http://www.canteraleadership.com/

Cantera Leadership, Niverville, MB (2026)

04/08/2025

I got to spend a fun morning at the hospital yesterday, taking my wife for a colonoscopy.

Unfortunately, no pictures were taken, so you'll just have to take my word, and trust that the cute little surgical cap was really working for her.

Turns out, my wife does not love colonoscopies, who knew?!

But the staff was amazing. I love seeing gifted people in their element.

The nurses did a great job explaining everything about the procedure and possible outcomes, and patiently answered all of our questions.

They were calm and cheerful, and set the tone for the whole experience.

It reminded me of something I've shared many times. Studies have found there are four things people want most in a leader:

1️⃣ Trust

2️⃣ Compassion

3️⃣ Stability

4️⃣ Hope

The nurses displayed all of these qualities, and it made an uncomfortable experience a lot more pleasant.

Leadership isn't just a title. It's connecting with people, and being a steady presence that others can look to for guidance and assurance.

We have opportunities every day to provide those four important qualities to the people around us, whether we've been specifically labeled a leader or not.

When have you noticed someone around you show those four leadership qualities?

P.S. Everything went very well, and my wife passed with flying colours. (With a family history of colon cancer, this is a huge blessing. It's also your reminder to get yourself checked out!)

04/03/2025

Shout out to everyone who is getting good work done in restaurants and coffee shops!

I spend a lot of time working at home, but I love a productive visit to a coffee shop, whether to meet with prospective clients or just to get work done with people around to provide white noise.

I used to think I just got antsy from being at home in my office too much, but then I learned that it has more to do with my natural focus style.

There are three different styles of productivity that people use, according to Shelle Rose Charvet:

1️⃣ Independent: works best alone, uninterrupted, and in complete control over their work environment and responsibilities

2️⃣ Proximity: desires connection with people; wants to be in charge, and have control over the work being done, but don't do their best work alone

3️⃣ Cooperative: involves people at every step of the way. They prefer to always work with others, and do their best work in a group

Personally, I use a proximity style for productivity. I'm most focused when I'm surrounded by people who aren't talking to me. I don't like to be isolated, but I do want to accomplish uninterrupted work.

What's your focus style? Bonus points for any great coffee shop recs, for the proximity people out there!

04/01/2025

What transforms good companies into great ones?

Jim Collins spent five years studying 11 different companies, which he wrote about in his book "Good to Great."

He started with a list of 1,435 potential companies to study, and narrowed it down to the top 11.

He was looking for the most successful companies that had made the leap from average to great results, and were able to sustain those results for at least 15 years.

He instructed his team to explore all possible factors—except leadership.

He didn't want a cliche answer.

And yet, after rigorous analysis, the data was undeniable: Leadership wasn’t just a factor—it was 💥the💥 factor.

Collins identified "Level 5 Leaders"—those who blend deep personal humility with intense professional will—as the common denominator in companies that made the leap from good to great.

This insight challenges conventional wisdom. It's not the charismatic figureheads or visionary geniuses alone who drive sustained success.

Instead, it's leaders who prioritize their organization's purpose over personal acclaim.

Consider this question:

🤔 Why do some companies thrive in adversity while others struggle to survive?

I agree with Collins...it's strong and effective leaders.

Interested in hearing how the organizations I work with become more profitable and successful through leadership development?

Let's talk.

03/26/2025

Say hello to this cohort of leaders who are investing in their growth.

Every month I get to teach a class on key leadership skills.

And then later that month they all get to sit down with an accountability coach (like me!) to help them drive the changes they want to see in their leadership.

I love being a part of this.

Nothing else gets me as fired up as helping leaders grow their impact and effectiveness.

I get to do that in small groups, large groups, one on one, and everything in between.

I won't say it never feels like work, but it's pretty close.

This month I taught some amazing leaders two modules:

1. Mastering Negotiation - Yes, this is a leadership skill. Leaders are involved in discussions and negotiations everyday.

2. Change How You Manage Change - if the last five years have taught us anything, it's that change is inevitable.

And next month the fun continues:

1. The DNA of Ethical Decision Making
2. Building Multigenerational Connections

If you're curious about how I help leaders to grow in effectiveness and change their behaviours, let's chat.

03/25/2025

We have a massive leadership problem in our world right now.

Anxiety, fear, and uncertainty are growing, along with a sense of helplessness.

People are increasingly divided on what they want to see from political leaders these days.

But when Gallup did a study on what people want most from leaders, there were four qualities that outweighed everything else:

Trust
Compassion
Stability
Hope

Regardless of what your political views are, I think it's safe to say that we are not seeing enough of these qualities in leadership today.

In times like these, we need to be the leaders we want to see in our world.

I know it often feels like that's not enough. It's not going to impact problems on a world-scale.

But when we focus on what is inside our circle of influence, it helps us to recognize that there is so much good work to be done, right in front of us.

You might be feeling frustrated and disappointed with the state of things in our world, but what do you see when you look at what is right in front of you?

I'm guessing you see people who want:

➡️ A leader they can trust

➡️ To be treated with compassion

➡️ Stable values that can be depended on

➡️ Hope even when it's hard to find

If you can be a hope-filled leader, your light will shine pretty brightly right now.

Strong, steady, hopeful leaders are in demand.

Let's figure out how to step up and fill that void.

03/20/2025

Here's a fun thought exercise...

Think of the team you're leading right now, and then imagine yourself in 10-15 years. You've seen changes in your team. Either you've moved on, or some of your team has.

You're at an industry event when you bump into someone from your team.

They come up to you, and after the excitement of reconnecting after a number of years, this former colleague leans in a bit and says...

"You know what? I wanted to let you know something. You were the best leader I've ever worked with. Thank you for impacting my life in a positive way."

Our legacy is bigger than numbers and financial metrics.

As leaders, you have an opportunity to be the best leader your team has ever worked for.

What do you need to do today to become the leader you know your team needs?

Be intentional about leading with excellence.

03/18/2025

We tend to associate intent with impact.

I first heard about this concept from Galen Emanuele, and I've thought about it many times since. I see it play out regularly in situations of conflict and tension.

If someone does something that hurts us, it's a natural tendency to assume the intent was to hurt us, because that was the impact.

But it tells a story that may not be true.

When we get confused between impact and intent, it can escalate conflict.

The opposite can also lead to misunderstandings. When we know what our own intentions were, it's easy to expect that other people will know, as well.

When we are aware of this potential gap between intent and impact, it can help us grow in awareness and sensitivity towards other people.

The next time you feel hurt or offended by someone, try not to let your brain fill in the gaps too quickly.

Allow some space between how you feel, and what the other person may have intended.

Approach the person who hurt you with grace and a desire to get clarity.

If you are the one with the intentions, try to think of how the other person might be experiencing the impact of your actions.

How have you experienced the differences between impact and intent in your teams?

03/13/2025

💥 What separates organizations that thrive in uncertainty from those that collapse?

Strong leaders.

Leaders who make the tough decisions.
Leaders who inspire their teams when uncertainty looms.
Leaders who don’t just react but adapt, strategize, and move forward.

Yet, leadership development is often the first thing to get cut when times get tough.

But if history has taught us anything, it’s this:

👉 Organizations that invest in their leaders don’t just survive...they emerge stronger.

How have you noticed leaders make a positive difference in challenging times?

02/03/2025

“Leader” of the free world??

Leaders act with integrity.

Leaders show respect.

Leaders don’t manipulate.

Welcome to the new era…

“Bully” of the free world.

01/30/2025

Are leadership principles universal?

I often get asked about which industry the Crestcom LEADR program is for...

Is there a specific leadership program for a tech team, or a construction crew?

What I explain to people is that our program teaches leadership principles which can be applied in any context.

Our training is set up so that people go through a process which helps them to apply the principles into their specific context.

We have clients from pretty much every sector, including construction, tech, and non-profit.

Leadership is about the principles. Once you learn the principles, you can apply them in all kinds of different ways.

Leadership is more of an art than a science.

We learn the principles so that we can get creative with how to apply them in a variety of contexts.

Leadership training is not about looking for one specific answer that is out there for a certain type of leader or a certain type of field in leadership.

It's about taking the leadership principles and figuring out how to apply them.

Is every principle going to apply perfectly into your situation?

Well, maybe not, but let's talk about that and let's see if it does.

If it doesn't, then let's continue to talk about which leadership principles do apply.

So yes, one leadership program can be utilized by all different types of leaders and industries.

It really all comes down to one universal truth for leaders: all leaders work with people and we can learn to adapt and apply principles to help us lead well.

We learn from each other, and we grow as we explore the art of leadership together.

01/28/2025

Want to master the art of negotiation?

We get involved in three to seven negotiations each day, according to Chris Voss, a former FBI lead international kidnapping negotiator.

Sometimes we don't recognize our conversations as being negotiations.

But Chris Voss claims the same rules of human nature apply whether you're talking to a terrorist or a businessman.

But if you are in a discussion in which the other person wants you to say yes to something, or you want to get a yes from them, it's a negotiation.

We can bring more intention to these conversations by learning how to negotiate.

The next time you're having a conversation with someone that involves wanting a yes from them, try the Mirroring Technique.

It's a simple technique that involves picking two or three words from what a person has just said to you, and repeating them back.

Choose the last three words they said, or the three most important words that stand out.

"Part of the message it sends to the other person is I heard every word you said word for word, and I'm proving it because I just repeated it back to you. But it's not enough. I still don't get it. And when people go on with a further explanation, they're going to add more words. They're going to change their terms," says Chris Voss.

Ideally, you want people to feel heard, and encourage them to expand on what they're saying.

If we're having these conversations anyway, let's practice the tools we need to become more effective!

What's the best negotiation advice you've ever received?

01/23/2025

5 Things to avoid as an emotionally intelligent leader:

1️⃣ Drama

Don't talk about things in the heat of the moment. If there are problems to work through, the conversation will usually go better after everyone has had some space.

2️⃣ Complaining

It makes you sound like a victim, and it takes time and energy away from getting to work and finding a solution. Remember that there are probably much worse things going on in the world.

3️⃣ Dwelling on the past

Take the lessons learned, and keep moving. You can't change the past. Be gracious with yourself and others.

4️⃣ Being too critical

Remember that we're all trying to figure things out, so give people the benefit of the doubt. (until you can't).

5️⃣ Selfishness

Be honest, we're all pretty selfish. If I can give a little bit more of myself in serving others, it can change lives. What if everyone was able to take this approach? (I'm still learning, and still selfish! Growth takes time!🙂)

What would you add to the list for an emotionally intelligent leader?

Cantera Leadership

04/08/2025

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03/26/2025

03/25/2025

03/20/2025

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