I was raised in Montney, B.C.  It’s where I started…

As superintendent of schools in SD #60 Peace River North I did my best to maintain a regular blog. Looking back, I’m glad I did. (http://www.leadership.prn.bc.ca). During my time working with the ministry I often contributed to a newsletter, but gave up my personal blog. Now, after four years of not having my very own, I thought I’d try again. No longer having a business card, or formal employer, I didn’t have a ready-made title. I’d like to share how I came up with one…

The unincorporated village of Montney is about fifteen minutes straight north of Fort St. John. My parents owned and operated the Montney General Store and we lived in the back.  From the time I could see over the counter I took my turn waiting on customers and stocking shelves.

About 10 years ago, a friend of my son’s called to ask if he could buy me a coffee and talk about how I’d become a school superintendent. It wasn’t that he wanted to be one, I just think he’d read a self-help book that suggested he talk to some older guy who was a boss of some sort. I agreed to meet him, but after hanging up I realized that I wasn’t sure what I would tell him about my “trajectory”. I’d never aspired to be a superintendent (who does?!). The position basically “happened” to me. The coffee date made me think about how it “happened”. After more reflection than I probably had time for, I realized, more than anything else, my “Montney start” had provided me with some of my most important leadership lessons.

My parents, particularly my mom, had three specific expectations of me when I  worked in the store. The first was to call people by name (translates to… show people you care who they are). The second was to look people in the eye when talking to them (translates to… actively listen to people, especially in a world so full of distractions). The third, and maybe the hardest, was to smile even if I didn’t feel like it (translates to… remembering that the expression on your resting face can either pick people up or drag them down.) As much as anything else I ever learned, these three “soft skills” never let me down.

I’ve often told people how grateful I am that this Montney boy (and old hockey player who swears too much) was given the opportunity to see the education system from so many perspectives, and to have amazing conversations with wise and passionate people. My goal, with this blog, is to share some of the stories (the odd joke?), and lessons learned, since my “Montney Start”.

I guess the worst thing that can happen is that this becomes my journal and my grandchildren get a kick out of reading it someday. 🙂