In today’s circle we are talking all things leadership. You are going to hear the stories of three women who I deeply admire. Math'ieya Alatini, Jennifer England and Stephani McCallum are trailblazers in the world of leadership, deeply rooted in community, exploring the edges, and bravely stepping into conversations that are needed to reduce inequities, resolve systemic racism and bring reconciliation to life.

These three women, separately, and together are leading from their hearts to make the world a better place and I am honoured to bring their stories to you.

What’s in this episode for you:

• Hear the unique and shared ways we become and identify as leaders

• Discover the leadership skills and ways of being required to create a new, equitable future

• Learn about their innovative and timely BraveSpark leadership program

Poem: Excerpt from Mark Nepo's book, Facing the Lion, Being the Lion:

The word courage comes from the Latin core, which literally means heart. The original use of the word courage means to stand by one's core. This is a striking concept that reinforces the belief, found in almost all traditions, that living from the center is what enables us to face whatever life has to offer. How do we find our way to our core to stand by our core, and to then sustain the practice of living from our core? To live out of our courage, thinking about courage in this way opens us to an array of small and constant efforts that no one ever sees, but which have changed the world.

The courage to face ourselves, each other, and the unknown, the courage to see, to feel, to accept, to heal, to be, efforts of this nature often go unnoticed and unrecognized, like the courage to break the life-draining patterns, and let the story of our lives unfold. To stand by one's core, and to persevere through the doorway of nothing into the realm of everything, like the courage to choose aliveness over woundedness, to remember what matters when we forget, and to build on the past instead of hiding it. Like the courage to choose compassion over judgment, and love over fear to withstand the tension of opposites, and to give up what no longer works in order to stay close to what is sacred. In this courage, is an applied art of spirit. It is not something we can manipulate, but only live into.

Who’s in circle with us:

Math'ieya Alatini is a capable and experienced leader known for trailblazing through her no-nonsense approach to getting results. On the heels of two very productive terms serving as chief of Kluane First Nation, Math’ieya did a quick pit stop working with the Yukon Government Cabinet Office and is now bringing her experience and energy to her work for Canada's Indigenous governments and northern communities as the chief strategist for GSD Strategies. She is of Southern Tutchone, Tlingit, Russian and Welsh descent, and therefore has extensive family and community connections in the Yukon and globally. Her work ethic and vision have earned her a reputation as a leader who can get things done in a good way.

Connect with Math'ieya through, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

Jennifer England is the founder of Spark Coaching and Consulting. She has been a senior executive, and nonprofit leader for over two decades, widely recognized for her ability to influence systems change in the field of gender equality, justice, Indigenous rights and wellness. She works with leaders of social change throughout the globe to deepen their integrity, influence and impact. 

Connect with Jennifer through www.sparkcoaching.ca, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

Stephani McCallum is the Chief Storm Rider at the Courageous Leadership Project, and a partner of BraveSpark Leadership. Steph has worked on five continents facilitating tough conversations on important issues. For over 25 years, Steph’s experience in authentic leadership, alternative dispute resolution, and community development has made a difference in hundreds of communities around the world. Steph is a sought after speaker, trainer and leader and as a trained leadership coach. Steph believes that brave, honest conversations are how we solve the challenges of our world together.

Connect with Stephani through www.bravelylead.com, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn

Learn more:

BraveSpark Leadership

Ways to Engage with BraveSpark:

• BraveSpark Webinars

• Sign up for their newsletter

• Consider a customized leadership program for your community/organization, their next program launches 2022.

Get in touch with these amazing leaders through their website bravesparkleadership.com and follow them on Instagram - @bravesparkleadership and Facebook - facebook.com/BraveSparkLeadership.

Pick up the talking piece: 

What came up for you as you listened to this episode? I'd love to hear. Send me an email at [email protected] or leave a voicemail (click the voicemail button on the right).

Gratitude: 

Circle of Change is recorded on lək̓ʷəŋən territories.

Our opening and closing music was created by the talented E-Rol Beats. You can find his creations at www.erolbeats.com

My fabulous podcast coach, Mary Chan of Organized Sound Productions, brought this podcast to life www.organizedsound.ca

In last week’s podcast episode, I had the honour of interviewing two amazing leaders from two First Nations communities in Canada, Sunny LeBourdais and Qwastanaya (L. Maynard Harry). In this episode, I share some of my reflections on the important concepts my guests spoke of and how we can begin to decolonize our ways of thinking and being.

What’s in this episode for you:

• Exploring a common source of tension in multi-cultural interactions - time

• One way to gain momentum toward change - slowing down

• An approachable way to conceptualize the process of decolonization

Tools for change:

• Challenging time - Start asking yourself and your teams - If we remove this pressure of time and timelines, what would we be doing right now? If this timeline wasn't here, what would this project call for in this moment?

• Comfort with discomfort - Raise your awareness of what feelings you might be avoiding and how. What are your avoidance patterns? We all have them. 

• Building the muscle - Where can you get stronger in the journey of reconciliation or lifting up others? Education, listening, finding support, starting a conversation in your workplace or friend circle? What is YOUR why for doing this? What is the vision you are working toward?

Pick up the talking piece: 

What came up for you as you listened to this episode? I'd love to hear your experiences with any of the reflections and exercises. Send me an email at [email protected] or leave a voicemail (click the voicemail button on the right).

Gratitude: 

Circle of Change is recorded on lək̓ʷəŋən territories.

Our opening and closing music was created by the talented E-Rol Beats. You can find his creations at www.erolbeats.com

My fabulous podcast coach, Mary Chan of Organized Sound Productions, brought this podcast to life www.organizedsound.ca

This conversation was recorded before the May 29th news release that 215 Indigenous children were discovered buried outside the old Kamloops Residential School. This school is located on Sunny’s traditional territory. This tragic reminder of Canada’s past and present racist policies is a wake-up call and a call to action. For many Canadians, this is the first they have learned of the shocking practices of our country and the church. I hope this conversation furthers your learning and inspires you to learn more. Thank you for your courage to be here and listen.

What is reconciliation?  I can’t think of a better time to ask this question and listen for the answers. In this circle, we are joined by Sunny LeBourdais of the Pellt’iqt te Secwepemc Nation and Qwastanaya (L.Maynard Harry) of the Tla’amin Nation to hear the stories of their communities, the brave leadership work they are doing, and the hopes for the future.

What I have learned about reconciliation is that it must start with the truth. In this conversation, you will hear the truth in very clear and direct ways. This experience is both an education and a call to action. Please take care of yourself as you listen in, and know that by letting these words soak in and change you, you can make a difference.

What’s in this episode for you:

• 9:55 - An opening passage by Richard Wagamese

• 11:40 - Be inspired by learning about these courageous leaders and the change they are making in their communities

• 19:35 - A better understanding of what is needed to create real change in Indigenous communities and the role of leadership in that transformation

• 27:08 - A way to reframe the concept of governance in a way that decreases conflict and division

• 29:15 - How intergenerational trauma interferes with the ability to deal with conflict and why social media is contributing to divisiveness

• 35:30 - How non-Indigenous people can support healing and understanding by doing their homework

• 39:40 - Why Canada is one of the most racist countries in the world and a call to action to change our systems

• 48:15 - Some tangible and actionable definitions of what reconciliation means and what it does not mean

• 1:03:45 - Hope for the future and the new leaders that are bringing reconciliation to life

Poem: Excerpt from Embers, by Richard Wagamese:

Unity cannot exist when exclusion is allowed to occur. I was graced with this teaching years ago, when I was working as a traditional elder’s helper. The teaching was given in the context of the sacred pipe, but its intention was to help me understand community. What brings us together cannot exist in the same time and place as what keeps us apart. You. Me. Everyone. My choice is to be aware of our similarities: our yearning for truth, peace, love, belonging, welcome, grace, mercy, a god of our own understanding and at least one moment of real contact at the heart of every day. Seeing that, I am made more, included, extended and in harmony…until that moment when I no longer see.

Who’s in circle with us:

Qwastånayå (L. Maynard Harry) is a former Chief Councillor of Tla'amin Nation, where he served 4 terms as councilor. He is the Primary Signatory on the 2003 Community Accord (Tla'amin Nation/City of Powell River), and recipient of Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal and Freedom of the City from the City of Powell River. He is the Manager of, Aboriginal Rights and Title Department for the Tla'amin Nation and a partner with Advanced Business Match. Maynard is also a student bag-piper.

www.indigenousinsight.ca

Sunny LeBourdais is a member of the Pellt’iqt te Secwepemc Nation (Whispering Pines/Clinton Band of the Shuswap Nation). She believes our greatest strength comes from helping each other, as declared by the Chiefs of the Interior to Sir Wilfrid Laurier in 1910: “These people wish to be partners with us in our country . . . we will help each other to be great and good.” Sunny has managed and coordinated businesses and projects for the Okanagan, Ktunaxa, and Secwepemc Nations. She facilitates community-based development of strategies and decision-making processes that respect the inherent responsibility to manage activities on traditional territories. She is currently the Director of Transformation for the Qwelmínte Secwepemc Government to Government LOC where she strives to effect change through the development of collaborative inter-jurisdictional processes that give due recognition to Secwepemc laws, traditions, customs and land tenure systems.

www.qwelminte.ca/our-team

Learn more:

Tla’amin Nation and City of Powell River Community Accord

Pick up the talking piece: 

What came up for you as you listened to this episode? I'd love to hear your experiences with any of the reflections and exercises in this episode. Send me an email at [email protected] or leave a voicemail (click the voicemail button on the right).

Gratitude: 

Circle of Change is recorded on lək̓ʷəŋən territories.

Our opening and closing music was created by the talented E-Rol Beats. You can find his creations at www.erolbeats.com

My fabulous podcast coach, Mary Chan of Organized Sound Productions, brought this podcast to life www.organizedsound.ca

What is Community?  In this episode, I share what it can look like when we are fully present, listening and sharing openly and how that can strengthen our sense of community.

What’s in this episode for you:

• A definition of community that you can apply to any situation
• 3 core ways of being that will deepen your connections
• 3 activities to hone your skills for connecting conversations
• Hopefully, a few laughs

Poem: Excerpt from One Drum, by Richard Wagamese:

It begins as all things do with stories. When our ancestors gathered around their tribal fires, stories were told.

As a human family we have tradition in common. Many have forgotten their beginnings, but next time you're out with people, and it is a summer night, and a campfire is lit. Watch how everybody responds to it.

As night falls and the flames climb higher people, regardless of their cultural background, will lean in toward the flame. Some will cup their chin in their hand others will lean forward with their elbows on their knees. Still others might lean back in their chair and idle there, never taking their eyes off the fire.

A pervasive quiet descends, and soon there is only the crackle of the fire, the snap of the logs. Everyone breathes more deeply. Everyone relaxes.

This scenario happens everywhere around the world. When people gather in a circle around a fire in the night. I believe it is because we all carry a specific cellular memory based on the spiritual feeling of togetherness, safety, and belonging. It is the basis of our human identity, community, and it is formed in all of us, a long, long time ago.

There is a particular magic that exists when the world is reduced to a flame, and the sound of a human voice is talking. We all respond to that setting like children, wrapped with wonder and entranced by the possibility of story.

A connection tool:

Here are a few tools to start playing around with if you want to hone your skills in having more connecting conversations:

1. Challenge yourself to listen only and then reflect back what you heard in your next conversation.
2. Return to the honeymoon phase! In your next tense conversation put your position down and get curious. Pretend you just met this person and really want to know what led them to their opinion. Then, listen.
3. Set a reminder in your phone that says “How do I feel?” When it goes off, pause, and reflect. The more you hone this skill, the easier it will be to stay present in tricky conversations.

Challenge accepted?

Pick up the talking piece: 

What came up for you as you listened to this episode? I'd love to hear your experiences with any of the reflections and exercises in this episode. Send me an email at [email protected] or head to www.humconsulting.ca/podcast to leave a voicemail.

Gratitude: 

Circle of Change is recorded on lək̓ʷəŋən territories.

Our opening and closing music was created by the talented E-Rol Beats. You can find his creations at www.erolbeats.com

My fabulous podcast coach, Mary Chan of Organized Sound Productions, brought this podcast to life www.organizedsound.ca

Who are you? is the question I ask all my circle guests. In this episode, I hold the talking piece and answer that question myself.

What’s in this episode for you:

• An amazing way to introduce yourself that will have you laughing, and crying, and craving home-baked cookies - See prompts below and take this tool with you to all your gatherings to create connection
• A story that will show you that you can change your story at any time and change your life in the process
• Why Circle Dialogue is so powerful for healing divides
• The purpose of life (that’s right - if you’ve been waiting for the answer, it’s right here!)

Poem: Opening Ceremony by Tanya Markul, The She Book

To the North within you, may you express the wisdom of your true self. 

To the West within you, may you be reborn with every season. 

To the South within you, may you hear the counsel of your heart. 

To the East within you, may you be blessed with inner illumination. 

To all Above that is within you, may you be guided by angels and divinity. 

To all Below that is within you, may you discover the blessing of your shadow. 

To the Spirit within you, may you find your way home. 

This is one of my favourite poetry books. If you’re a human, you’ll relate to her direct prose.

A connection tool:

This amazing set of prompts will deepen your knowledge of yourself and others.

Take five minutes to jot down the first thoughts that come to your mind for the following prompts. Then put it all together starting with the sentence stem, “I am from….”. Take turns reading poems and soak up humanity.

• Place of birth/family ancestry
• The foods you grew up eating
• Something you were told as a child
• A childhood memory that brings you joy
• Spiritual practice (or lack thereof)
• Songs or music you listened to

Exercise idea comes from Motivating the Masses.

Pick up the talking piece: 

Head on over to www.humconsulting.ca/podcast to share your "I am from" poem or any other words from your heart.  What came up for you as you listened to this episode? I'd love to hear. 

Gratitude: 

Circle of Change is recorded on lək̓ʷəŋən territories.

Our opening and closing music was created by the talented E-Rol Beats. You can find his creations at www.erolbeats.com

My fabulous podcast coach, Mary Chan of Organized Sound Productions, brought this podcast to life. www.organizedsound.ca

Change begins from within. As easy as it is to look outside ourselves and want the world to change, it never will, if we remain the same. This podcast was created for change-makers like you, who want more love and connection in your communities. You will hear stories that will inspire you and challenge you to be the change. We’re going to go deep my friend, so take a deep breath, and settle in. Join me, Ame-Lia Tamburrini in the Circle of Change.

If you have a story to share, had an awakening, or just want to spread some positive vibes please head to https://www.humconsulting.ca/podcast and share your story. I can’t wait to hear what is in your heart. And who knows, maybe your story will inspire one of our future episodes.

I wish you love and joy beyond your wildest imagination. Thank you for being here in the Circle of Change.