Category: Tips for Students

Leading by example … one mentor’s difference

Paul Wagenaar

I write “Tools Everyone Can Use,” for small and medium-sized organizations, community issues we should all know about, and personal stories that might help people professionally, academically, and/or personally.

Today I am writing about a singularly unique person; what makes him remarkable isn’t what he has done, it’s about his willingness to share what he has learned and how that knowledge ripples outward from him.

This post reflects his generational ripples and it is my hope that anyone who reads this will be able to use his lessons to make a difference for themselves.

The best working experience of my life …

Paul Wagenaar

At the beginning of the pandemic, I left a job I had spent forever doing and volunteered to work at a local charity. My volunteer work lead to a job working with food banks, meal programs, and community gardens to help alleviate local food insecurity. It began a process that opened my eyes to an entire world that had been mostly invisible to me.

The journey was filled with surprises, lessons, and revelations; please take a few minutes so I can share them with you.

Don’t be too quick to say “NO”

Paul Wagenaar

I regularly speak about topics such as job searching and keeping a job from an employers perspective to high school students and other adults. Recently, several people suggested writing about employee retention from the employee’s perspective.

– a basic guide to what everyone should know about employment agreements

Paul Wagenaar

Tomorrow I am speaking to a high school careers class about “How to find a job,” and it is a topic I am quite passionate about. During my preparation I was reminded about helping a friend understand their employment agreement. This “Tool Everyone Can Use,” is a very brief guide to learning more about your rights when it comes to employment agreements whether you are new to the workforce or just have questions about your work agreements, particularly for small and medium-sized organizations.

Playing “The Game” Well

Paul Wagenaar

I look for inspiration everywhere, in the people I have know, in the people I meet, in everything I see, feel, or touch.

Most recently I was inspired by a documentary on Ernie Coombs, the man who was Mr. Dressup on the CBC. I had been working on a post about how to succeed though building others and he provided the impetus to finish this post.

A Primer for Small and Medium-sized Organizations

Paul Wagenaar

Organizational toxicity is a major problem for some small and medium-sized organizations. Failing to acknowledge and effectively remove the toxic elements could result in poor morale, low staff retention, and left unchecked the elimination of the organization itself.

Today’s post is a primer, a short guide to creating a plan to change the dynamics of your organization for leaders, managers, and everyone else in the affected organization.

Tools Everyone Can Use

Paul Wagenaar

Perhaps the most important of the posts for small and medium sized organizations of all stripes I have written so far. Looking after your people effectively will make the difference between success and becoming a “train wreck.”

When your organization is not your organization

Paul Wagenaar

Internal dynamics in any organization are interesting. All organizations, large or small, for-profit or not, all face external challenges. What happens though, when the greatest threats to growth, adaptation, and evolution come from inside?

A Recurring Theme

Paul Wagenaar

I believe “for-profit” and “not-for-profit” organizations both can and must make a difference in our communities. Since my return to the “for-profit” sector my posts have refocused on issues and concerns shared by many small and medium-sized organizations; however, the perspectives and lessons learned while working for the United Way and Canadian Mental Health Association are just as important as marketing, sales, and logistics.

Please take five minutes and see if there are any tools in this post you can use. Change starts with one person and we need your help.