cmi is searching for the right individual who will play a vital role on our team as a full-time Operations Assistant in our Calgary, Alberta headquarters. We are looking for someone with exceptional organization, planning and scheduling skills; the ability to work efficiently at a fast pace; an action taker and problem solver who is willing to show initiative.
Responsibilities will include providing support to the Events Manager for approximately 20 events each month; providing support to the Customer Engagement Assistant in communicating with our customers and handling inquiries about our speakers; and supporting the President and the Operations Manager with a variety of administrative duties.
Click here for the full job description, including essential skills and requirements.
Applicants may contact our Operations Manager june@cmispeakers.com/ fax 403-398-4754 (no phone calls please)

My "Is The Economy Hardening Your Heart?" blog struck a chord with our friends at MPI who published it in their One+ magazine's Best of the Blogs. It's a thrill to be published for the first time (now I know how all you authors feel!), especially with something that came from my heart.

Click here for the digital version of One+ - Best of the Blogs can be found on page 16.

Read my original blog post here - I welcome your comments. xoxo

This week Cheryl Cran's Leadership Leadership Tips, Trends & Gems blog is about what the generations have in common, and you might find the answer surprising...

A recent study released by the Conference Board of Canada finds that Zoomers (boomers who refuse to age), Gen X and Y each hold inaccurate stereotypes about the others, and often these stereotypes are negative.

When the question posed to all generations was, "What to you want in the workplace?" the answers were remarkably similar. The list included respect, flexibility, fairness and the opportunity to do interesting and rewarding work. The report was based on a survey of 900 workers with even representation from each generation.

When Cheryl presents her interactive keynotes on the generations in the workplace, she focuses on how each generation can recognize the biases against the other generation and work to bridge the communication gap. The focus is to build 'positive' stereotypes about each of the generations so that we can focus on the strengths of each other and move forward to create more teamwork, more creativity and ultimately a more motivated work force.

Cheryl Cran, CSP works with top performing organizations as a keynote speaker, trainer and consultant on leadership and generations in the workplace.

Over 13,000 votes are in and the results are no surprise to us: Steve Rizzo and The Passing Zone are winners as 'Top5 Speaker' in Entertainment for 2010. Business leaders, educators, association members, past clients and the general public all voted in the annual contest recognizing skilled speakers who have contributed a high degree of professionalism, have innovated in their topic area, and have made a positive impact in their field. And in the case of the entertainment category...have made us laugh until it hurt.

Warmest congratulations from the cmi team to Jon, Owen, and Steve!

 

Cary Mullen to carry the Olympic torch!

Two time Olympian and Olympic Hall of Fame member Cary Mullen will carry the Olympic torch in Camrose, Alberta on January 15th as it makes its way to the Vancouver 2010 Olympics. Cary competed in Alpine Skiing in Albertville in 1992 and Lillehammer in 1994. Click here to follow the torch on it's journey to Vancouver. More on Cary's Olympic experiences here.

Cary to share his Olympic insights with the Jungle Jim Hunter radio show

This Saturday Cary begins a 12-week stint on the FAN 960 AM sports radio in Calgary, as a guest of former Olympian and original "Crazy Canuck" downhill skiier Jim Hunter. In addition to his Saturday slot, listen for daily updates from Cary during the Olympics. 

Scott Burrows covers the globe for Polaris Media

Scott is the keynote speaker for all three 2010 Polaris Media Foundation Live events in San Francisco, Brisbane and Prague this month. A dream tour! “You’ll seldom hear a more inspirational speaker,” explains Shane Krider, CEO of Polaris Media Group. “Scott Burrows has an incredible life story and is a respected speaker on peak performance and moving people into action.”

 

 

 

 

Tim Sanders spent some time between Christmas and New Years purging his life of the clutter the stale-dated...some of it in the category of 'stuff' - books, magazines, clothes and gadgets - and some of it professional commitments that never came to fruition. When it comes to the latter, he wisely advises us to pick up the phone (avoid the email safety zone - person to person is essential), state your reasons, stick to your guns, and withdraw gracefully. Great advice for starting 2010 with a streamlined office, wardrobe, and daytimer!

Click here for Tim's full Dump the Junk blog post.

 

We love mashable.com for their timely content, tons of helpful info, and for staying well ahead of the curve in general when it comes to all things tech and online. They are right on target with this new year's posting on How To Do Almost Anything Online in 2010. Whether you want to plan a DIY wedding, find the name of that song, or delve into social media, this is your place for the nuts and bolts on how to get it done. You're sure to find one thing, if not several, you've been wanting to learn about. Click here for the full list and here's to a productive start to 2010!

Tim is challenging us to reconnect with the feeling of "there's enough to go around, enough for all of us to share" that predominated a few years ago. After a tough 2009, it is all too easy *not* to feel upbeat and generous this Christmas. Tim's strategy for creating holiday abundance goes like this:

1. Thank three people that helped you this year - personally, socially or professionally.  Give them a personal gift and/or a hand written note explaining why you are grateful to them this year, and how much of a difference they've made to you.
2. Brighten someone's holiday season - invite a stray co-worker (with family living elsewhere or alone) over for Christmas day. But a few gift cards for a grocery store or Wal-Mart and give them to people you see everyday that could really put them to use: entry level tweeners, janitorial staff, workers.  When you give, be warm and thank them for the opportunity to share the season with them.
3. Absorb the good cheer of others. The next time you see people celebrating their year, stop to imagine yourself in their shoes and learn to find joy in other's happiness.

Click here to read Tim's full blog post on Holiday Abundance.

All the best for a healthy and happy new year!

Speakers Platform has nominated both Steve Rizzo and The Passing   Zone for their "Top 5 Speaker" awards in Entertainment for 2010.
And here's the best part - anyone can vote! Click here and let's rock the vote for our favourite chainsaw jugglers and a seriously funny guy!

 

 

John F. Kennedy University is offering its Annual Leadership Scholarship for 25 mid-level managers. Take your leadership skills from good to great by applying to participate in the Success Built to Last: Creating a Life That Matters course to be held Jan 16, 23 and Feb. 6, 2010 in the beautiful San Francisco Bay Area.  This is a rare opportunity to experience the once-a-year master class taught by bestselling author and Stanford scholar Mark Thompson and JFKU Adjunct Professor Bonita Buell-Thompson. The scholarship covers tuition and meals, and the course is completed in three Saturdays.  The scholarship celebrates the 20th Anniversary of the Leader to Leader Institute, the Drucker Centennial and the launch of the Leader to Leader Institute Leadership Dialogues. Applications should be sent to Joshua Lachs, Dean, Continuing Education at JFKU (jlachs@jfku.edu)