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Let's Talk

VOL. 33, NO. 2

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"The middle of every successful project looks like a disaster."

When Rosabeth Moss Cantor said these famous words she reminded us that after the dreams and hopes for our new project have started to fade, and well before the celebratory results are in, there is the middle.and it usually looks like a disaster.

In the middle there are more day-to-day tasks than brainstorming sessions, more late nights than bright lights and, more mistakes than cupcakes. It is easy to get discouraged and this is the stage at which many important projects tank.

In the middle, it becomes more important than ever to stay focused on the goal; to remind ourselves why we're in this. It is a time for patience and for self-discipline. It is a time to listen and to act; a time to recognize that great accomplishments take a great deal of work.

As CSC is in the midst of vast organizational changes as a result of its Transformation Agenda and Public Service Renewal, how can we make the process easier on ourselves?

Managers

  • Be clear about the final goal and keep the focus there, not on day-to-day problems. Celebrate milestones in the road, not just final victories.
  • Plan some small victories along the road of monumental tasks.
  • Recognize that if people are engaged - they will engage in solutions you might not have imagined. Be open and patient but be wary of being distracted.
  • Breathe. Laugh. Get back at it.

Employees

  • Be patient, every task won't make perfect sense. Some things are part of a larger picture that is only going to be clear later on.
  • Respect your colleagues; they may have other demands and deadlines to juggle. Plan ahead so they can succeed as well as help you.
  • Be flexible. Accept gracefully that there will be mistakes and changes. Even the best plans are not perfect.
  • Breathe. Laugh. Get back at it.
Testimonials

ONTARIO REGION

Dr. Denise Preston , C. Psych., Regional Chief Psychologist (Ontario), Health Services, Ontario Regional Headquarters

As the Regional Chief Psychologist in Ontario, I spend a lot of my time on recruitment activities, which include speaking to faculty and graduate students at universities. This is what I tell them about why I have stayed with CSC for 19 years.

One big attraction is that CSC's offender population is the most challenging, diverse clinical population that exists. There is no other setting where clinicians will experience such a depth and breadth of pathology.

CSC also offers a dynamic, stimulating environment in which to work. At some institutions, it's like working in an emergency room where you are forced to think on your feet, triage people, and do a brief, yet thorough, mental health assessment in order to make any number of urgent recommendations.

A third attraction is that CSC offers plenty of opportunities for variety, change and advancement. There are many opportunities to move between sites, work on projects, sit on committees, go on secondments, or take acting assignments.

Another attraction is that CSC is a research-based organization with a policy framework and standards of practice that provide direction and guidance, promote standardized care throughout the organization, and clarify roles, responsibilities, and accountabilities.

A final attraction is the people. CSC is replete with competent, dedicated, courageous, kind people, and I feel privileged to have worked with many of them.