February 15, 2013
By Jacki Hart CLP
Prosperity Partners Program Manager

Jacki HartDuring Warm-up Monday in our Congress Week, the latest Prosperity Partners offering the Effective Management Short Course brought many new tools, ideas and group dialogue around the challenges of management.  

The group members, comprised of a fairly even mix of approximately 50 owners and managers representing all chapters and most sectors, worked diligently throughout the day practicing new methods of problem solving, managing change and identifying strengths to lever and weaknesses to mitigate in their role at work.

During the day, our past president and founder of Prosperity Partners, Bob Tubby CLP, stopped in to see how the day was proceeding. Bob’s original vision of the program was to assist members to become more deliberate about their own prosperity and work-life balance. We all did him proud with the high level of engagement and collaboration — members helping members to improve. We were also joined by our past committee chair and industry business leader, Hank Gelderman CLT. It was great to have these two industry greats join in the discussions and engage face-to-face with us.

In keeping with the Prosperity Partners concept and language, participants dove enthusiastically into a long series of table discussions with their peers using the Prosperity Pillars as the basis to determine their targeted must-change issue for 2013. Participants worked to challenge, mentor and empathize with each other throughout the day. A combination of self-reflective questions, video presentations and group tasks encouraged a shift in thinking about why and how to manage people and moving parts in business.

In addition to rave reviews on the feedback forms, several business owners have contacted us to bring the short course to their business team for a one on one event. We also had many members in the room who shared that they have already used the Build Your Prosperity seminar content to form their business style. At least 15 per cent of the group members explained how their businesses have leaped ahead of where they would have been had they not had the Prosperity Partners language and mindset toward business on their side.

The attendees were asked the most memorable or valuable thing they experienced during the day. Some of the responses included:
  • “Taking accountability and how to create more time to do what is more important
  • "That there are others who are feeling/experiencing the same things I am. I’m definitely not alone.”
  • “Networking with others/focus change on working on business more than in your business.”
It’s very exciting to keep hearing how Prosperity Partners as a concept and language is a viable and simple way to navigate business challenges with clear thinking. In our closing round-table discussion, I asked each member of the group to tell us what they would like us to do with this new short course. The message is clear – offer it on a continuing basis.

As a result of their feedback, I’d like to invite you to connect with your Chapter board at your next meeting to see if an Effective Management Short Course is on the horizon. The bigger the group, the better.  Combining the strength of two or more chapters together for a regional short course would produce a nice-sized group for a powerful day of networking and learning.

My utmost thanks to Bob Tubby for his foresight in creating this concept eight years ago. Together we are all building stronger businesses as a result of Prosperity Partners.

In closing, let me ask YOU: What’s your next step for improvement in 2013?
Jacki Hart may be contacted at prosperity@landscapeontario.com.

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