OVERVIEW

Personal spirit can be thought of as the inner energy that brings your intelligence to life, and it is the source of both resilience and high performance. In this workshop, participants were introduced to the three success factors that affect personal spirit: outlook, sense of control and initiative. These success factors are vital to your health, career success and relationships.

In the workshop, 50 child care directors participated in a “rapid innovation workshop”. Each brainstormed and each wrote out one practical step they can take to strengthen personal spirit in themselves, in their work teams and in those they serve. They then sorted and structured these ideas into three “top ten” lists of things they can do to build personal spirit in self, in their work teams, and in those they serve. Working collaboratively, in less than an hour they created these lists of the top ten ways to build personal spirit.

In our selves:
1.    Take time for yourself
2.    Look after your own health and wellness
3.    Laugh! Lots! Loud!
4.    Self-reflection
5.    Be positive – An “I can, I will” attitude.
6.    Invest in your personal growth
7.    Believe and have confidence. Hold your head high and walk tall!
8.    Build healthy relationships with family and friends
9.    Challenge yourself! Fulfill personal goals.
10.    Give your best ?

In our teams:
1.    Start with an exercise to build team spirit
2.    Be a positive role model
3.    Use sincere positive talk
4.    Embrace the differences
5.    Celebrate and recognize achievements
6.    Appreciate staff – in a consistent manner
7.    Laughter and humor – make it happen!
8.    Listen to the team
9.    Empower the team. Provide opportunities to grow and to be the leader.
10.    Help the team set goals

In those we serve:
1.    Support and build community
2.    Be a role model
3.    Listen to what they have to say
4.    Empower them
5.    Participate and be present
6.    Be non-judgmental
7.    Be positive!
8.    Demonstrate compassion and kindness
9.    Go above and beyond what is expected
10.    Be knowledgeable and prepared!

As a closing gift, David gave participants a two-page assignment with instructions on how anyone can change their life by building personal spirit daily for one month. MCCA Participant Handout


For copy of the presentations please follow the links
MCCA Directors Personal Spirit at Work Presentation.ppt
Four Dimensions Intelligence.pdf

PRESENTER
David Church, President of Wildwood Consulting Group, has been in private practice as a facilitator, trainer and consultant since 2001. David works collaboratively with clients to create life-changing learning experiences for individuals, teams and organizations.  Over the past decade, David has led hundreds of workshops to enable groups to articulate their vision or mission, develop a strategic plan, address a challenging situation, and to improve team performance.  Prior to establishing Wildwood Consulting, David was Director of Education and Communication Services with the Manitoba Association of School Trustees (1988 to 2001).  David holds a Masters degree in Human Systems Intervention from Concordia University and is Certified as a OneSmartWorld Master Trainer.

An Initiative led by David Church, President
Wildwood Consulting Group
With support from
the John Howard Society of Manitoba


Putting us in jail won’t solve the problem. …Prison just teaches you street smarts” and “turns you into a better criminal… There are no short-term solutions to the problem.

Six Winnipeg gang members
Winnipeg Free Press
Friday, September 11, 2009


Several inmates in Winnipeg’s Remand Centre are spending their time in prison changing their lives for the better by learning to use a new set of personal development tools to improve their thinking skills and to make a plan for personal success.

The John Howard Society of Manitoba is collaborating with David Church, a change management consultant based in Winnipeg, in a demonstration project that introduces motivated inmates to tools that help them learn to improve the quality of their daily thinking.

“I believe that, with support, inmates can use their time in prison productively to strengthen their thinking skills and to make a practical plan for their successful transition back into society,” said Church. “I expect that the inmates that participated in this project are going to be much more successful in making that transition than will those who spend their time inside without these supports.”

The John Howard Society helps male offenders and their families to live healthier crime-free lives. It helps offenders accept responsibility for what they have done and make changes.

“We work closely with some very highly motivated inmates who demonstrate initiative by upgrading their literacy and academic skills while incarcerated,” said John Hutton. “We decided to support David and try his idea out with a few volunteers. Since there was no cost, and we had no budget, it seemed a perfect match!”
To test this idea, Society staff members escorted David in a series of one-to-one interviews with three inmates. From June to September, David participated in five visits with each inmate individually.

“With each of these men I did exactly what I would do with a senior executive who hired me to help them sharpen their mental skills and improve their performance,” said Church. “I provided them with a personalized map that shows each inmate how they prefer to use their intelligence in daily life. And I coached them on how to set goals and take daily steps to strengthen the specific thinking skills that they need to get better results in life.”

Once they had been introduced to these tools, the inmates and the consultant agreed to devote the month of September to daily planning and specific activities to strengthen selected thinking skills.

Insert information on Evaluation results.

Comment from John on evaluation results

“I’ve never set foot in a jail before, and I can honestly say I’ve found the experience of meeting these men and working with them to be immensely gratifying,” said Church. “This fall I intend to continue working with them on applying their thinking skills to making a practical life plan for a successful transition back into society.”

Three inmates participated in this initiative. Initially, two inmates volunteered to participate in the project. A third inmate observed a cellmate reading the Smart for Life book and asked for permission to be included in the project.

Bob Wiele, the Canadian inventor and president of OneSmartWorld, donated the materials and human development resources used by the inmates participating in the project.

The OneSmartWorld system empowers people to develop self-mastery, improve decision-making, reduce stress, strengthen inter-personal relationships and achieve personal success.

-30-


For more information, contact:
David Church, President
Wildwood Consulting
204-284-5858
dchurch@wildwoodconsulting.com

John Hutton, Executive Director
John Howard Society of Manitoba
204-775-1514
office@johnhoward.mb.ca


Smart for Life Project Overview


Objectives

In this project, volunteer JHS clients were provided an opportunity to:
• Develop an understanding of how they prefer to use their intelligence in daily life (“I know how I am smart”)
• Identify areas for additional personal development
(“I can expand my range of thinking strategies”)
• Practice ways of strengthening client’s use of intelligence in managing their day to day life. (“I can learn to think better and make smarter decisions!”)
• Develop a plan for using their intelligence to support a successful transition to their preferred future life
We wanted to test out the tools we were using to ensure that they are suited for successful use by JHS clients in their environments.


Methodology

Visit 1 – Our initial visit was to establish understanding and trust and to gather data. Following introductions, we
• Reviewed the project objectives
• Secured the client’s consent to participate, and
• Reviewed with the client the Four Dimensions Inventory questionnaire and
• Monitored completion of the questionnaire and provided clarification if requested
Between visits 1 and 2, clients received the Smart for Life textbook to read. I entered client data and printed an individualized Four Dimensions Inventory Portfolio for each client.

Visit 2 – In this visit we:
• Reviewed OneSmartWorld’s common language
• Provided clients with their personal profile results.
• Answered questions, shared perspectives, stories and observations.
As homework, participants are asked to study their profiles, aided by the Smart for Life textbook, and then to complete “Your Get Smarter Action Planner”. Using this planning tool, each inmate selected three priorities for their personal development. These priorities represent specific mindsets or strategies which they felt they needed to work on to expand their capacities.

Between visits 2 and 3, clients received a 30 day Smart Planner for the month of September, 2009.

Visit 3 – In this visit we:
• Reviewed with the client their selected priorities for personal development, and provided feedback and affirmation
• Reviewed the “Believe It to Achieve It” Planner, which lists steps to address their personal development priorities
• Invited clients to work for the 30 days of September to carry out their plan to realize their personal learning goals.

I also recommended that clients engage in two additional exercises:
“10 Things I Love to Do and Don’t” and “Design Your Perfect Day”.

Clients were asked to keep a journal of their daily activities and progress towards their learning goals.


Visit 4 – In this visit we reviewed with clients their progress on their 30 day “Believe it to Achieve it” personal plan, and encouraged them to keep up the good work.


Visit 5 – In this visit we reviewed with clients outcomes of their 30 day personal plan, and participated with the client in their evaluation of their learning and their assessment of the value of this experience.

Labels: crime solutions, gang violence, john howard society, onesmartworld, wildwood consulting group, winnipeg gang members, winnipeg remand centre

People looking for solutions to the problems of crime, gang violence and poverty will want to attend a presentation by Winnipeg consultant David Church. David has been working as a volunteer with inmates in Winnipeg’s Remand Centre, helping them use their time in prison to change their lives for the better. Over the past few months, David has taught these inmates how to use an innovative set of personal development tools to improve their thinking skills and to make a plan for personal success.

Come to this session to learn about this innovative approach to breaking the cycle of crime by helping inmates become ‘smart for life’.

October 8, 2009
1:00 pm: Presentation (open to the media)
2:00 pm: Questions and discussion
Where: John Howard Society 3^rd Floor, 583 Ellice Ave.
RSVP: Space is limited. If possible, please RSVP to Janet Johnson by Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Phone: (204) 775-1514
Fax: (204) 775-1670
Email: office@johnhoward.mb.ca

Labels: crime solutions, gang violence, onesmartworld, winnipeg remand centre

Enhancing the growth and effectiveness of people in organizations.


The Wildwood Consulting Group works with leadership teams in organizations to enhance their ability to realize their collective potential. We teach processes and provide tools that support sound group thinking and planning. We design and facilitate meetings to help groups and organizations to think clearly and to solve problems.



OneSmartWorld
Wildwood's associates are Certified OneSmartWorld Facilitators, and we are excited to share these innovative solutions with our friends and clients.

The OneSmartWorld suite of integrated solutions enables clients to build more collaborative cultures, and to produce high quality solutions to complex problems, better, faster and smarter.


OneSmartWorld enables progressive organizations to develop leaders, improve team productivity, accelerate innovation and conduct smarter meetings. In OneSmartWorld's simple yet profound processes, we believe Bob Weile has created a masterpiece.

OneSmartWorld enables organizations to access more fully the talent and energy of their people. Equipped with self-awareness and collaboration tools, people in organizations are empowered to make positive change. We know of no better way to create healthier workplaces while enhancing productivity.

The Power of SMART MEETINGS


Led by Wildwood's president, David Church and associate Bill Noyes powered by OneSmartWorld.


The Problem With Meetings
We've all done it: wasted precious time in boring, unproductive meetings. Studies confirm what our clients tell us - that half the time people spend in meetings is wasted. Inneffective meetings are a huge hidden salary cost, adding to both workload and stress.

The Power of Smart Meetings shows you how to create productive meetings that increase engagement, cut meeting times and costs, and leverage the intelligence of all participants.

Smart Meetings Results
..Cut time spent in meetings by 20% or more
..Run meetings that engage and inspire all participants
..Achieve meeting objectives each and every time
..Turn meeting outcomes into an action plan that gets work done
..Make more - and better - decisions
..Increase participation, collaboration and buy-in Smart Meetings Overview

Who should come?
..Anyone who leads, plans, or participates in meetings
..Teams that work closely in meetings (face to face or virtually)

Learn How To:
..Calculate the real costs of meetings, and potential savings
..Build outcome-based meeting agendas
..Run meeting that keep teams on track and on time
..Master the critical success strategies of great meetings
..Build personal and team spirit



PARTICIPANT KIT
Your Smart meetings complete learning package includes:
..Software and Online Support
..The Four Dimensions Inventory (4D-i) online assessment
..Smart Agenda Maker Print Materials
..Smart for Life Book
..Smart for Life Primer
..Smart Meetings Primer