Tag: Community involvement

Don’t cry, learn from spilled milk …

Paul Wagenaar

People are the “everything” for any organization. What if I told you, your organization could be much more successful without seeing any more clients or customers than you are right now? Every organization has “spillage,” clients or customers who leave your organization unsatisfied.

Starting today, especially after reading this short introduction, you and your people, regardless of your place in our communities, can do better. Providing an “Exceptional Customer Service Experience” is the starting point. This is true whether your organization is dedicated to sales or an established charitable organization. Take 5 minutes and see what you think.

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.

No use for regrets … but for lessons, yes 

Paul Wagenaar

Most of us don’t dwell on regrets, many of us try to apply our “lessons learned” though. Today’s post was written for people just starting out on their journey, although it can apply to any of us who are starting over after experiencing adversity. Please take a few minutes, read this, take what you can, and add your own comments.

Ask your people, “Do our meetings suck? … … lessons for every sector from retail to charities

Paul Wagenaar

At the risk of being flippant, this topic is very important. Too many meetings and training sessions for organizations are ineffective. This post is just a start, but it is a good place to start thinking about make changes in your approach to meetings. Leading innovative, interesting, and effective meetings and training sessions can make the difference between engagement and failure.

TOOLS EVERYONE CAN USE – A guide to groceries

Paul Wagenaar

Inflation, shrinkflation, rising costs are hitting everyone from all sides. This is a short guide to some simple tools that everyone can use or share with someone who could use a little help making their food budget work.

Please take a few minutes and see what you think, if you have your own ideas to share, please add them to the comments.

Things Everyone Should Know

Paul Wagenaar

You can make a difference. Start today and help reduce food wastage in your community. Food insecurity affects one in seven Canadians, we have enough food, and we need to ensure it gets to the people who need it in time. You will help your vulnerable neighbors and help reduce the impact of climate change.

Learning More about Mental Health and Addiction

Paul Wagenaar

I have just finished a 6-month stint working for the Canadian Mental Health Association and was inspired by the incredibly dedicated people who devote their careers to making a difference.

Collectively we need to know more about these issues because they will affect one in four people this year. As we learn about mental health and addiction we need to share what we learn to eliminate myths, eliminate stigma, and to understand how we can help our friends, our family, our coworkers, and our neighbors. Consider this post to be just a very brief beginning of that journey.

keeping a job – a short guide to standing out

Paul Wagenaar

I have been helped by some tremendous people throughout my career. To be able to pay back those people who took a chance on me, who mentored me, and who saw something in me worth saving and developing, is the primary reason I started doing these posts.

What is hiding in your blind spot?

Paul Wagenaar

What if the facts that you base your opinions on were wrong? Working in the charitable sector after a lifetime in private business has opened my eyes. Working with vulnerable people has given me a fresh perspective, and made me realize the importance of applying critical thinking to things I previously believed and supported.