#values

Boundaries: Fight back against the slippery slope

May 10, 2019
3 min

Boundaries: Fight back against the slippery slope

As women entrepreneurs - as humans really – we are constantly setting boundaries around what is and is not okay in our lives. For many of us – especially those of us who have chosen to be our own bosses – one of the boundaries we’ve set for ourselves is that we want to be in control of our future. We don’t want others to be able to cap our earnings, or shape our life, based on what they see as being important or relevant. We want to control how we live our lives, how we run o

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A lesson in being present: Sweet Georgia Brown

Angie McLeod

May 3, 2019
3 min

A lesson in being present: Sweet Georgia Brown

I like to pride myself on being self-aware, of being grateful, and of being present in the moment. However, while I would like to say this, I know it isn’t alwaystrue. I have ritual I go through most mornings. Meditation. Yoga. Gratitude. And then my day begins by determining what I need to do today, what can wait until tomorrow, and what I may need to connect with someone else on. This ritual is how I ground myself at the beginning of each day. And the points on my to-do lis

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Angie McLeod

Sep 17, 2018
2 min

Plan to Engage: Don’t engage to plan

Consistent and varied community engagement is key. Recently I wrote an article about the importance of non-profits building strong relationships with stakeholders and the community as a whole to achieve organizational goals. In this article, I alluded to the fact that many non-profits avoid “asking” their stakeholders and community for help—even though it strengthens community connections. In the past I’ve facilitated engagement processes where the non-profit leader has been

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The value of a friend... and a cup of tea.

Angie McLeod

Jul 31, 2017
2 min

The value of a friend... and a cup of tea.

You’ve got to have friends. Being a leader in business—whether you run a non-profit or a small business, can be lonely. You have a lot of responsibility. Limited time. Competing demands. Something has to give. For many of us, what gives is our social life. We are so busy managing our daily to-do lists, ensuring everything around us has what they need, that we run out of steam by the end of the day. At least that is the way things work for me. I recently had a good friend (and

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Angie McLeod

Jun 7, 2017
2 min

Hugs, not handshakes

Networking is an essential part of building a strong business. Or so the story has gone for decades. Get out there. Meet people. Identify needs. Solve problems. Build business. But is it working? I attend a lot of networking events. I connect with people. I ask questions, learn about someone’s business and product, and find out what drives them. I shake a lot of hands. They, in turn, inquire about what it is I do. Sometimes we connect. Sometimes we don’t. And while a small pe

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Angie McLeod

Jun 2, 2017
3 min

A sense of belonging—in business

As a community developer, I’ve long known how important is to feel like we belong: that we have a tribe of likeminded individuals in our corner; that we have a “support network” upon which we can rely should things get tough. When we feel like we belong, we are healthier and stronger, and lead longer lives. Of course, this applies in our daily lives at home. But how much does this sense of belonging impact us when it comes to business? If you’ve been reading my blog posts of

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Why we all win with collective intelligence

Angie McLeod

May 16, 2017
2 min

Why we all win with collective intelligence

I’m learning a lot of new terms of late. And today I found a term that really resonated with me: collective intelligence. Why does this resonate with me so strongly? Because I’ve seen it in action. Only in my world, I’ve called it collective wisdom or peer power. It is the process of sharing ideas, perspectives, and knowledge through conversation. It’s where the brains of multiple people meet to a share, discover, and develop ideas. Not every conversation reaches this place.

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Why Powerful Honesty Doesn’t Have to be Scary

Angie McLeod

Apr 30, 2017
2 min

Why Powerful Honesty Doesn’t Have to be Scary

In honour of National Honesty Day on April 30th, I want to explore the importance of honesty and caring in the conversations that we have a on a day-to-day basis. We all know that honest conversations are the cornerstone of great relationships. However, sometimes it is difficult to be truly honest: it requires that we open ourselves up to be vulnerable. And who wants to do that? But what if we could have an open, honest conversation—one where we presented our vulnerabilities—

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Angie McLeod

Apr 13, 2017
2 min

The view from here

As I write this I am sitting in White Rock on a nice spring day (considering the weather we’ve had) enjoying some fresh air. It’s been a long winter of rain, snow, and being cooped up in my basement office. It’s nice to get some new scenery … to change the view that I gaze at as I work at my computer. From here, I glance at the boardwalk and the seaside walk. The song “Jump” by Van Halen is blasting from a nearby restaurant. Couples and groups are walking by talking and giggl

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International Women’s Day: Be Bold for Change!

Angie McLeod

Mar 2, 2017
1 min

International Women’s Day: Be Bold for Change!

March 8th marks International Women’s Day. This year’s theme is #beboldforchange. Women around the world are striving together to forge a better world – a more gender-equal, inclusive world. This campaign has five streams that you can pledge to support or be active in: Challenge biases and inequality Campaign against violence Forge women’s advancement Celebrate women’s achievements Champion women’s education Which one will you choose? Use the social media hashtag to #beboldfo

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Growing Literacy. Strengthening our community.

Angie McLeod

Jan 9, 2017
2 min

Growing Literacy. Strengthening our community.

I know when you read the term literacy, you mind automatically goes to reading and writing. And that is a part of literacy, but it’s not the whole. One of the things that I love about the local Literacy group – and their partners – is that they are looking at literacy from a holistic perspective and how literacy can improve the lives of local residents. In their minds literacy isn’t just about the ABC’s and the 123’s; it also about knowing how to use a computer or your smar

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Angie McLeod

Sep 8, 2016
3 min

Grumbling tummies and learning…

I have long been a proponent of the power of food in creating connections, opening up doors, and breaking down barriers. Food is a natural connector. Food is a shared basic need required to survive and thrive. Food is the natural common denominator that helps us bond with each other. For me, food is a necessary ingredient at all of my events. It helps to put individuals at ease and it provides an easy topic of conversation: who made this wonderful dish? can I have the reci

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Angie McLeod

Aug 9, 2016
2 min

Is opting out ever the answer?

I recently made a promise to myself … I promised not to “opt out” and take the easy road when it came to developing my business and moving ahead towards my personal and professional goals. I promised not to “opt out” just because I was faced with having to stretch my comfort zone to move up to the next level; and, because my actions are not bringing results to me as quickly as I’d like (even though my progress is aligned with my five year plan!). Let me explain what I mean by

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Angie McLeod

HIP Strategic Consulting

Review > Revise > Revitalize