The Leadership Exchange 2010/2011
In 2009, ICAB launched an innovative program that challenged top Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal
executives to spend time learning about each other's workplace, social environment, and decisionmaking
processes in a hands-on, direct way. Created in partnership with the Learning Strategies Group
at Simon Fraser University's Segal Graduate School of Business, the Leadership Exchange Program
provides a setting in which Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal executives can experience each other's work
and cultural environments in developing important insights into how roles, responsibilities, motivations
and values influence relationship development and decision-making. The outcomes ofthe Leadership
Exchange have taken 'cross-cultural' to a whole new level- experience the journey.
Available to First Nations leaders as well as Senior Executives at the Platinum membership level.
Platinum members can choose either participation in the Leadership Exchange or workplace delivery of
the Intercultural Seminar.
For more information on the 2010/2011 program contact SFU Learning Strategies at: learning@sfu.ca or
by phone at: 778-782-7728.
Leadership Exchange 2009/2010
The ICAB Leadership Exchange supports the organization’s mandate to create and supports a network of corporate and Aboriginal decision
makers who:
- are comfortable with each other;
- respect each other’s backgrounds, motivations and priorities;
- seek each other’s advice and share knowledge; and
- explore opportunities for business with each other.
The program challenges Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal business and community leaders to walk-a-mile in each other’s shoes.Developed in partnership with the Learning Strategies Group at Simon Fraser University's Segal Graduate School of Business, the ICAB Leadership Exchange provides Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal leaders the opportunity to learn about each other’s workplaces, social environments, and decision-making processes to help facilitate better business relationships.
It is for leaders who:
- head a company or community with interest in Aboriginal/corporate relations in British Columbia;
- guide an organization with the ability to translate learning outcomes and experiences into action;
- make fundamental and directive decisions related to Aboriginal/corporate relations in their community or corporation;
- exert a profound influence on the culture in their community or corporation;
- embody this culture visibly to their peers, communities, employees and stakeholders;
- take responsibility for change in their community or corporation and lead an executive team or Council tasked with implementation; and
- represent their community’s interests, values and beliefs to governments, associations and the public at large.
From preparation to debrief the program takes about four months. To optimize knowledge exchange, the Learning Strategies Group works closely with exchange partners, their communities, community leadership and executive teams and the leaders spend three days with each other in the community and three days in the corporation.
ICAB launched the pilot of the program on November 5, 2009.
Participants in the pilot cohort are:
- Chief Kim Baird, Tsawwassen First Nation
- Ian Anderson, President, Kinder Morgan Canada
- Chief Willie Charlie, Chehalis Indian Band
- Donald McInnes, Vice-Chairman and CEO, Plutonic Power Corporation
- Chief Harold Aljam, Coldwater Indian Band
- Graeme Barrit, President, Coast Hotels and Resorts.
“I am participating in the Leadership Exchange Program because it provides the opportunity to experience first-hand the challenges Aboriginal communities face, while at the same time providing Aboriginal leaders an opportunity to understand the pressures and demands stakeholders place on corporations,” says Graeme Barrit, President of Coast Hotels and Resorts.
“Aboriginal people have too long been in the back seat of business development.” says Chief Willie Charlie, Chehalis Indian Band. “We recognize the importance of now being in the driver seat in order to build our economies while fulfilling our traditional role as stewards of the land in the interest of future generations. We need to build understanding for who we are as Aboriginal people and why our deep connection to our ancestral lands needs to be acknowledged. At the same time Aboriginal leaders need to understand how industry develops business and how to become equal partners. The ICAB Leadership Exchange provides a great opportunity to share this knowledge and build mutual understanding.”
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