Survival “Tent” Routine: COVID-19 (Part 3)
“Act as if the enemy is always watching” ~Sergeant Bloggins, Infantry Phase Training Every member of the Canadian Armed Forces goes through basic training. In the Army, where you are always a soldier first, the next step is to pass basic infantry training. This is where you learn […]
Survival “Tent” Routine: COVID-19 (Part 2)
As part of my family’s “Tent Routine” we co-deliver a daily morning COVID-19 brief. I chair the meeting to guide its conduct. My wife talks about what is going locally. My eldest is in charge of the physical fitness routine. My youngest tracks the family outreach / check-in plan. We come to a consensus on […]
Survival “Tent” Routine: COVID-19 (Part 1)
(Photography Credit: Combat Camera) “There is comfort in routine.” ~John Steinbeck In a crisis, there is tremendous value in maintaining normal processes under stress. Keep doing the easy things easily so you save capacity (physical, mental, emotional, resources, financial, etc) to deal with the novel, exceptional, severe aspects of a crisis. This one of many […]
What I Learned Getting Hit by Friendly Fire
On 4 September 2006, during Operation Medusa, the Canadian Battle Group was preparing to re-assault Objective Rugby, the Taliban’s main defensive position west of Kandahar City. Before launching the attack, our forces at Ma’Sum Ghar, a mountain feature south of the objective, was strafed by a coalition warplane. It was daybreak and I was standing […]
What I Learned Sending Troops into Harm’s Way
In 2006 I deployed as the commander of 23 Field Squadron—135 soldiers, sailors, and aviators drawn from across the Canadian Armed Forces. In our ranks we had bomb disposal technicians, heavy equipment operators, map makers, and other specialists all supporting a core of combat engineers. We were part of a larger Canadian Battle Group (combination […]
PLAY THE PINK BALL: Overcoming Self-Doubt
Golf is a challenging and frustrating sport. It requires patience, practice, and a great deal of self-belief. My journey with golf has taught me invaluable lessons, especially about overcoming self-doubt. The Start of My Pink Ball Golf Journey Three summers ago, I decided to work with a golf professional to improve my game. After a […]
The Greatest Lesson Parenting Taught Me About Leadership (Part 2)
Sometimes you can be right and have influence. Often, as described in Part 1, having maximum influence means compromise and achieving consensus. Sometimes, however, the situation demands that you stand on principle and fight for what you believe is right. Your beliefs and your values are what guide and sustain you during these conflicts. [Hurricane […]
The Greatest Lesson Parenting Taught Me About Leadership (Part 1)
As a former Army officer I’ve been to war. That was extreme and yet my greatest leadership challenge was and remains parenting my two daughters. In many ways my two children challenge me and my leadership in ways that combat never did. And sometimes, especially now that they are teenagers, parenting seems like combat. Does […]
5 Things I’ve Learned as a Civilian Working with Military Personnel
I work for The Gasparotto Group, a leadership development firm that specializes in military-inspired experiential learning. Our company was founded by Mark Gasparotto, who served for over 20 years in the Canadian Military. Mark served in key leadership roles in international hotspots such as Bosnia, Afghanistan, and Haiti. He was recognized for his leadership skills […]
Building a Culture of Honesty
Imagine if everyone in your organization acted with honesty. Now hold that thought. In 2006 I was commanding a team of 36 combat engineers in one of the most violent and volatile areas of rural Afghanistan. Immediately prior to a major offensive battle, I gave orders to my soldiers, informing them that once the fight […]