Iterations

In this episode, the producer interviews the host of the iterations podcast to explore the concepts of bravery, vulnerability, and creative risk at work and in life. 

Who do you really want to be? Whose life am I living? What does my soul require of me? These questions and more pop up as we explore ways to live your midlife well. Half your life is behind you and half is in front of you. There is a shift. From shoulds to coulds as you brave towards something new for yourself. Peter Reek, the Second Half Advantage Coach helps us explore concepts and beliefs that support us to find our way through our second half of life and career. Peter Reek, a seasoned professional with 30+ years of leadership, coaching, human capital, and marketing experience, is embarking on a transformative journey. Transitioning from the corporate world, he now helps individuals thrive in the second half of life.With a track record of leading teams globally and collaborating closely with leaders in renowned companies like Lululemon, Nintendo, Best Buy and Mercedes, Peter's mission is evident: to empower people to recalibrate their goals, align with their values, and discover fulfillment. His passion and extensive experience make him a welcoming and capable guide for those navigating their second half.https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterreek/Peter ReekFounder and CEOwww.PeterReek.competer@peterreek.com

Smita is a physician with over 25 years of clinical and research experience.  She know the demands we all face, and how difficult it can be navigating a road to personal advancement.  She also knows that people can become empowered to truly make an impact on themselves, on others, and on their future. In this episode, we explore the shifting paradigm of how we bring ourselves to work.  https://www.linkedin.com/in/DrSmitaHalder/https://www.instagram.com/thephysiciancoach/https://www.facebook.com/thephysiciancoach/https://twitter.com/_PhysicianCoachhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH7rBefmDeuRQ1qssqxkmxQhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6z7kdVYPjIM

Our guest is Curtis Norman who is a Program Manager in Ontario, Canada. With over 15 years of leadership experience in the community, non-profit, higher education and tech sectors, Curtis is dedicated to developing people to realize their fullest potential through education, learning, and development. A passionate and equity-focused educator, Curtis has helped teams and organizations build and scale learning programs at all stages of development.  

In this episode, our producer Sean Rasmussen interviews the host, Sarah Plankert, who takes us through the reasons Iterations Podcast exists and the viewpoint she holds around the leadership today. Discover insights into her world of executive coaching and what she is learning about how leaders are adapting to ever-changing environments and complexities of our world of work. We also explore her experience of working as a neurodiverse person and how she approaches parenthood during a busy career time in her own life. Our Guest: Sarah is an executive coach, and a trusted thinking partner to executives and decision-makers at some of Canada’s Top 50 employers. She is also the host of ‘Iterations Podcast’ where some of Canada’s most innovative and influential leaders discuss what it takes to restructure the broken systems of the 9-5 corporate workplace.Her clients will tell you that she is a spontaneous and playful human. She is also known for my willingness to challenge our collective thinking on all things work.She truly believes that ‘if it can be imagined it can be achieved’ and so the stretching of the imagination is one of my happy places.She prides herself in her pragmatic and creative approach which allows conversations to confidently lean into ideas and innovation. You can always rely on me to speak my truth with an open heart and open mind, and I encourage others to do the same.

In this episode, we get to hear the story of a time when Sarah West, a corporate heels-clicking-on-the-sidewalk gal had life send her (and her career!) in a new direction. When the way you live your life is not aligned with where you are meant to be,  something might just come along that will help to steer you in the right direction. It's easy to ignore, but only for so long. When we tune in and listen, we find the answer. And Sarah's lesson on tuning in and listening doesn't stop with her lessons. She took those lessons, listened deeply, and formed new ways of working. She now integrates nature-based decision-making methods and approaches in her consultancy Earthen Vision and in her new approach to the 9-5. Sarah West, MPA, BA(H), DKATI is a professional development consultant with over 15 years of senior-level experience leading strategic planning and consultations on environmental issues working alongside governments, Indigenous communities and organizations. Sarah’s work is grounded on empowering organizational decision-making, workplace health and two-worlds thinking by deepening professionals' creative connection to the natural world and the people around them. Sarah has a Masters in public administration and an honours degree in cultural anthropology and peace studies. She is also a trained mental health professional as an environmental arts therapist.Order With Intention, With the Land https://www.earthenvision.com/bookshttps://www.earthenvision.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahcwest/https://www.instagram.com/earthen.vision/

Stephen Shedletzky — or “Shed” to his friends — helps leaders make it safe and worth it for people to speak up. He supports humble leaders — those who know they are both a part of the problems they experience and the solutions they can create — as they put their people and purpose first.A sought-after speaker, coach, and advisor, Shed has led hundreds of keynote presentations, workshops, and leadership development programs around the world. As athought leader on psychological safety in the workplace, he supports leaders and organizations in all industries where human beings work. He is the author of Speak- Up Culture: When Leaders Truly Listen, People Step Up (October 2023).After years on a corporate track, Shed was introduced to and inspired by the work of Simon Sinek and, soon after meeting him, became the fourth person to join his team. For more than a decade, Shed has contributed at Simon Sinek, Inc., where, as Chief of Staff and Head of Brand Experience, Training & Development, he headed a global team of speakers and facilitators. Shed continues to speak and facilitate with Simon Sinek helping to create a more inspired, safe, and fulfilled world.Shed graduated from the Richard Ivey School of Business with a focus on leadership, communication, and strategy. He also received his coaching certification from The Co-Active Training Institute. He lives in Toronto with his wife and two young children.

In this episode, we witness the  transformative journey of Laura Wesley and their transition from a conditioned mind to a liberated (self-authoring) mind in the world of work. Join us as we explore profound insights into how our thinking (which influences systems and structures) about work often gets in the way of enjoying work. Laura curated this playlist to inspire your own journey  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5OOosyLa0td1eCKEx1GqUi?si=mrdqESPpR3-P-136jrObwALaura Wesley (she/they) spent 20 years as an intrapreneur, change leader and executive in the federal public service. Their curiosity led them through six federal departments in Ottawa, which is built on unceded Algonquin territory. While completing a Master’s degree at Concordia University they learned to host conversations that enable deep connections to form. They continue to learn and unlearn, including the ways in which they have been conditioned to see the world as a white settler. Laura offers facilitation, coaching, workshop design, and training.Find out more about Laura’s work on their website: www.FractalFacilitation.com

In this episode, we hear the story of Ilana Ben Ari, a social and emotional skills designer, the founder of 21 Toys, and the inventor of the Empathy Toy and Failure Toy. We explore the topic of empathy and what role it plays in our work-life. The story of bringing the empathy toy into the corporate world unfolds into learning how empathy is becoming a more critical skill than ever before. At the end of the episode, we hear an outtake from two 9-5ers on the role of empathy at work. Download the 'Selling Soft Skills' guide here: https://twentyonetoys.com/pages/download-the-guide-to-selling-soft-skillsFollow on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/twenty-one-toys/ 

In this episode, we chat with Carmelita Tang about her experience working in the 9-5 systems and corporate structures as a person with ADHD. She gets into the struggles and triumphs that come along that journey for so many of us with ADHD. Lean in and hear about that journey. Carmelita Tang currently works in the Executive Development field for the Ivey Academy at the Ivey Business School.  Currently in her 16th year of her professional career, Carmelita spent the bulk of time working within the Higher Education field and Professional Associations such as the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario.  Diagnosed with ADHD in the latter part of her University studies, Carmelita has been “fumbling towards excellency” (Sarah McLachlan reference) ever since then.An active community member, Carmelita enjoys contributing to boards, community event planning committees and promoting all the cool things happening in Downtown London. An avid “Sports-Mom”, often seen on rinks, fields, running tracks and making awesome memories with her friends, partner and her Mom.A passionate advocate for education, Carmelita received a London City Council Appointment on the London Council for Adult Education. Carmelita is currently pursuing an MEd with a focus on Sustainability, Creativity and Innovation… in her (pretend) “spare time”. On a good day, she gets 6 hours of sleep – but is looking to increase that.

In this episode, we explore the complexities and opportunities that come hand in hand with AI’s arrival in the workplace. We discuss how AI can improve productivity, increase happiness and make work more interesting. Alongside the opportunity to engage with AI as an empowerment tool, we also discuss the challenges leaders and organizations will be navigating as AI becomes more integrated into our daily 9-5 environments. Guest Bio: Doug van Spronsen is the CEO and co-founder of Versett, a partner for established companies seeking to launch, build, and scale new digital ventures.  Established in 2012, Versett's global team of over 350+ employees bring together rigorous research, exceptional design, and software engineering to create and scale world-class digital platforms and interfaces. In the past year, the company has worked extensively with clients like American Express, TD Bank, Visa and Getty Images across a variety of global projects. Versett is headquartered in Calgary and has offices in Vancouver, Paris, Brussels, Toronto and Ho Chi Minh City. He also serves on the board of the Alberta Children's Hospital Foundation and True North Water. Doug was EY's Entrepreneur of the Year (Prairies) for Technology in 2019 and was named one of Avenue's Top 40 Under 40 in 2018.Twitter: @dougvsLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dougvanspronsen/Made Together (Versett’s own Podcast that explores AI)Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/made-together/id1687218926Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4WUmIES44hxKId8ffWFDO2

In this episode, organizational culture consultant Anne Comer shares her personal experience of identifying stress in her own career. We explore the lessons learned to better understand how leaders and organizations create conditions for less stress in our busy work lives. Covers topics like: Stress, Boundaries, Psychological Safety, Purpose, Meaning, Perspectives and Leadership 

Our guests are 9-5ers in two of Canada's larger and more complex organizations. They share their insights on how to manage the pace and flow of work.  Harvard Article on Brain Rest: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/secret-to-brain-success-intelligent-cognitive-rest-2017050411705 Matthew MacDonald is a Learning and Design consultant with 15 years experience in the aviation, life sciences, public sector, telecommunication, and technology sectors. Matt focuses on humanizing learning experiences wherever possible, believing the stickiest learning experiences are the ones that resonate with our personal values/beliefs. He has compiled a bag of tricks to help ensure people show up ready to receive.https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-macdonald-b21a8031/ Jenny Hill builds opportunities for North American leaders and teams to do their most meaningful work. Over the past 15 years, she has successfully designed, built, delivered and managed employee and customer training programs to achieve business goals across a wide spectrum of enterprises.  In her current role, she supports thousands of leaders and employees across North America to meet their development goals.  Jenny holds a Master of Education degree in Adult Learning and Global Change, as well as certifications in talent development, instructional design, and  coaching. Speaking credits include the Learning Experience Design conference, and the Institute for Performance and Learning National Conference. She has written for Learning Solutions Magazine, as well as other publications and blogsYou can find Jenny on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferreneehill/

An outtake from our full interview with Liane Davey, author of 'The Good Fight'. In this outtake Liane shares how four levels of team trust can be experienced in hybrid work environments. https://www.lianedavey.com/building-trust-in-remote-and-hybrid-teams/

We explore the tension behind the return to the office and discover ways to engage in the conflict with team effectiveness expert Liane Davey. In this discussion, we think through ideas about what is happening in our Canadian landscape around hybrid work and what responsibilities individuals have , beyond the task of work, toward their team and organization. Liane Davey is a New York Times Bestselling author of three books, including TheGood Fight: Use Produc3ve Conflict to Get Your Team and Your Organiza3on Backon Track and You First: Inspire Your Team to Grow Up, Get Along, and Get StuffDone. She is a contributor to the Harvard Business Review and frequently calledon by media outlets for her experience on leadership, team effecEveness, andproducEvity. As the co-founder of 3COze Inc., she advises companies such asAmazon, TD Bank, Walmart, UNICEF, 3M, and SONY. Liane has a Ph.D. inOrganizaEonal Psychology.Team Check-in Activities available at: https://www.lianedavey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/3COze-Team-Check-in-Tools-universal.pptx

This episode is a personal story about a leader who experienced burnout at work. Matt Tod is a director at a Canadian office for a global social impact organization. He shares how the pandemic impacted time and spaciousness at work and added to the mounting pressure on leaders when they lead in the unknowns. He discusses how the mental health continuum helped him understand where he was emotionally leading up to his burnout. And, he shares what he learned about mental health at work and what leaders and organizations can do to support their people around mental health.Mental Health Continuum : https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/eccc/documents/pdf/corporate-info/covid-19/mental-health-continuum.pdfhttps://uwaterloo.ca/thrive/resources/thrive-toolkit/defining-mental-health-continuumCanadian support for well-being at work: https://wellnessworkscanada.ca/https://cmha.ca/what-we-do/national-programs/workplace-mental-health/not-myself-today/

We talk to the brave, unconventional Canadian leaders and innovators who make it their business to reinvent the ways we work. As we dig into the complexity of it all, we explore why  our outdated methods of work are no longer working and challenge corporate structures that are getting in our way. Because we can reinvent, or shall we say, iterate, the very systems and structures we created in the first place.