In 2008 I engaged Dave to do my Birkman and develop my personal mission statement. It was thoughtful and introspective work, and from it I got a better understanding of myself and defining my personal mission statement or “what I stand for”. I never imagined how valuable this work was until I took on the role of CEO of the Toronto 2015 Pan & Para Pan Am Games – the largest multi-sport event ever run in Canada, with 51 sports, 10,000 athletes and officials, funded by three levels of Government with a budget of $1.4 Billion. It was a complex project, and even more complex stakeholder environment.
After four years as CEO, the political winds changed in Ontario, and my Chairman was replaced by a politician. It was then I saw the value of my mission statement, and the grounding it gave me. When I was asked to do things to people for short term political gain my answer was easy – it was a violation of what I stood for, regardless of the consequences to me. My mission statement may have been created in the quiet introspection of 2008, but it was invaluable when things really got hot in the fall of 2013! I recommend Dave to all executives striving to be better leaders.
