Leadership is soaring as an eagle through black and grey skies,
swirling through the wind cooled mist.
Clouds overlooking the vastness of green, the new landscape below where I too soar.
- participant, inspired by the poet in residence.
My work is as an innovative consultant, catalyst, and educator dedicated to building collaborative, multicultural relationships supporting personal, professional, and organization effectiveness. www.gingergroup.net. I am dedicated to creating relationships that work – recognizing that any culture is defined and sustained through interpersonal communication, the ways we talk and the ways we treat each other.
In working with organizations over the past 19 years, I have learned: Most problems that leaders identify and want to resolve are actually symptoms of people attempting to keep pace with the changing demands being placed on them and the organization. Such symptoms are generally reflective of larger, organization-wide tension and discord that is often not openly identified or addressed – the silent culture of status quo. Without addressing the current culture context and clarifying what really matters to its members, any efforts to address positive changes are likely to be experienced as little more than over-simplistic band-aids.
I am truly blessed: I do for a living what I enjoy most in the world: helping people discover who they are, what strengths they have and the capacity they can bring to their lives and their organizations. I am dedicated to increasing trust in all of our lives and to improving leadership through better relationships in organizations.
Through my twenty-two years of part time teaching at three post-secondary institutions, I have come to believe that “adult learners learn what adult learners want to learn”. I work hard at making my teaching accessible and interesting. I delight in the continuous learning on my part that comes with teaching.
As part of living a life filled with curiosity, I have done consulting in all sectors all across North America since 1987. As well, I have recently completed a doctorate where the development of generative dialogue, the use of circle and the building of trusting leadership groups were among my foci.
The Nexus Learning Group Inc.
My entire working life has been focused on exploring and developing the possibilities of using our full human potential in one way or another. I am dedicated to strengthening conscious leadership capacity both in myself and others with a particular interest in creating "post heroic' models of leadership.
My work as an organization consultant, both internally or externally, for over 25 years has only served to convince me that there are many opportunities for us to make organizations more human as well as productive places to be.
Most recently I have become involved with a movement called Gather the Women and our mantra locally has become: "Not the old way and not alone!" As I reflect on that wisdom it seems a very fitting frame for the leadership challenges we face in creating our preferred future.
EcoSol Consulting Inc, The Ginger Group Collaborative
I am committed to learning, systems change and deepening our awareness and understanding of who we are ‘being’ in the many roles we play. In collaboration www.gingergroup.net with others, I design processes for leading, communicating, and managing change, transformation and renewal. We apply creative inquiry and support innovative leadership that connects the personal, societal, business, governmental and ecological levels. I work within the context of complexity and an integral approach to help individuals, groups, organizations, and communities shift thinking and build capacity.
I’ve been a senior manager, consultant, educator and facilitator in many contexts, formal and informal, community and organizational engaging with public, private and non-profit organizations at the local, national and international level. I’m involved with several peer learning communities and nurture a rewarding community of practice. I respect and honour the balance and joy that my friends, family and personal interests provide in my life.
Starrboard Enterprises Inc.
Starr McMichael is president of Starrboard Enterprises Inc., an organization offering services in; communications, marketing, work place training, event planning and Corporate Volunteerism coordination. She was formerly executive vice president of The Truffles Group Inc. In the early stages of her career, she held management positions with prominent passenger shipping lines and has coordinated many high profile events ranging in size from 50 to 2,000 attendees. Career highlights include celebrations organized in honour of famous people such as former U.S. President Bill Clinton and former Disney CEO Michael Eisner.
Starr is a past president of the Greater Victoria Film Commission, a designate of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce for Tourism Victoria’s Destination Marketing Committee, and past vice-chair of both Tourism Victoria and the B.C. Restaurant and Food Services Association, Victoria branch. In 2008, she was chair of the Humane Campaign for the Victoria branch SPCA and that same year was named CFAX Community Leader of the Year. Ms. McMichael was chair of the Victoria Hospitals Foundation’s Visions gala from 2004 through 2008. She has been a Victoria Hospitals Foundation board member since 2005 and currently holds the position of Board Chair.
At 47 years old Starr embarked on a journey for longevity combined with fitness while becoming a convert to Susan Van Cadsand’s Pilates training. At 50, Starr is now, an avid bicycle rider, Pilates Boot Camp Instructor and thoroughly enjoys the benefits of a healthy and active lifestyle.