Month: June 2018

The world is ever moving at a fast pace, and one area in particular that is effecting business is the technology sector. Business leaders need to be aware of emerging trends in order to continue to stay relevant. Examples of how the US and Canada Postal service have been impacted by tech are:

• The internet allows for online billing which has replaced the need for paper invoicing.
• Bank accounts can be set up for automatic bill payments and for access to accounts, further reducing the need for mail.
• Letters and communications of a personal nature can now be sent through email or through social media channels.
• With the reduction in personal mail, home delivery services are being eliminated and replaced with neighborhood mailboxes or PO boxes for efficiencies.
• Online shopping has increased and as a result the postal services have had to adapt and allow for larger mail parcels.
• Sorting of mail has been impacted by technology as new robotics are introduced to reduce the need of employee sorting.
• With more online products being sent via the mail, theft has become a larger issue as well as security concerns for illegal substances.
• Technology will continue to play a role in how mail and parcels are delivered. For example there is emerging drone technology where parcels can be delivered to the doorstep.
• Door to door advertising has increased while T.V. and radio ads have decreased. With the advent of on demand TV, the ability to skip through commercials and with the ability to stream music, demands for radio and T.V ads have decreased. Accessing customers through mail, billboards and the internet however has substantially increased. This presents perhaps a new opportunity for the postal service.

In the case of companies like Walmart, they too have been effected by the tech industry:

• Online sales are taking over the retail sector reducing the need for bricks and mortar store fronts. On the other hand because of online sales, distribution centers are growing.
• With an increase in online sales, transportation of goods have changed from large deliveries to storefronts to individual mailing of parcels and distribution networks.
• Competition has increased as customers are now able to look online and price compare.
• Automation of check outs has reduced the need for clerks at stores. This automation however has resulted also in an increase in security technology to monitor for theft.
• How products are marketed in stores have also changed. Some stores are resorting to having picture advertisements or one display of a product, particularly large items which then refer the customer to purchase online.
• Additional services have become important at the storefront in order to attract customers. For example, including other retail services such as automobile insurance, beauty, restaurants, etc. at the store front, it is more likely to encourage a trip to the store.
• New employment opportunities have arisen such as price comparison shoppers so that storefronts can compete with online shopping.
• It is widely known that Walmart has been out performed by new companies such as Amazon whom saw the trend in online shopping, long before Walmart did.
• Walmart has further had to adapt to the changing trend in online sales by increasing the store footprint for food services as opposed to other goods.

In summary, both Walmart and the Postal Services have done their best to adapt to emerging trends, however in some cases they are lagging behind. Fortunately though, because these organizations are large in size, with plenty of investor backing, it is likely they will succeed and adapt. Perhaps the only real critique I’ve seen that I would do differently is self-checkout. It seems that this technology has not been carefully thought out and likely was introduced due to pressure from customers. Self-checkout is getting better but still has many wrinkles to sort out. Sometimes customers will think something is a good idea and put pressure on businesses to do something about it, without thinking it through fully. All you have to do is stand and watch how many times a customer gets stuck at a Walmart because they can’t look up and find the right fruit or vegetable or because something isn’t scanning right. On the contrary I liken the Costco approach where they will listen to the customer but in the end Costco knows what is best for their customer. Costco’s approach to self-checkout is that technology is not where it needs to be, it would also open the door up to customers using other customer membership cards, which is something store clerks are trained to look out for. Am I not the only one that see that self-checkouts have a ways to go before they truly make the shopping experience easier? Or will self-checkouts become redundant in retail as we head toward more online sales?

Fostering recognition and a sense of belonging for woman in the workforce will result in a happier more productive environment. So how can this be achieved?

• Leadership needs to take an active role in providing feedback to employees not engaging in inclusion in the workforce.
• In severe cases management needs to address gender discrimination, immediately.
• Woman as well can play a role in changing the environment. For example, while working for a transportations company, we collected toys for disadvantaged children at Christmas. I was asked to be Santa’s helper, and in previous years Santa’s helper was dressed in a red mini-skirt and a low cut tight shirt! When I arrived at the costume store I let the clerk know I preferred to dress as Mrs. Claus. As such I took home the costume and on the first day surprised everyone and started a new tradition that still exists today. Mrs. Claus was such a great hit with the kids and in actuality there were many employees, male and female, that indicated they wanted their kids to come and see Santa but felt uncomfortable with the previous Santa’s helper dressed in an adult costume.
• Some organizations have set up a woman’s group which fosters mentoring. The group is also a place where woman can discuss challenging experiences in the workplace.
• Woman need to give back and make themselves available to younger generations. I was very blessed to have strong female mentors. In my point of life I try to do the same in return for the younger generations.
• Some organizations will target the promotion of females into leadership positions, to help foster inclusion. This can create animosity with male employees feeling they are being disadvantaged. Human Rights exemptions exist, allowing companies to assist disadvantaged employee groups. While this is an option for companies it is equally important for the organization to help educate and inform employees as to why females may be given preference.
• Pay attention to the employees that once spoke up with ideas and now are silent at meetings. Give them a voice by asking questions and encouraging participation.
• Create working groups and assign project leads that promote inclusion of all.
• Foster understanding and empathy as to how a female might feel in a male dominated environment.
• Discourage an environment that promotes gossip in the workplace. Gossip will only further feed insecurities.
• Find ways in group meetings to bring females into the discussion and thank them for their opinions.

Perhaps the best way I have found in my organization, in promoting inclusiveness with females, has been to provide a bit of a history lesson. Helping employees to understand the successes of female leadership in First Nations communities, helps foster an understanding in my organization. In my indigenous community, historically we come from a matriarchal society. The idea of chieftainship was only introduced with colonization. The way history is often portrayed is very male centric. The woman were traditionally the leaders in communities and made decisions for the tribe, while the men hunted and gathered. This was the only way people could survive. Furthermore each citizen was recognized for their gifts, fostering inclusion. First Nations lived a relatively peaceful existence, for generations under this leadership model. In my community we have evidence going back as far as 14,000 years ago. Life was balanced with a connection to family and mother earth. Of course disputes happened but historically my community did not undergo, at one single time in its existence, a devastating war. The first war perhaps was the introduction to disease to my community which occurred during colonization. At no other time did we ever experience such loss, under female dominated leadership. So I ask then, if under female leadership a community can live peacefully for over 14,000 years, can not a company also be successful under female leaders?

In 15.2 case study, (Northouse, 2016, p. 413) Lori Bradley is an experienced probation officer working in a male dominated field. In the example, her male counterparts are engaging in a non-work discussion, exclusive of her. When she inputs her suggestions on solving a work related problem, she is ignored. Later, a male co-worker makes the same suggestion and is praised for his idea. Lori raises the point that she initially brought the idea to the table, however she is then accused of not being a team player.

I chose this example as it resonated with me, having worked in a predominantly male workforce while working at a local transportation company. In the 1990’s, at this particular organization, the workforce was 90% male and only 10% female. Working in a leadership role, these numbers were drastically less, making the situation even more challenging. Navigating through the labyrinth as a female leader had its challenges, however I can look back now that there were many lessons learned that have prepared me for today’s workforce. So how does a female working in a leadership role today embrace the challenge?

1. Being aware of the organizations culture is important and as a female, it’s important to realize that change can take time. If change is aggressive, it may result in feelings of losing control. This feeling of losing control often leads to push back and an unwillingness to move forward in a positive direction. Life for a female leader in this case, will likely become incredibly challenging if not impossible.
2. It’s important to pick your battles and know when to speak up. In the example mentioned above, Lori pointed out that she raised the same point as her male counterpart, earlier in the conversation. While frustrating as it may be, this is not the time to speak up and in this situation further empowered her male counterparts.
3. Change in organizations often happen from the top down. Reputable companies will be concerned about gender discrimination and will introduce policies to support equality. Have faith that it takes time for leadership messages to reach the frontline. Find mentors with other female leaders that have gone through gender discrimination and utilize them to consult on best practices in handling various situations.
4. Instead of being a martyr and pointing out others mistakes, find positive solutions toward changing organizational culture. For example, utilize Human Resource departments to suggest ways to introduce organizational change, such as suggesting formal mentorship program or organizational courses that will help to educate other managers or leaders.
5. As tempting as it may be to want to retaliate, it’s important to maintain maturity and confidence as a female and not respond to negative situations where gender inequality exists. By taking the higher road, it will further demonstrate to the leadership that one is actually prepared to take on a higher leadership role.
6. Know that you will have enemies that will see you as a threat. As a female while as unfair as it may be, you will be required to take on more work and be held to a higher standard in a male dominated company. Become an expert in your area, get along with others and act always in a professional manner. Regardless if your career takes off in any organization, these are skills that will be required as one climbs up the corporate ladder.
7. A little understanding goes a long way. Many male leaders in the workplace are confused and don’t understand why there may be a focus on gender equality. It’s also not fair to suggest that all males are discriminatory towards female leaders. Some male leaders may have equally experienced discrimination and or felt uncomfortable in a male centric organization. Others may also require more education which eventually leads to understanding. Woman and men need to work together to create change. Creating an “us against them” will not result in a positive outcome for anyone.
8. There are boundaries as to how much tolerance a female leader should take. It’s important to know if the company is headed in a direction of change. If not, it may be necessary to move on to another company, as frustrating as that may sound. Also if there is discrimination, as defined under the Human Rights code, it is important to speak up. Most companies have policies on how they will respond to Human Rights complaints and the Human Resources department are often a great resource.

What are some other ways that a leader might also embrace the challenge?

Northouse, P. G. (2016). Leadership: Theory and practice, seventh Edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. ISBN 971452203409 ** Chapter 13 Leadership Ethics**

An organization that sees the benefits of a transformational leadership style, must also recognize managerial implications. According to Wang, G., Oh, I.S., Courtright, S.H., & Colbert, A. e. (2011) “organizations need to pay particular attention to intervention programs that enhance their manager’s leadership style. Organizations should focus on selecting and promoting individuals that are more likely to become transformational leaders.”

Transactional leadership in an indigenous community has not worked well. With a history of mistrust, motives are questioned and it becomes very difficult to find ethical leaders under this management style. Transformational leadership is inclusive of employees and encourages employees to work for the greater good of the company. A shared vision is bought into by employees, thus motivating them to go the extra mile in accomplishing tasks. The challenge however, remains in finding transformational leaders that are also familiar with working in indigenous communities. The good news is that transformational leadership can be taught and so an indigenous community has the ability to invest in training its future leaders. Therefore in an effort to become a better leader to my indigenous community, I believe that if I can find employees with good ethics, I can train them to be transformational leaders.

The five principles of ethical leadership are:

1. Ethical Leaders respect others – Northouse (2016, p. 342) “Respect means that a leader listens closely to followers, is empathic, and is tolerant of opposing points of view. It means treating followers in ways that confirm their beliefs, attitudes and values.”
2. Ethical Leaders Serve Others – Northouse (2016, P. 343) “Ethical Leaders have a responsibility to attend to others, be of service to them, and make decisions pertaining to them that are beneficial and not harmful to their welfare.”
3. Ethical Leaders are Just – Northouse (2016, P. 344) “Ethical leaders are concerned about issues of fairness and justice. No one should receive special treatment or special consideration except when his or her particular situation demands it. When individuals are treated differently, the grounds for different treatment must be clear and reasonable, and must be based on moral values.”
4. Ethical Leaders are Honest – Northouse (2016, P. 346) “When leaders are not honest, others come to see them as undependable and unreliable. When we lie to others, we are in essence saying that we are willing to manipulate the relationship on our own terms.”
5. Ethical Leaders Build Community – Northouse (2016 P. 347) “Concern for the common good means that leaders cannot impose their will on others. They need to search for goals that are compatible to everyone.

Selecting only two of the five principles as most important over the others is challenging. Depending on the situation, any one of the five principles could be emphasized as being important. As a leader in an indigenous community, and for my situation however, I would suggest that being just and honest are the two most important qualities of an ethical leader.

Indigenous communities have dealt with dishonesty and unfairness for more than 300 years. This has spanned over generations and in some respects still happens today. It has only been through recent case law that indigenous communities are gaining back some rights. The era of residential schools, the 60’s scoop, murdered and missing woman, land title rights and other social injustices have caused generations of mistrust. This distrust extends to those working for indigenous communities as it takes time for the community to know what ones true intentions are. Some community members in an indigenous community will never trust anyone, despite their good intentions.

Equally though in an indigenous organization must strike a balance in terms of the treatment of the indigenous employees and the non-indigenous employees. If not handled properly it has the potential to create a divide amongst staff and ultimately a loss of confidence in leadership. For example, an indigenous organization can apply in British Columbia for a Human Rights exemption that allows preference when hiring indigenous people. This does not mean however that the promotion automatically goes to the indigenous person. What it means is that all things being equal, the organization can give preference to the indigenous person. There are equally, responsibilities of the organization to ensure that the employees are aware of this policy and in practice see that it is applied fairly. Ultimately it is important that all employees understand the desire to build capacity with indigenous people, not as a means to be given preferential treatment, but rather to level the playing field due to years of suppression of a race.

How else might an ethical leader further develop trust and create a culture of fairness with their non-indigenous and indigenous employees? Are there other ethical leadership qualities that one might see as also being important in an indigenous community and in selecting future transformational leaders?

Northouse, P. (2016). Leadership, Theory and Practice. Seventh Edition. Chapter 13, Page 341-347, Principles of Ethical Leadership

Wang, G., Oh, I. S., Courtright, S. H., & Colbert, A. E. (2011). Transformational leadership and performance across criteria and levels: A meta-analytic review of 25 years of research. Group & Organization Management, 36(2), 223-270.

Without ethical leadership, organizations risk exposure to a negative reputation, demoralized staff, a culture of mistrust, fiscal loses and legal implications. In every organization there are expectations amongst stakeholders that the leadership will uphold the highest standards when it comes to ethical leadership. An indigenous economic development organization has many stakeholders to consider to be a flourishing and sustainable organization. It can be one of the most challenging yet also rewarding areas to work in.

When considering values and beliefs of an indigenous economic development organization, these come from internal employees, the indigenous government, band members, outside government stakeholders, other indigenous peoples as well as the general public. Balancing expectations of all can be achieved, provided the leaders set the tone for the organization. For example, indigenous economic organizations work under a variety of government structures. Some are elected in Chief and Council positions, some are hereditary positions or a combination there of. In addition, when it comes to elected positions, each government sets their own term for how long a person holds office. One challenge of an indigenous economic development organization in upholding ethical leadership, is the pressure of the current government to keep the membership happy. This can occur in both an elected and hereditary government system. The best way an indigenous economic development organization can prevent leaders from being negatively influenced by the current government, is to create a legally binding board of directors that the leader of the economic development organization must be accountable to. This board of directors should be a mix of internal stakeholders but heavily outweighed by outside board members whom stand nothing to gain and expect the leadership to act ethically. If the leadership of the economic development organization does not act ethically the board of directors should hold the authority to terminate the employment of the leader and not be influenced into making decisions based on the current government. If a nation wants it economic development arm to be around for generations to come, this is an important step in securing its future and its success.

The public also plays a major role in deciding what values and beliefs constitute ethical leadership of an indigenous economic development organization. For example, if you were to eat at a café that you purposely went to, in order to support an indigenous organization, would you think it be appropriate if that café was not recycling? How about if the indigenous café served farmed fish? There are social responsibilities an indigenous organization must uphold because of the expectations of the public. In a day of truth and reconciliation, public support is higher than it has ever been because of shared public values. Taking care of the environment is a common shared value and indigenous economic development organizations are expected to uphold this public value.

Another stakeholder of an indigenous economic development organization are the band membership which are often the ownership of the indigenous economic development organization. This can get tricky when considering ethical leadership and so having strong policies and procedures in place can avoid any conflict of interest problems. An example of where this can occur is the membership is expecting that its members have first priority at all jobs. Implementing strong Human Resource management practices with ensure that the organization is not breaking the law and showing favoritism’s. There are opportunities in indigenous led organizations to apply to the Human Rights code to allow preference to indigenous people when hiring, however there are rules and processes that must to be followed. It’s important though, to ensure that the employees working those jobs are qualified, or divides may occur between indigenous and non-indigenous employees. Capacity building for indigenous people is about helping indigenous people to get qualified and to be successful. It’s not about providing a “hand-out” but instead a “hand-up”.

Government and memberships of communities are both concerned with the financial integrity of an indigenous economic development organization. Indigenous organizations with employees working on reserve receive taxation benefits. There are also exemptions from purchases made by Status Indians purchasing on reserve. Excellent record keeping is important because if an organization is not following the law, there can be tremendous financial implications and public shaming. The public does not always understand the Indian Act, how it came to be and within it, why indigenous people sometimes are entitled to taxable benefits. There are negative perceptions surrounding some of these benefits and if an indigenous organization is thought to be breaking the law in this regard, it could receive a great deal of negative publicity. This could embarrass the organization and the membership. Yet, another way indigenous organizations are impacted by government and its membership is with the First Nations Transparency Act. Indigenous economic development organizations and their governments are required to go through an external financial audit each year, with the results posted online and presented to the membership. The purpose of this audit is to ensure accounting principles are followed and there is no fraud. Without ethical leadership there cannot be fiscal responsibility which in turn could mean, the end of an indigenous economic development organization.

In closing, indigenous economic development organizations that have high ethical standards with leadership and its employees can be highly successful. Particularly today, there are many individuals, government officials and the public that want to support indigenous economic development organizations to be successful. There is however only one chance to do things right and any unethical behavior can be damaging for years to come. The truth and reconciliation movement has benefited indigenous nations by creating public sympathy and a desire to want to help indigenous organizations, particularly those that want to help themselves. This olive branch however comes with a great deal of responsibility and so a strong culture of ethical behavior is integral to the success of an indigenous economic development organization. What are some other ethical and moral beliefs that the public holds with its indigenous organizations? Do you think it is fair that indigenous organizations are held to this standard given the history of inter-generational trauma?

For my example of technology use in hospitality, I will explain how I am currently supporting a business and Manager directly reporting to me.

In 2011 while on maternity leave I worked to develop the lelem’ hospitality concept which is a business plan that involves indigenous restaurants, accommodations and gift stores. Since this time I have successfully developed a gift store, full service restaurant and two express restaurant locations as well as future plans for three more locations. The business is highly popular and is a demonstration of how indigenous people can participate in the economy while building internal capacity in terms of employment. The business has provided a bricks and mortar example of how our company can be trusted to deliver as well as be considered as a good business partner in other future land development projects. While the success has been great, I have also been concerned that we are not maximizing systems to make effective management decisions. In the end the more time management spends on accessing information, the less time they are spending training employees and engaging customers. As a result I made the decision to investigate a new Point of Sale (POS) system, inventory management and scheduling tool. The new tools also provide additional capacity such as online ordering (soon to be implemented), line busting utilizing tablets, better reporting on the spot, to ensure the business is adequately staffed.  Also included is an integrated inventory management system to ensure food costs are kept in line as well as we so we do not risk running out of product and upsetting customers when their favorites are not available. One thing I did not anticipate with the introduction of the new tool is how motivated the staff would be. When employees see Management investing in the business it makes them feel a sense of pride and that the company cares. This in turn translates to happy customers as staff are excited and in a good mood. This is important as in the hospitality industry specifically, people continue to hold the highest value, at least from the customers’ perspective (Ottenbacher, Gnoth, & Jones, 2006).

Another use of technology I have been exploring investing in is an employee development plan. My company recently invested in an online HR management tool called HR web. One function of this tool is an employee performance tool. While in its infancy, it has the ability to remind Managers to set up regular and ongoing meetings with their staff to coach them on performance. Taking things a step forward I am also exploring technology based options for employee recognition. In the systems I have investigated they allow Management to recognize employees or employees to recognize one another. Management has the ability to set up a points system whereby the employee can redeem for gifts. Many employee recognition software programs allow for companies to include their own gifts or gift cards such as movie theater tickets, restaurants or retail stores. Other gifts can be things such as shadow the company President for a day. Essentially the company can be as creative as it wants.

Another tool I will be implementing this summer to improve employee moral and performance is an employee communications TV which will be accessible in employee lounges. Communications will include announcements on new hires, achievements of employees and group efforts. It will also connect the satellite businesses to the head office and share announcements such as environmental remediation works in our traditional territory as well as company accolades and awards. Ensuring employees are informed about the on goings of the organization ensure employees feel part of the team as well as proud of the corporations values. My ultimate goal is to ensure employees feel valued and are excited about contributing their ideas. Technology has the ability to traverse every aspect of the organization and provide a platform to help people innovate (Bugshan, 2014; Lee, Olson & Trimi, 2012;Zhang et al., 2015)

Role playing with Wafa was an interesting experience to learn about her incredibly busy life, balancing both work and family. Wafa has a bachelor’s degree in medical laboratory science, and has been working for more than 10 years in healthcare system. She has three kids and enjoys travelling and learning a new things.

Wafa works in a laboratory, where she needs to have exceptional organizational skills. When the trauma room in the emergency department send patients’ specimens as a stat, that’s the time when Wafa works at her best. Wafa is required to report patient’s results with virtually no time available. This is part of her point of care testing that she provides to patients in the Emergency (ER), Critical Care Unit (CCU) and High Acuity Unit (HAU).

Wafa’s coworkers and department lead, see her as someone that can get work done efficiently. Wafa prioritizes her work list according to the timeline that she sets for herself and to accommodate her coworkers needs. When Wafa’s coworkers ask for help, she is happy to provide troubleshooting tips to resolve. Being in charge, the role requires responsibility for managing all aspects of works during the operation. This can be processing patient’s samples or delegating tasks between co-workers. In that regard, Wafa’s focus is on providing the best care and reliable results to her patients to ensure their satisfaction in every interaction. In addition to that Wafa ensures patient results are reported within the proper turnaround time and takes appropriate action when this does not happen.

Wafa’s current goal is to complete her MA in Healthcare Leadership as well as pursue a Management position such as team lead or site supervisor. As an emergent leader, Wafa needs to be knowledgeable on how to operate in her working area within the lab. She must communicate effectively with the rest of the team and frontline staff. She must do this within a manageable timeline, keeping everyone informed. Wafa knows she must delegate and assign work to her team and share responsibility as well as accountability. Wafa employs problem-solving skills that she has learned during her work experience. To a certain extent, by doing so it enables Wafa to learn skills so that once in a Senior Manager position, she will be equipped to deal with stressful situations that require her to stay calm and focused. Wafa works to employ leadership skills such as active listening, motivating staff, and clearly communicating organizational goals. In working with staff she provides them with an employee development plan, to help them to reach their goals as well as align them with the organizational mission and values. Wafa knows that supporting employee’s in decision making, requires empowering and motivating them to be autonomous and self-directed.

I would say that Wafa is well on her way to achieving her goal of a more senior leadership position. She is goal oriented and has taken those plans into action by pursuing her MA in Healthcare Leadership. She displays the right attitude in wanting to achieve organizational goals as well as she is someone that is always willing to step in and help where she can. Wafa is a constant learner, always wanting to improve herself. Wafa is an example of a servant leader and is set up for a successful career in her organization.