Right to Bare Arms
February 16th, 2018Recently I shared the link to a blog post written by a writer whose insights I have often found relevant, useful and supported by research. My 200-character comment suggested that speakers who wanted to be taken seriously should cover up their arms. A minor storm ensued. I regret my failure to review the original study […]
Words Matter: Canada’s anthem finally acknowledges that half our citizens aren’t captured by the term “men”
January 31st, 2018Eight years ago, I penned the following op ed for the Ottawa Citizen on the occasion of the previous government’s brief flirtation with changing the lyrics of O Canada to include women. I am thrilled that the Senate today passed the bill the House of Commons originally approved in 2016. Thank you Nancy Ruth, Vivienne Poy and […]