Job-hunt and calm...hopefully not before the storm?

Hello everyone:

some random thoughts:

1. The minority government
2. my visits to the workshop on change in the workplace at LinkUp and my own experiences with disability


1. The minority government:

Well, what is the first thing that comes to mind when I think of Stephen Harper? To say that I am scared for Canada us an understatement, the Liberals I admit succeeded in scaring some people in the last election, and in this latest election, many felt the Liberals have abused their trust.

As a Canadian citizen I was worried as I watched last year when Bush got re-elected, and yet with Harper soon to be PM of Canada, I almost feel as if though I am watching history repeat itself. If we look at the relations between Canada and the U.S. it has always been dictated by historical events. In particular, I think Harper reminds me of Brian Mulroney and Bush reminds me of Reagan...(Okay bad example) I just have the feeling that Harper as the leader of the Conservatives is more willing to accomodate the U.S. Policies, Harper has made it clear that the platform he rides on is support to our neighbours to the south (Militarily speaking) as an former Air Cadet, I was wondering what type of implications would this election have?

In terms of defence, the Tory government has proposed a recruitment of 13,000 additional regular forces and 10,000 additional reserve forces personnel and increase spending on the Canadian Forces by $5.3 Billion over the next five years. Establish the Canadian Coast guard and spend $276Million on updating the fleet.

Among these promises, it may look good on paper, but I wonder where does all the money come from?

What of Health Care? Harper has promised $260 Million over the next 5 years for Cancer control, he also said that the Tory government will not support or start legislation regarding abortion. In the Tory platform, there is also mention of a mix of public and private healthcare and a push to eliminate wait times and that Canadians receive essential health care services.

Of course, all this information can also be found under: http://www.ctv.ca/mini/election2006/static/issues/index.html

In the end, I have a sense of relief that while the government is a minority, and confidence is not high, a minority government is forced to be accountable and must cooperate with the other political parties. So ironically, although the Conservative party was villified for various reasons (No, I am not referring to the Liberal attack Ads spoofing Harper ) I wonder if Canada is for the moment, politically calm. (If somewhat unstable)

This time, the Liberals took a beating thanks to their scandal and Martin ending his own leadership and political career (see Gomery report) I wonder if what William Lyon Mackenzie-King said back in the 1930's (during the Liberals depression era defeat) apply here: "It looks like it will be the Conservatives for now, and Liberals for the long run"

2. my visits to the workshop on change in the workplace at LinkUp:

I have recently gone to a government employment center (yes, I know it's hard to look for work without practical experience--or little experience) and have attended a workshop on the subject of struggling with change.

The speaker was Peter de Jager and the first thing he said was:

"How many of you believe that people resist change?" a lot of us raised our hands. He proceeded to ask all of us a series of questions that center about major changes in our lives (Being among a room of people facing our own struggles, it's a no brainer we all all suffer or have to face a change of sorts) and he proceed to ask us to participate in an exercise:

"Get up and face the person next to you, the shorter person of the pair hold up your right hand, and the taller person put your left hand against the shorter person and I want you to push as hard as you can"

I was the taller one, so I pushed but not too hard (the guy I am pushing against is blind) then Peter said "okay you guys can sit down now"

Peter continued: "Now. I have a question for you--the shorter people--why did you push back?"

Some of us said: "uh, because if we didn't we would fall!" and "Peter, isn't that what we are supposed to do?"

Peter then asked one of us to volunteer again, and a lady got up, and he asked her to push his hand...she did and this time, he held the lady and started to dance.

the room burst into laughter.

Peter then proved his point: we don't resist change, we resist being changed.

How then do we deal with change? What is the must common thing we do when we face changes?

"we whine about our resistance to change" and then we ask: "Why?" Peter then explains change in terms of both negatives and positives using the Virginia Satir Change Process Model:

in a chart we have the y axis labeled: "Competence" and the x axis "Time"

Phase 1 the status quo--represents our competency-- everything we are and all that we have learned

Phase 2 the foreign element--the thing that might threaten our status quo

Phase 3 the threat decision--we evaluate the foreign element to see if it is a threat, deciding what to do about it.

Phase 4 rejection--where we take a stance and resist the change

Phase 5 denial--when old habits still survive in the face of change

Phase 6 chaos--where imcompetence and uncertainty take the place of competence

Phase 7 integration--where we process the learning curve

Phase 8 the new status quo--where we aquire new skills and a new competency.

Peter explains that his objective is that change is both a good and bad thing: yes, we all know that, but here is what caught my attention:

"We should create an environment where necessary change is embraced, and unnecessary change is resisted"

sounds simple right? think again.

Peter explains this: "I used to sell computers to people and my job as a consultant was to convince and install computers into corporate offices--I was young back then--and I was responsible for selling the first computer and asking a typist to use a computer instead and tossed out his old wooden typewriter..."

"...so the next day Bill walks into his office and he's in shock and scared to death...and he sees a new computer and doesn't know if he'll lose his job, and I walk in and in an effort to make him more productive proceed to tell him: 'oh you'll be fine' and with a week of computer courses Bill is having trouble (He thought he couldn't type) and he managed to type a 30 page document into the computer..."

"...he powered down and went home after work, the next day he turns on the computer and realizes he didn't save the document on the computer...but so what? does that mean Bill is imcompetent? No. he screwed up, but he still managed to do that on the first day...this time, he remembered to save."

Peter moves on to another example: "I used to work at the University of Waterloo and back in the 80's when computers first got introduced Waterloo got the first everUma board and I asked a student to install it, flabbergasted, the student said: 'Uh, what? why? I don't know how to do this, what if I screw up?' Then I said:' here is the manual and the instructions, go unstairs' do you know what I did? I went upstairs watched the student and I sat in the corner and fell asleep"

The room burst out laughing again.

"So what if he screwed up? Yes, so if he did we just order another one. The point is guys, change is always going to happen! it'd be all good if the Satir model and the Kibler-Ross model worked in order all the time right? But real life doesn't work like that! Let me give you an example, I lost my dad to Cancer a few years back, and you know the classic denial, anger,bargain, depression, acceptance thing? I mean yes, it was painful but there is NO timeline! I won't go: 'Dad, you are currently at the stage of denial for a few days and you are jumping into anger for the next two weeks and oh by the way in a week you'll be back at anger again' "

Change is where we determine what is important to us.

"What is the worst that can happen? Nothing. If we fear something new, we TRY. That is change, we don't fear change, we fear imcompetence" Peter laughed.

"I buy pets for my kids all the time. Here is why: as a parent, I wanted them to learn the value of life and that mommy and daddy are not always going to be around. I used to have people say to me 'Peter, you can't tell Bill he did a 'good job' you're rewarding failure!' "

"My response: have you ever tried riding a bicycle before? For the first time? and you cut your knee after falling over? well, shut up! ha ha ha! I am not rewarding failure, here you guys want to write something down? write this: "FAILURE is evidence of effort...reward the effort."

When I think of that, it reminded me of my own disabilities. (No, I am not going to tell you what they are) but I will tell you that they are invisible. It reminds me that no matter how hard things can be for me...(and in a room full of people dealing with blindness, deafness, paralysis) I should remember I need to have courage to face adversity and overcome them.

Signing off,

TKO