What do the Canadian arm of Crayola, organic food manufacturer Hain Celestial, household product maker Umbra and AVW TELAV, which provides audio-visual services for corporate events including the upcoming G8 and G20 summit, have in common?

They are all members of Presidents of Enterprising Organizations, a Toronto-based business organization that's mandate is to help business leaders find success through being able to connect, think and grow with each other.

The members go about meeting those objectives through peer advisory teams that meet once a month, in which input and, hopefully solutions, comes from fellow members with assistance from executive advisors, who generally are former members and retired businesspeople.

"The chemistry of the group and the executive advisor are critical to the success of a leader's participation and our ability to help them reach their goals and objectives," said Leon Goren, PEO's president.

"The discussion is about situations, opportunities and decisions that a leader is faced with today, more often related to strategy, people and the culture of an organization."

In other words, "the groups push each member to succeed. You are almost accountable," Mr. Goren said.

"The group has been invaluable in bouncing off concerns or raising issues that I may not have thought of," said Johanne Belanger, president of AVW TELAV, who has been a member for five years. Ms. Belanger works for Freeman Group, a family-owned company in Texas. "It's been very valuable," said Ms. Belanger who is working on a U.S. acquisition.

"People [in the group] who have had experience in buying U.S.-based companies have been able to provide insight into culture and governmental issues."

However to be effective, the sessions have to deal with successes and failures. "The idea is to share experiences so that a member can save his company from mistakes made by another member," Mr. Goren said, adding if a solution can't be found internally the advisors will then arrange meetings with their contacts.

Each member is required to give a commitment of about three hours a month to their team, at least six hours a year with their executive advisor plus attendance at an annual two-day retreat.

"Everything is driven by the desire to learn and share with each other" Mr. Goren said. PEO also runs about a dozen seminars a year, the most recent on pricing strategies. There are about 100 members -- double that of six years ago -- divided into 10 groups. The members come from three main areas: companies with revenue of less than $5-million; senior executives; and a group of chief executives. It costs $6,000 to $15,000 a year to become a member.

PEO was formed in 1991 by New Zealand native Mark Rivers because he saw first hand that [company] "leaders didn't grow with the growth of the company. Instead they self-destructed.

"Peer advisory learning," became the solution he said, defining that as "people [sitting] around the table sharing their experiences with a bunch of chief executives [who] start to challenge each other.

Mr. Rivers, who also created The 50 Best Managed companies program when he was at Arthur Andersen, argues trauma and peer pressure are the two main sources of change. The 50 Best program was established to recognize excellence in Canadian owned and managed companies with revenue of more than $10-million. The National Post is a partner of the program now.

Mr. Goren, a chartered accountant, president of PEO since 2003, became a member when he co-founded justwhiteshirts. com, one of Canada's first online businesses.

He soon realized PEO had to make changes, including some members. "They were there for the wrong reasons. We are about building relationships and trust and not being economically dependent on each other because [being independent] allows us to be unbiased. We have to be objective."

While Mr. Goren and Mr. Rivers have had some spats, Mr. Goren said his job was made easier because Mr. Rivers allowed him to run the operation.

"Mark was ready to help build out our entire service model which encompasses two other companies Breakthrough Growth [a consulting company] and CEO Capital [a private equity fund.] The timing was right for Mark to relinquish control though it's still his baby like any entrepreneur."

Mr. Rivers agrees: "I am great at connecting the dots and facilitating breakthrough -- running organizations is not really my thing."

Mr. Goren's newest challenge is to double the operation in the next few years. Mr. Rivers said growth will come from three sources: an investment in its sales capability; create opportunities to build relationships and build a long term "succession strategy, where we get the next president" [of a member]. PEO plans to offer short-term trial memberships of three months.

Read original article: http://www.nationalpost.com/Accountable+each+other/3268917/story.html

Three things on Mr. Goren’s mind about the significance of peer networking:

1. Connect: It doesn’t have to feel lonely at the top or near it, the answers are out there, you just need to connect. Build a network of peers who will tell you the truth. Don’t assume that those in leadership roles have all the answers. Presidents and CEOs are not omnipotent. They also wonder what the right decisions might be. But where do you go when you don’t have all the answers? Building connections with a community is one important path. It opens the door to priceless insight and counsel from other knowledgeable, respected leaders. When I first came across the peer environment’s benefits, I was stunned. Later, I invested in the company and became its president, just like the guy in the shaving ad who liked the razor so much he bought the company. I experienced the power of connecting and decided to devote my career to spreading the word about its importance in business.

2. Think: Brainstorming is an essential step in the success of an idea or innovation. An organization must consider all variables and possible situations before putting its plan into action. I have always been the most successful when sitting down and really discussing ideas with those who can offer constructive insights and worthwhile propositions, especially if they are not in my own organization. I strongly advocate meetings in which our members can sit down with other leaders and truly think about their ideas and brainstorm ways to make them happen. Next time you have a great idea that seems too overwhelming to make reality. sit down with a peer and have a think.

3. Grow: Standing in the same place for a long time makes your feet sore. A stagnant career can have even worse side effects. Grow with your company, build on your skills and expand your knowledge base. You can be successful in both your personal life and your career after you connect and think first. The next time a position or project looks far too intimidating, remember to grow. Your community of support will expect no less.

Read original article: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/your-business/grow/leon-goren/article1622674/

Polar Mobile’s World Cup App downloaded by over 265,000 users from BlackBerry App World and served over 26,000,000 page views in 30 days

As Spain beat the Netherlands to win the 2010 FIFA World Cup champion, football fans around the globe turned to Polar Mobile’s WC2010 App on their BlackBerry smartphones to review the nail-biting finish. During the 30 day tournament, Polar Mobile’s WC2010 App - exclusive to BlackBerry – proved to be a top destination to access World Cup events and highlights while on the go

“We are proud that WC2010 was one of the fastest growing and most popular Apps for BlackBerry users during the World Cup”, says Kunal Gupta, Chief Executive Officer for Polar Mobile. “Sports fans demand a killer user experience on their mobile device and we continue to deliver exactly that.”

An in-depth presentation with the performance of the App can be found online
http://www.polarmobile.com/wc2010/release" www.polarmobile.com/wc2010/release.

Here are some of the highlights from the presentation:

• 265,000+ App downloads (subs) in 30 days
• 43% of subs used the App everyday (on average)
• 11 page views per active user per day (on average)
• 15% of users shared the App with a friend by email
• Users in over 50 Countries, top 5 included (in order): US, Indonesia, UK, Canada and South Africa

Powered on Polar’s SMART Platform, the WC2010 App was made exclusive to BlackBerry smartphones and distributed exclusively through BlackBerry App World. The App featured live scores, news, stats, schedules and standings. An easy-to-use interface, fast load time and support in 5 languages (English, French, Italian, German and Spanish) are some of the reasons fans labelled the App as a “must have for soccer fans”.

“This app is the best way to keep up with the WorldCup! It updates quickly, has a very easy user interface, provides detailed info about the games and best of all...its FREE! A must have for soccer fans out there!”, shared one of the sports fans using the App, which received a 4 out of 5 average user rating in BlackBerry App World.

Polar Mobile has a proven track-record within the sports media vertical. With clients including Sports Illustrated, The Hockey News, CBSSports.com and the Toronto Maple Leafs among others, major sports businesses around the world look to Polar to launch compelling mobile products that drive reach, frequency of use and new revenue.

WC2010 is available as a Free App download from BlackBerry App World (search “WC2010” or “Polar”). For more information on Polar Mobile, visit www.polarmobile.com or contact info@polarmobile.com.

Mark Coetzee’s nickname is Mr. Fixit, a moniker that fits him perfectly. The President of Drake International (a global consultancy that focuses on talent management and performance improvement), has spent his career stepping into organizations to uncover the complex and subtle problems that have impeded their success.

“You have to get immersed in a business in order to get to know it,” says Coetzee. “Every business is unique, so you can’t apply a generic set of rules to make things right. You have to get into the trenches, so to speak, to understand what’s happening.”

Spending months within an organization, Coetzee figures out where the problems reside. With an outsiders fresh perspective he discovers organizational pitfalls that others have overlooked or conveniently ignored. Unlike many business consultants though, Coetzee doesn’t just make recommendations and depart: he stays to implement change and manage the turnaround.

A case in point: a UK start-up that after two years had lost $7 million. Asked to step in and help, Mark soon revealed the issues that were having a negative affect on growth. He then introduced changes and led the restructuring of the business. The result: a company losing money and facing an uncertain future went on to earn $90 million in revenues within three years.

A world-class turnaround expert, Coetzee has worked for major organizations in such countries as Canada, the U.S., Australia, South Africa, the United Kingdom, Spain, Europe, and India. He has compiled a number of key rules to help leaders avoid common mistakes. “No matter what field the business is in or where it’s located in the world, I’ve found these common issues everywhere I’ve worked.” His rules are applicable for any company in turnaround mode that has the basic mechanics in place and just needs to determine what parts are not working properly.

Rule #1: Being responsible sometimes means annoying people

The decisions leaders make for the benefit of the entire organization can often annoy managers who are resistant to change and don’t like to be challenged. “You must confront people on your management team who are underperforming and not worry about whether they like you or not,” notes Coetzee “To drive performance improvement in a business you have to be an agitator and ask the difficult questions.”

It’s also important for leaders to elicit feedback from their people. Coetzee recalls working to help turnaround a company that hadn’t made a profit in 20 years. He soon noticed that one of the major problems was a president who had surrounded himself with yes men, a management team that told him whatever he wanted to hear. “Leaders who impose their will on others don’t really want to be challenged,” he says, “and as a result many of the good people who work for them become disenchanted and leave.”

Rule #2: Beware of armchair generals

When he’s working on an organizational turnaround, Coetzee makes a point of not listening to the existing leadership team who, he says, are usually out of touch with what’s happening on the front lines of the business.

As an example, he relates a story about going on a turnaround mission for a Fortune 500 corporation that was concerned about low productivity at its South African operation. He held individual meetings with senior managers of the company, and found himself in the role of confidant. “They proceeded to tell me which managers at the company’s various plants should be fired,” recalls Coetzee. Armed with this information, he flew to meet with one of the managers mentioned.

“When I met with him, this guy told me that no one from head office had come to see him in five years. He had been given directives from afar to bring his numbers up and improve production or his job was on the line,” recalls Coetzee. “The CEO and senior management didn’t have a clue what the situation was at the plant because they hadn’t been there for so long.”

This armchair general approach of issuing orders from a faraway board room led to a culture where managers were afraid to ask for help or guidance in case they were perceived as being weak.

Rule #3: Don’t be buffaloed by experts and elites

Experts, says Coetzee, are management consultants who come into a company and dazzle senior management with their outsiders view of the business. They present pie charts and spreadsheets, and come across as all-knowing gurus. However, their intrusive presence irritates and annoys employees who often resent being told how things can be improved and they may not provide the consultants with accurate information. After their fact-finding mission is complete, the consultants leave with what Coetzee refers to as the “thud strategy”: taking the hefty report they’ve compiled on the business and dropping it with a thud on the CEO’s desk.

“Then they leave you to execute the plan,” says Coetzee. “They haven’t spent enough time with your people, they haven’t lived and breathed your business, so why are you listening to them when they say they can fix things.”
Elites are board members who have strong viewpoints on how the business should be run but don’t do anything constructive to make a difference, says Coetzee. In his opinion, too many companies are afraid to prod board members into taking more active roles in adding value to the business.

Rule #4: Always sweat the small stuff

Coetzee says many leaders after developing their strategy take a hands-off approach when it’s time to implement it. “They may paint a glorious picture of what the business can be, but if they can’t turn that vision into a reality then what have they really achieved,” he says. This doesn’t mean leaders need to become micromanagers; it is still important to delegate and empower others to get the work done. But Coetzee believes they should always be detail oriented and aware of what’s happening on a day-to-day basis at every level of the organization.

Rule #5: You don’t know what you can get away with until you try

“When leaders say things like ‘if it isn’t broke, why should we change it’ they are being arrogant and excusing themselves from taking action,” says Coetzee. In his view leaders need to be aware of the changing realities of doing business and constantly be on the lookout for issues that may be holding their organizations back from achieving greater success.

He illustrates his point with a story about visiting a manufacturing plant in India for a company that was considering outsourcing. The Indian plant had been in business for 50 years, was ISO 9002 certified, and it was rated highly for the quality of its products, yet it was having trouble finding customers. When he toured the shop floor, Coetzee saw the reason why. Workers on the production line were welding without boots, shirts, or helmets. Even worse, rain water was leaking in from numerous holes in the roof.

When Coetzee asked the CEO why he didn’t upgrade the work environment so that he could attract more customers, he was told that the company had always done things that way. In the end, Coetzee didn’t recommend the plant for outsourcing. “You have to be thinking beyond what works,” he says. “Otherwise you won’t take the next step to get ahead.”

Rule #6: Keep looking below the surface
Leaders, says Coetzee, are often afraid to look more closely at how their business operates. They need to be in touch with what is happening throughout the business, at every level, even if they don’t like what they find. “Go and see how your product is created, how it works, how its sold,” says Coetzee. “If you think just because you’re the CEO you don’t need to be involved on an operational level, that’s absolute nonsense.”

Rule #7: Organizational principles don’t accomplish anything – people do

Formulating a vision, mission statement and corporate values is de rigueur for any business these days. What many leaders fail to do, though, is make these concepts simple and easy to understand so that all employees can articulate them. Instead of having consultants come in to craft mission statements, Coetzee suggest leaders should come up with a vision and then involve their people in helping to define it. “Your employees can help you translate your vision into operational terms everyone can understand. After all, these are the people who know the business intimately.”

Rule #8: Death by “sticks and boxes”
To Coetzee organizational charts are “sticks and boxes” that make it appear that the leadership team at the top of the chart are better than everyone else. He recommends using a circle with the leader in the centre and the leadership team around the edge, which, he says, “implies that the centre is there to serve everyone else and that the leaders are much more accessible.”

Rule #9: Never confuse motion with progress
This is what Coetzee refers to as the “rocking chair scenario”, a business constantly in motion but not making any significant gains; seen frequently when new management techniques are introduced such as Kaizen Teams, Quality Circles, Six Sigma, and Lean Manufacturing. Introduced by the leadership team, these techniques mean change for the people who do the work but they are not universally understood.

Coetzee relates a story of visiting an automotive manufacturing plant and asking the workers there what they thought lean manufacturing meant. “They told me they thought it meant the organization was planning to use fewer people to accomplish more,” he recalls. “So they started working three times as hard because they were worried about losing their jobs.” Instead of eliminating waste (the concept of lean manufacturing), quality at the plant suffered because people were working too fast. The lesson, notes Coetzee, is to “beware of fads and stick to a game plan that works best for your business and your people.”

Rule #10: Pace of the race is dictated by the leader

To set the pace that drives the organization, leaders must be aware of what’s going on at every level of the business. Those leaders who have spent time working with their employees on the frontlines, donning a uniform to work in a coffee shop for instance, have gained valuable firsthand insights into the issues and challenges faced by workers.
“Too often leaders feel its beneath them to spend time at the ground level of an organization,” notes Coetzee. “But if you adopt this attitude you lose touch with the business and what it takes to do the job.”

Coetzee recalls spending time at a candy manufacturing plant that was experiencing low productivity and a high turnover of employees. He discovered that the assembly line was too fast and when he mentioned his findings to the CEO, the man was surprised. “He wasn’t aware that over the years a number of production directors had come and gone, and each one had made changes that included speeding up the production cycle time. He was a CEO who had lost sight of the changes on the shop floor.” In the end, the assembly line was slowed down, productivity increased, and employee turnover declined.

Rule #11: Two ‘C’s’ of success: clarity and communication

When communicating their vision, leaders should be clear and concise. If they want buy-in from everyone in the organization, it is imperative that they avoid tentative declarations and ambiguous statements. “Let your people know what the organization is going to do, how it’s going to do it, and by when,” says Coetzee. “Then communicate this information all the time, not just once.”

Rule #12: Procrastination is the thief of all time

Often leaders who know their business is in trouble are afraid to take chances and become paralyzed by indecision. Coetzee believes that leaders should take risks sooner than later. “If statistics say there is only a 40% chance of success a lot of leaders will procrastinate before taking action,” he says. “They’ll wait until the statistics indicate that there is a 70%, 80%, even a 90% chance of success. By then the business has lost momentum and the chance to move ahead of competitors.”

Rule #13: Have fun in your command

“If you’re a leader who wakes up in the morning and doesn’t look forward to going to work, then you need to change jobs,” says Coetzee, who believes that enjoying what you do is of paramount importance. Leaders who truly take pleasure in what they’re doing convey their enthusiasm to those around them and that positive vibe has a ripple effect that permeates the entire organiztion. And postive thinking leaders should always surround themselves with a like-minded management team.

Rule #14: SPI = OD2 + SE

Sustainable Performance Improvement = Organizational Development & Organizational Design + Strategy Execution.

This is Coetzee’s simple formula for fixing a business.

“There isn’t a strategy in the world that can be executed unless you have organizational development and organizational design, which is all about people,” he says. “Do you have the right culture and structure within your organization that inspires people to perform? Do your people have the skills and appropriate training to achieve your organization’s strategic goals? The foundation of sustainable performance improvement relies on everyone playing their part.”

Montreal, QC… AVW-TELAV is pleased to announce that Johanne Bélanger has been named Chief Operating Officer of Freeman’s Audio Visual divisions across North America, effective immediately. Freeman's Audio Visual divisions include Freeman Audio Visual, AVT, and Alford Media in the U.S., as well as AVW-TELAV Audio Visual Solutions and Videoscope in Canada.

No stranger to the AV and presentation technology industry, Ms. Bélanger joined AVW-TELAV and Videoscope as President in 2005. Prior to joining the Freeman family of companies, she spent 14 years developing her multifaceted skill set in a variety of roles, including finance, operations, purchasing, sales and marketing. Ms. Bélanger is a member of the Presidents of Enterprising Organizations (PEO) and currently serves on both InfoComm International’s Board of Directors, as well as that of Tourism Toronto.

“As the industry leader of integrated services for face-to- face marketing and brand-building events, Freeman continues to recognize the integral role that audio visual and presentation technology solutions play in the marketplace,” noted Ms. Bélanger. “I look forward to working with the operations, finance and administration teams in each of the audio visual companies to ensure that we capitalize on each division’s strengths and continue in our strategy of increasing market share and being the audio visual supplier of choice throughout North America.”

Recruitment is underway for an Executive VP, reporting to Ms. Bélanger, to oversee the day-to-day operations in Canada.

AVW-TELAV Audio Visual Solutions offers a complete range of audio visual and presentation technology services throughout North America. These services include audio visual and computer equipment rental, event staging, simultaneous interpretation, digital services including presentation management, audience response, video capture and webcasting, multi-microphone discussion systems, exhibit and tradeshow solutions, press conferences and technical coordination for meetings, conventions, corporate events and trade shows.

AVW-TELAV is also established as an industry leader in system design and integration of permanent audio, visual, and videoconferencing equipment.

AVW-TELAV is one of the Freeman companies. For more information, visit www.avwtelav.com

From recession to recovery - PEO Members meet with Dr. Warren Jestin, Chief Economist with Scotiabank Group for the discussion

Dr. Warren Jestin’s economic outlook for 2010 and beyond

On February25, 2010, Dr. Warren Jestin, Senior Vice-President and Chief Economist with Scotiabank Group shared his annual economic outlook with PEO members. During his distinguished career, Jestin has worked in the Bank of Canada’s Research Department and served on the C.D. Howe Institute’s Monetary Policy Council. He has also been involved with the economic policy committees of the Canadian and Ontario Chambers of Commerce and the Toronto Board of Trade, and he has taught at several Canadian universities.

Coming out of the downturn

Warren Jestin’s economic outlook for Canada is cautiously optimistic. He predicts that this will be a recovery year, followed by a period of expansion in 2011. To some his viewpoint may seem a tad rosy (a reporter for a major daily newspaper in Toronto accused him of being ‘unrealistically optimistic’), but there are indications that the worst is behind us.

Jestin believes we are experiencing an upswing in economic activity and things are going to get better –albeit slowly.
“In the fall of last year more good news stories about the economy began to appear,” says Jestin. “Although there is still a world of bad news out there, we’re starting to see more stories on economic indicators that begin with lines like ‘better than expected’ or ‘sooner than expected’, and that’s going to continue this year.”
The recession in Canada was never as bad as the one the U.S. found itself mired in. Part of the reason for that was our strong banking system, which had been touted as one of the best in the world and lived up to that reputation. Then there was the fact that the federal government and most provincial governments were running surpluses when the recession hit, which better prepared us for weathering the recessionary storm. (Those surpluses are gone now, of course, due to government stimulus spending).

Most Canadian businesses were also in better financial shape than their American counterparts, who had been struggling through a recession that had begun for them in 2007 (our recession really didn’t hit until late in 2008). Another factor that helped soften the impact of the recession in Canada: our strong real estate market, which had largely avoided the sub-prime mortgage fiasco that wreaked havoc in the U.S. housing industry.

At the outset of the recession in Canada, many Canadians were worried that we were in for a rough time because of what was happening south of the border. Plenty of people were uttering the old adage, ‘when the U.S. sneezes Canada catches a cold’. Yet this is an outdated notion that needs to be reexamined, says Jestin. “Canada is now influenced more by what happens globally. When sales of our resources dipped in 2008 and 2009, a major factor pushing us into recession, it was largely due to a decrease in demand from developing countries like India and China.”

Factors leading to recovery

The good news for Canadians is the economy here is showing signs of recovery. There are several factors contributing to the positive news, including a renewed interest in commodities such as oil and natural gas as emerging countries begin to accelerate production again.

How important are commodities to Canada’s financial well being?

Last year they accounted for 47% of total export earnings, 20% of that coming from energy products like oil and natural gas, 13% from mining, 9% from agricultural food products, and 5% from forestry products. If demand increases, they could once again account for over 50% of Canada’s exports.

Inventory counts are playing a part in the recovery as well. Many companies are now doing a much better job of managing their stockpile of products. For example, during the first quarter of 2009 automakers like Ford, GM and Chrysler found themselves with a 130 day supply of vehicles on dealer lots (an average supply before the downturn was 65 days). To scale back inventories, they shut down production. This reduced the supply of vehicles to 30 days by August, and 22 days by the fall.

“Once supply got that low the automakers ramped up production and we began to see a shift in economic activity,” says Jestin. “Just the auto sector alone accounted for a couple of percentage points in growth in the Canadian and U.S. economies in the fourth quarter of last year.”

The federal government’s multi-billion dollar stimulus spending is also fueling economic growth. Since last fall, a large number of the shovel-ready infrastructure projects that were planned to boost the economy have been launched, and there are more rolling out this year. Before many of these projects could get going there was a lot of paperwork to sort out, building permits to secure, companies to hire, etc., but now they are exerting an influence on the economy.

Government spending and better managed inventories in the auto sector won’t drive growth indefinitely, but they are factors that are acting as confidence builders. When people see positive economic activity it improves their outlook. Says Jestin: “As people become more confident, they buy more cars and houses, and businesses become more optimistic and begin expanding. I believe when government spending slows down, there will be enough confidence in the economy to continue the growth.”

Still, Jestin sees a much different world in the future, characterized by a more cautious approach to spending in both the U.S. and Canada.

The economy of the future

With the economy rebounding, expectations will change. People will become concerned about deficits again and demand that something be done about them. No one wants to leave a multi-billion dollar tab for their children and grandchildren to cope with.
The federal government’s latest budget addressed this, stating that the stimulus funding will come to a stop this year, and deficit reduction will begin in 2011 and by 2015 the current $54 billion deficit will be whittled down to $1.2 billion. (Once again, Canada is in a much better position to tackle its deficit than the U.S., where the astronomical $1.6 trillion deficit is a mountain of debt that looms over the economy.)

Another change in the economy will come when interest rates are returned to normal. The historically low rates that Canadians are seeing now are not going to be around much longer. “Our current monetary and fiscal policy is pedal to the metal to encourage growth,” says Jestin. “But as the economy picks up the Bank of Canada will raise short-term interest rates by two percentage points. Long-term interest rates are expected to rise as well, which will mean a variable rate mortgage will rise from zero to three or three and half percentage points.”

Regulation of the financial sector is another factor that will impact on economies around the world in years to come. Governments are introducing legislation to ensure their economies are better prepared for financial upheavals, and this reengineering of how the financial system works will definitely have repercussions. Says Jestin: “Financial institutions will have to hold more capital and take fewer risks when it comes to lending, and that means businesses will have a harder time getting loans and credit.”

The Outlook for Canada

Auto Sector
Times have definitely changed in the auto industry. Growth in production and sales is now happening in emerging nations, with China producing close to 16 million vehicles last year and selling approximately 13 million. In comparison, Canada’s output was just over 2 million, while the U.S. produced approximately 6 million vehicles, and both countries combined sold almost as much as China. “The level of sales in Canada, the U.S. and Japan will remain flat for years to come due to a couple of factors,” says Jestin. “We’re building cars that last longer, and our aging population means that the turnover in cars will be slower.” The biggest markets for vehicle sales are China, India, and Brazil, a trend that will continue for the foreseeable future.

GDP
During 2009, only China, India and Brazil experienced real growth in GDP, while the U.S., Canada, Europe and Japan saw negative growth. Even with the upsurge in demand for commodities like oil and natural gas, emerging countries will still outperform Canada for years to come.

Growth Rate
Jestin predicts that both Canada and the U.S. won’t see growth rates of much more than 2% - 2.5% over the next five years, as both grapple with reducing deficits during a time of slow economic recovery.

Exports and Imports
Canada will see growth in the export of commodities as demand from emerging economies ramps up. Jestin has noted a trend in the demand for lead in China due to the increasing popularity of electric bikes, or e-bikes. There are 120 million people with e-bikes in China, and each bike requires lead batteries.

Inflation & Interest Rates
Jestin sees inflation going up as the economy improves, hovering around 2% or more through this year and 2011. “Longer term interest rates tend to follow expectations of inflation, so we can expect to see those rise as well,” he says. Another factor influencing inflation is the diversification of financial portfolios away from U.S. dollar assets.

The Loonie
During the last 18 months the Canadian dollar has been as high as $1.04 and as low as 77¢. Yet going forward Jestin predicts a stronger loonie compared to the U.S. greenback. The reason: the U.S. government’s mountainous deficit, which has global investors worried. He also believes the U.S. dollar will depreciate against the currencies of emerging countries and countries like Canada that are rich in commodities. With their enormous pools of cash, nations like China and India will also influence exchange rates as they transfer investment money from one country to another.

Canada’s Demographic Time bomb
Canada’s aging population will begin to have an adverse affect on the economy in coming years. “We have a baby boom generation that’s creating a demographic time bomb in social services and health care,” says Jestin. “In Ontario, for example, more than 50% of every tax dollar sent to the provincial government will go toward funding health care by 2013. It’s an issue that may force Canadians to rethink our current health care system.”

Global Financial Imbalance
The world’s financial markets are now more volatile than they’ve ever been before. If emerging countries change their investment strategy it will impact on the economies of both Canada and the U.S., a fundamental shift in the way the world economy works.

Housing
Canadians feel more optimistic than Americans because our recession was caused by a drop in exports, while the Americans are experiencing a recession triggered by a collapse in the housing market and household spending. Borrow to buy will no longer be the mantra in the U.S. housing industry; instead it will be saving to buy. This will be the lasting legacy of the sub-prime debacle, which will also affect credit access for households. Jestin says the U.S. housing market is in for a long recovery phase as foreclosures continue, and won’t see much real improvement until 2013. In Canada, the housing market will begin to feel the effects of an aging population. “Where we build and what we build is going to change. The market for 5,000 square foot homes in the suburbs may not be as large in three or four years,” says Jestin.

Imbalance in Transfer Funds
Jestin points out that Ontario is no longer the economic engine it used to be, but is still being forced to make $20 billion in transfer payments to other provinces. “Ontario’s economy over the next five years is expected to underperform the national average for growth,” he says. “The federal government needs to understand the reality in Canada today is that Ontario no longer leads the country in economic growth, and transfer payments should be adjusted accordingly.”

Skills Shortage
As Canada’s population ages there will be more people leaving the labour force than entering it, which will result in a skills shortage. Jestin says the government should be addressing this issue. “With more competition globally, the government should be focusing on improving the skills of Canadians.”

The Green Economy
The trend toward environmental sustainability will create plenty of job opportunities for businesses offering green products. Jestin sees the greening of the economy as the fastest growing industry in the world over the next 25 years.

In Summary
Says Jestin, “I think the key to success for Canadian businesses in the next five to ten years is to get more comfortable with doing business in unfamiliar markets. It may require more work to enter and compete in an unfamiliar market in an emerging country, for instance, but businesses need to realize we’re not going back to the type of economy we had before the recession. That type of thinking is a losing strategy.”

If you would like to learn more about Scotiabank Group’s economic forecast you can contact Warren at wjestin@bloomberg.net.

Scotiabank Group’s predictions for the Canadian economy in 2010

• Commodities account for 47% of Canada’s exports, a figure that will rise as demand increases in emerging
  countries.
• Inflation will increase as the economy rebounds.
• The Bank of Canada will raise short-term interest rates by 2 percentage points.
• Canada will see growth of 2% - 21/2% over the next five years.
• Federal government stimulus spending is one of the factors that will fuel growth in 2010, helping increase confidence in the economy.

Presidents of Enterprising Organizations Opens Up a Dialogue Online

The business world will be getting a lot more transparent. Presidents of Enterprising Organizations (PEO), a peer-advisory association for the nation’s top business leaders, has started a blog (www.peo.net/blog) to share insights with the business world.

“PEO values the trusted discretion found between the leading executives in our membership,” said Leon Goren, PEO president, whose members embrace the idea that future business success derives from the wisdom and resources of an integrated peer network. “But there are many important issues to discuss that are of public interest and that our network of business leaders can provide a wide range of special insight into.”

PEO is the place for top executives to go for answers, advice and to gain the tools to grow as leaders. Goren, former President of Canadian online success story, Justwhiteshirts.com, is familiar with business success and has assisted many of the country’s top presidents, senior executives and entrepreneurs understand the needs and challenges of excellence in leadership.

The PEO Blog’s first post concerns the 2010 “War for Talent” that has broken out all over the business world. The blog discusses the reality of the situation, and offers tips for business leaders to prevent losing their best staff.

“Today’s headhunters act like silent night raiders” said Goren “They come in after dark, steal your valuable staff, and leave before managers know what hit them.”

PEO will continue to post new blog articles regularly that focus on current business issues, concerns and triumphs. By tapping into the wealth of information among PEO members and leaders the blog intends to provide the business world with information straight from the top.

PEO is a networking space for top business professionals to communicate, learn, and grow as leaders. PEO members lead Canadian and international businesses with annual sales ranging from $500,000 to over $12 billion including recognizable brand names as well as up and coming organizations. The process is a proven success.

More information can be found at www.peo.net.

To arrange an interview opportunity please contact:

Richard Rotman
416-464-2194
rotman-pr@rogers.com

How leaders can recognize and build a defense against stress

When Dr. Dwight Chapin, Clinic Director at High Point Wellness Centre in Mississauga, started his practice one of his first patients was the President of a financial organization. Chapin recognized his patient as a leader who was a high achiever. He also saw a man suffering from painful backaches brought on by excessive stress.

“I treated his muscle spasms with acupuncture. Following his first treatment he sat up abruptly and started to cry,” says Chapin. “He was embarrassed by his emotional release and apologized to me, telling me that his teenage daughter had just been diagnosed with an eating disorder. This family stress was the source of his back pain. The experience taught me a valuable lesson early in my career: that physical pain can often be a manifestation of stress from other sources.”
It was a lesson that stayed with Chapin, and in the 12 years since then he has been helping his patients come to grips with stress – its sources, symptoms and ramifications. He and his team of practitioners have been running corporate wellness programming for such organizations as The Globe & Mail, General Mills Canada Corp., Canada Post Corporation, JTI-Macdonald Corp., Redpath Sugar, and Bell-Creekbank Campus.

Working with some of Canada’s top executives and athletes he has seen firsthand how individuals who have reached the apex of their professions cope with stress. “Stress can provide you with incredible power and capacity when you get it working for you,” says Chapin. “But you can’t harness stress without first understanding and respecting the impact it can have on your health.”
Understanding and recognizing stress

For executives facing the daily pressures of running a business or achieving corporate goals, understanding stress is vitally important. Most business leaders wouldn’t be where they are now without a certain amount of performance-related stress to bolster their determination to take risks and succeed.

Yet when leaders are constantly performing at an elevated level of stress, it can become overwhelming. Under pressure, many tend to ignore the symptoms of chronic stress; attributing the aches and pains and other problems they are experiencing to the aging process. As long as they’re not getting sick and they can continue to function, why worry? Far too many individuals define health as simply the absence of illness or disease.

It’s a mistake, says Chapin, to expect an inevitable decline in health as we age. Lifestyle dictates 80% of how a person over 50 ages, and living with chronic stress day after day without respite can have serious consequences on a person’s health.
“Often leaders have been operating at such a high level of stress for so long they find it hard to relax when they have time off,” notes Chapin. “You need a crowbar to get the Blackberries out of their hands and get them to unwind. Executives can become so used to operating in overdrive that slowing down and relaxing can leave them feeling very anxious.”

You appreciate the importance of downtime more when you understand the physiological changes your body undergoes when faced with a stressful situation. Approximately 1,500 different chemical reactions take place when faced with an acute stress– proteins are secreted, hormones are released, the cardiovascular system ramps up, the stomach and gastro-intestinal function slows down, blood is shunted to certain areas of the body to make you stronger and faster – there are literally hundreds of minute reactions that take place, all carefully orchestrated to help you deal with stress. “You essentially become a superhero version of yourself. Your body chemistry changes as though you are preparing for a physical threat,” says Chapin.

This stress response initiates a heightened physical and psychological performance, which can be highly beneficial. Whether giving a key business presentation or entering a difficult negotiation, the stress response can help us take our performance to the next level. Many leaders and athletes deliberately initiate this reaction for this reason. These individuals have taught themselves to mentally visualize a situation, anticipate what the experience will be like, and then bring on the dramatic rush of the stress response to give them the edge they need. Chapin uses the example of sprinters who acutally run a race in their minds before they line up at the starting line. Strategically tapping into this ability at times when you must be at your best can give you a real advantage in business.

“It takes the body 30 to 60 minutes to revert to its normal state of equilibrium after an episode of stress,” says Chapin. “If the body doesn’t get a chance to relax and return to its normal state before being faced with another stressful situation, a secondary stress response is launched. It’s biological impact is greater as it builds on the first. When the stress response stays on high alert for too long it can become detrimental to your health. Everyone has a breaking point. Chronic stress contributes to diminishing performance, efficiency and health. It’s even worse if you’ve neglected the basics: getting plenty of rest, excersising regularly and eating properly.
Be aware of the underlying sources of stress

Long wait times to access primary care health professionals coupled with procrastination leaves many people reacting to a health crisis because they have missed the early warning signs. Chapin believes, “medical practitioners need to help patients explore the lifestyle practices that may be contributing to an underlying health concern and not just focus on the symptoms.”
Like an iceberg, the underlying causes of stress are mostly hidden. The symptons of stress can be cognitive, emotional, behavioural, relational, even spiritual. Recognizing the early warning signs of stress will help people cope better. For example, you may suffer from headaches (physical), smoke too much (behavioural), get easily upset (emotional), have trouble remembering things (cognitive), feel doubt (spiritual), and have fewer contacts with friends (relational).
“So much of a person’s stress comes from their perception of the situation they are faced with, and if they can control their perception, they can control how the body changes physically,” says Chapin.

Small everyday stresses can have a cummulative effect. Many everyday occurances like your daily commute to work, sitting in front of a computer all day, skipping meals can amplify the stress response. For many people, their working lives are mostly stationary and it causes stress to their nervous systems. Chapin cites one of his clients, The Globe & Mail, as an example. “We set up a clinic for them to deal exclusively with repetitive strain injuries and teach employees how to adjust their workstation to meet their needs and alleviate the physical challenges of sitting at a computer all day.”

Of course, people can be their own worst enemies as well. Much of the chemical stress our bodies undergo is exacerbated by the intake of nicotine, caffeine and alchohol and consumption of processed foods. Chapin stresses the importance of avoiding these stimulants, and taking the time to eat properly. “Many people tend to skip breakfast and/or lunch and don’t drink nearly enough water,” he notes. “As a result, their nervous systems become irritable and their defenses are compromised because they don’t have enough of the building blocks to ensure a healthy body.”

Addressing the issue of stress in the workplace
If leaders are failing to cope with stress themselves, it’s highly likely they are unaware of the signs of stress in their own organizations. Symptoms of sick corporate cultures include poor job satisfaction and morale, high turnover, high absenteeism, and escalating health costs associated with claims management, short and long term disability and drug benefits. Employees who are stressed will end up missing more work due to illness. This has an obviously impact on productivity. The seven most common physical manifestations of stress are: headaches, fatigue, back/shoulder/neck pain, trouble sleeping, digestive trouble, irritability, and high blood pressure. These are the early warning signs of trouble.

When leaders disregard their own stress and that of their employees it makes motivating and inspiring people that much harder,” says Chapin. The corporate culture can become very reactive.

So the first step in addressing stress in the workplace is for leaders to understand what they themselves are going through. They need to understand how their daily routine is influencing their health. For example, not drinking enough water and consuming too much caffeine can dehydrate the body and lead to headaches. These headaches can be debilitating. Many turn to over-the-counter pain medications and more caffeine to battle the headaches that often start increasing in frequency and intensity. This strategy can complicate the headache profile, leading to “rebound headaches” which are the number one cause of headaches and are due directly to the overuse of pain medications and the dehydration. “Headaches are a sign that something is not right. “Find the source of the problem, don’t just treat the symptom,” says Chapin.

Leaders should also take note of the personal and professional traits that have been shown to provide a resilience to stress. Decisiveness is a key trait: the ability to make a decision when faced with a challenge, and to live with the consequences of that decision. A clear sense of purpose and core values (both personal and professional), will help leaders make tough decisions during times of stress. Having a sense of responsibility to the people who work for you, and understanding how your decisions impact on them as the organization undergoes a stressful period, will help you deal with stress. And being flexible will allow you to adapt when the business landscape changes.

Additional resilience traits include being able to take care of yourself; you should be able to recognize stress symptoms and practice prevention. A sense of humour is also important, as is having a social support network of family friends, and colleagues you can call on in times of need. Having the courage to make this call is equally important. Optimism is also a major factor in confronting and overcoming stress.

“Leaders need to recognize their own strengths and weaknesses when it comes to these resilience traits,” says Chapin. “You need to know which ones you’re good at and when you need to call on your support network for assistance. When faced with a stressful event deliberately draw on the particular resilience traits from this list that you possess.”
Chapin points out that those leaders who are optimistic and happy will experience less stress. Research into the science of happiness has shown that individuals who have a positive mindset will experience many health benefits. “The science of happiness is not about being happy all day. It is about controlling your reaction to stress and your perception of your environment.” This control has shown to provide a protection against the toxic effects of chronic stress and allows you to use the stress response to your advantage.

“Building resilience to stress requires understanding the cause of your stress and having the discipline to do something about it,” says Chapin. “You have to become proactive about prevention: eat healthy foods, exercise regularly, and get plenty of rest. You can control stress and make it work for you. After all, you are the CEO of your body.”

If you would like to find out more about stress resilience contact Dr. Chapin at (905) 624-0233 or dchapin@highpointclinic.com.

PEO Member Johanne Bélanger, President, AVW-TELAV is appointed to sit on InfoComm International Board for two more years

Toronto, ON...AVW-TELAV Audio Visual Solutions is pleased to announce that Johanne Bélanger, President, has been appointed to continue serving on InfoComm International's Board of Directors for another two years. InfoComm International is the trade association representing the audio visual and information communications industries worldwide.

Having been elected to serve a one-year term on Infocomm International's 2009 Board of Directors, Bélanger is actively involved in promoting and serving the professional AV communications industry. As President of the largest audio visual company in Canada since 2005, she also serves on the Audio Visual Board of Directors of AVW-TELAV's parent company - Freeman - the leading provider of integrated services for face-to-face marketing and brand building events, including expositions, conventions, corporate events, meetings and exhibit programs.

"The opportunity to sit on the Board of Directors of this international, standard-setting organization for the AV industry for another two years is a leadership role I will continue to take seriously, and I will utilize my areas of expertise in an effort to make a difference," said Johanne Bélanger, President, AVW-TELAV Audio Visual Solutions. "As the leading non-profit association serving the AV industry, InfoComm International shares my objectives and, therefore, is the perfect outlet to lend my voice to."

Established in 1939, InfoComm International has 5,000 members, including manufacturers, systems integrators, dealers and distributors, independent consultants, programmers, rental and staging companies, end-users and multimedia professionals from more than 70 countries. InfoComm International is the leading resource for AV market research and news. Its training and education programs set a standard of excellence for AV professionals.

AVW-TELAV Audio Visual Solutions offers a complete range of audio visual and presentation technology services throughout North America. These services include audio visual and computer equipment rental, event staging, simultaneous interpretation, digital services including presentation management, audience response, video capture and webcasting, multi-microphone discussion systems, exhibit and tradeshow solutions, press conferences and technical coordination for meetings, conventions, corporate events and trade shows.
AVW-TELAV is also established as an industry leader in system design and integration of permanent audio, visual, and videoconferencing equipment.

AVW-TELAV is one of the Freeman companies. For more information, visit www.avwtelav.com.

TORONTO - doug agency inc. has launched a new brand identity
and campaign communication for the Presidents of Enterprising Organizations (PEO), including a new logo design, website and tagline: "Connect. Think. Grow."

PEO facilitates peer advisory learning and development for business leaders who are committed to enhancing leadership and business skills while implementing organizational change.
PEO’s rebranding includes a new logo design/identity, website, with associated collateral and advertising in development. PEO members understand that future business success derives from an integrated, high disclosure peer network’s collective wisdom and resources. The essence of this is perfectly captured in doug agency’s new PEO tagline “Connect. Think. Grow.”

“Our goal was to create a brand identity, campaign communication and website that reinforces PEO’s commitment to its members,” explains Doug Robinson, doug agency inc. founder. “The new identity reflects their continued professional and personal growth in a
professional and smart way.”

“In raising our profile in the market, we wanted someone in our corner to provide us with an objective, unbiased push in the right direction, and we found that someone in doug agency,” says Leon Goren, PEO President. “doug’s strategic tools really helped us distill the essence of what our brand offers, which in turn led to the development of our exciting new visual
identity.”

about doug agency inc.
doug agency is a fast-growing, independent, Canadian-owned brand-building communications company that is devoted to providing outstanding creative brand communication solutions to clients who believe, ‘Great creative builds brands faster.’

doug agency’s client roster includes; Art Gallery of Ontario, B2B Trust, Clover Leaf Seafood L.P, The Coalition for Music Education in Canada, College of Massage Therapists of Ontario, Diamond Estates Wines and Spirits Ltd., Dr. Bernstein Diet & Health Clinics, Feigelsohn & Ethical Investments L.P, Olympus Imaging America Inc., Ontario Ministry of Government Services, Oxfam, Presidents of Enterprising Organizations, PRESTO Fare Card, Smart & Biggar/Fetherstonhaugh LLP, The Worldwide Short Film Festival, and York University.

For further information please visit: www.dougagency.com

about PEO

Now celebrating 15 years of operations, PEO facilitates peer advisory learning and
development for business leaders who are committed to enhancing leadership and business
skills while implementing organizational change. PEO members understand that future
business success derives from an integrated, high disclosure peer network’s collective
wisdom and resources. They lead Canadian and international businesses with annual sales
ranging from $500,000 to over $12 billion with recognizable brand names as well as up and
coming organizations. PEO leaders and organizations have been recognized through
repeated selection as the Best Managed Companies, Entrepreneur of the Year, and Canada’s
Best Employers.

For further information please visit: www.peo.net

For further information, please contact:
Doug Robinson
Founder, Chief Creative Officer
doug agency inc.
(416) 203-3470 x 100
doug@dougagency.com

Leon Goren
President
Presidents of Enterprising Organizations (PEO)
(416)335-5884 x 308
lgoren@peo.net

Doug agency wishes the barcode a happy birthday!

TORONTO - Today, doug agency celebrates the 57th anniversary of the day the bar code was patented – October 7, 1952. We adopted this symbol as our corporate identity when opening our doors seven years ago, as it is our constant reminder that we are in the business of building our clients’ businesses. The classic bar code consists of parallel lines at different widths and spacing, and is on almost every product you can buy that is mass-produced throughout the world today. Every time a purchase is made, companies rely on the bar code to measure their results – the ultimate objective of all work doug agency produces. Google is also celebrating the occasion by replacing their logo with a barcode today.

Happy scanning!

MISSISSAUGA – Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) is pleased to announce a new partnership with ACHIEVEBLUE Corporation for the delivery of the association’s international award-winning performance improvement learning curriculum.

The three-tiered curriculum includes ACTIVE Leadership, VISION and Continuous Improvement and has been used by hundreds of organizations across Canada and around the globe.

“CME is pleased to partner with ACHIEVEBLUE to deliver this valuable curriculum,” says CME President & CEO Jayson Myers. “This partnership will better enable CME to provide organizations the tools they need to achieve results through people. Developing and investing in staff is always a key imperative, but in these times of economic challenge it is more important than ever.”

“We are very excited about this partnership with CME as it allows us to bring this great curriculum to CME members and our clients internationally,” says ACHIEVEBLUE CEO, Mona Mitchell. “ACTIVE Leadership is an element in a powerful, integrated learning curriculum that has been awarded three consecutive American Society for Training & Development (ASTD) Excellence in Practice Awards.

“This curriculum will strengthen our current leadership and culture programs,” Mitchell adds. “We recognize that the core function of leadership is to produce talent at every level of the organization and the addition of ACTIVE Leadership, VISION and Continuous Improvement to our offerings will help us accomplish that.”

Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) is Canada’s leading trade and industry association and the voice of manufacturing and global business in Canada.

The association represents more than 10,000 leading companies nationwide. More than 85% of CME’s members are small and medium-sized enterprises. As Canada’s leading business network, CME, through various initiatives including icosmo.ca and the establishment of the Canadian Manufacturing Coalition, touches more than 100,000 companies from coast to coast, engaged in manufacturing, global business and service-related industries.

CME’s membership network accounts for an estimated 82% of total manufacturing production and 90% of Canada’s exports.

About ACHIEVEBLUE

Working with local, national, and international companies, ACHIEVEBLUE Corporation creates effective, sustainable organizational development and training programs that build commitment and understanding. With a hard won mix of professional expertise, vanguard research, patented training programs, and creative enthusiasm, ACHIEVEBLUE helps companies develop a more strategic way of achieving what every executive wants -- company-wide breakthrough performance!

For more information, contact: Ian Howcroft, CME, 1-800-268-9684 ext. 3256

To learn more about ACHIEVEBLUE™ and other program offerings, contact ACHIEVEBLUE at (416) 236-3005 or visit us on the web at www.achieveblue.com.

Every fall there is some kind of flu going around. But this year it’s a different flu season.
Ontario will provide seasonal flu shots to people aged 65 and over and residents of long-term care homes in October, followed by the H1N1 flu vaccination program for all Ontarians.

Seasonal flu vaccine will be available to the rest of the province following the H1N1 flu vaccination program.

To ensure that you are well prepared and have the information you need to deal with this issue, we recommend that you visit www.ontario.ca/flu