Catalyst Strategic Consultants

We have a saying in strategy: if the horse is dead, get off it. Here’s a succession variation: don’t be the rider whose horse dies beneath them. Occupying the leadership position has many perks. Aside from the material, the incumbent exercises privileges of outside influence. One’s opinions carry weight, nay, carry the day. People attend […]

After long anticipation, we are launched. Squirreled away in the Rocky Express Inn but dining in the Dragon Palace next door at the end of a difficult weather drive. First, Wayne had to slug it through late season snow over the Kicking Horse to get from the coast. Then we had to leave the Calgary […]

Remind me why we live in Calgary? Sometimes the long winter, the traffic [and construction!] the slow spring, the slowing economy, now the smoke, make that difficult. And then there are weekends like this – taking a course – at the highest levels – from a specialist, in person. You can’t do this in the […]

So the last time I talked about the Way – it was to highlight The Camino Channel and the accumulating interviews Bob Carrothers and I did last fall on the impacts of the Camino for Pilgrims. Check it out here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qa7k0ESnbLw Now I’ve just passed over the southern tip of Greenland in a big blue […]

Always awkward talking about health. Listeners get defensive: “Uh oh! I’m gonna get preached at.” “That’s fine for you!” “Yeah but somebody else said that was bad for you..” Under the breath “Don’t tell me what to do!” But usually we get around to the topic with every coaching client because, well, it’s so central. […]

A WestJet Response to my Rant I was surprised and gratified that a confirmed West Jetter took the time to respond and I thought I should share it. Hi Doug, The below note from your blog post made it’s way to my inbox. As a proud WestJetter, I felt compelled to comment on your experience […]

Anticipation is a key life skill – core to executive function. In fact, the farther out in time it can be conducted – not to make the incumbent a worry wart – but to think ahead, the more potent the contribution. I had a dream about the new CEO of WestJet. Not him the person […]

Kicking Horse: What if it had been Oil? The horrible CP derailment in the Kicking Horse Pass was an awful situation, mostly for the poor unfortunates aboard. The story emerging is that the train’s brakes were unstable. After pausing at a stop over the Pass on the 2%+ grade above the Spiral Tunnels and above […]

A “Change in Policy” Our friendly Calgary based airline has always been cheerful and understanding – aligned with its loyal base who would defend it and distinguish it from Darth Vader = AC. In a stunning departure from that mode, I fear that good old Westjet has fallen into that sinkhole euphemistically called “customer service” […]

Just back from toodling around Victoria in my sister’s all electric Mercedes Smart Car – otherwise known as “Sparky”. It’s an adjacent reality, very close but not entirely new, but has some acute difference from our common gasoline powered mobile reality. Our reality is mobile. Outside of home or work, cars are our third “place”. […]