Copy of Q3: Finish the Quarter, Don’t Just Survive It
Reconciliation begins long before we think we have the right words.
September 30 is Canada’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. For leaders, particularly those working in industries and communities across Canada, it’s a day that should encourage something deeper than a statement or a social post.
Listening.
Many organizations operate on or near lands where Indigenous communities have lived for generations. Those relationships carry history. They also carry present-day realities, perspectives, and knowledge that cannot be understood simply by reading a policy document or attending one training session.
Leadership starts with recognizing that you may not know what you don’t know. That requires humility. It means listening without immediately explaining. Asking questions without assuming you already understand the answer. Learning why an experience, decision or relationship may look very different from another person’s point of view.
None of us can undo history. But, we can decide how we show up now. Respectfully. Curiously. Consistently.
Reconciliation is not a single conversation. It’s an ongoing practice of listening, learning, and building relationships with greater understanding.
That’s true in communities. And it’s true in leadership.
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