Blog - Unlimited Potential

Shortly after my youngest was born (about 10 years ago), I decided I should try some jogging. After all, it is effective, you can do it anywhere, it’s cheap and 30 minutes packs a real punch (calorie burning-wise). So I went for a little jog around the neighbourhood. My new neighbour saw me, greeted me and asked: “Are you a runner?” I said: “Not really, I just jog bit”. She smiled and said: “Mind if we stretch that?” I was skeptical, but accepted. We started “jogging” together. She suggested we train for a half marathon. I thought she was out of her mind. I did not think I was ever able to do that. “I can’t do that”. I was stuck in my own limiting belief that running a half marathon was for others, for “athletes”. It wasn’t until I decided that I was a “runner “ that I could don the skin of a runner.

From time to time I will invite guests to write for this blog. I am delighted that my first guest contributor is Bruce Swan, an executive coach with more than 30 years experience as a senior executive. While president and CEO of several health organizations, Bruce used a coach's approach to leadership. Bruce and I team up for the delivery of workshops and coaching services—and on these pages, of course—because different perspectives on leadership allow for more learning and better progress.

By developing coalitions in health care, you can enhance a system’s capacity to integrate services, reduce wait times and increase efficiency.  For such coalitions to work, two ingredients are required:

1. a common cause or purpose
2. a trusting relationship among coalition members

My friend has a very special friendship with her elderly neighbour. While my friend is at work, her neighbour, a spry 87-year old lady, takes her dog on long, happy walks throughout the neighbourhood and parks nearby. The neighbour gets fresh air and exercise, not to mention heaps of canine gratitude. My friend enjoys peace of mind knowing that her dog is in excellent care and she loves hearing about the adventures that her neighbour and dog share.