Message from CEO Fraser Wilson
'Dream big dreams and live significant lives for 2005'
Thursday, December 23, 2004
In October 2002 I had the opportunity to attend a 'Power Within' seminar with 15 of my colleagues in Toronto. It was there that I was introduced to Robin Sharma as one of 7,000 participants. Robin was one of seven keynote speakers that day. He was the one speaker that truly captured my heart - the only one that I believe had resonance beyond that inspirational day, encouraging me to reflect on my life, my leadership and to be the light that others follow.

As a result of my first encounter with Robin, reading his books and living his teachings, I have changed my life. I have changed my perspective. I look for the good in others, I dream of possibility and potential and I believe at my inner core that we can accomplish incredible things by engaging the hearts and minds of our whole organization. I am a better leader, husband, dad and human being because of Robin.

The Elite Performance Series (EPS) with Robin Sharma:

My hope for our managers and the organization is that Robin's teachings bring us closer to living our vision -- "to demonstrate the full potential of the collaborative human spirit." My hope for our managers is that they have the opportunity to live their best life, change their perspective and become all that they can be.

The EPS experience encourages leaders to open and engage their hearts and minds and show them a new realm of possibility and potential. It teaches that in order to lead people, they themselves have to do the inner work, to lead themselves towards a better, more fulfilled life before they can lead their people.

I believe that Robin will help each of us become better leaders of people. In his words "to lead is to inspire, energize and influence. Leadership is not about managing things but about developing people.Leadership is about helping people liberate the fullness of their talent."

We had to decide whether to enroll a handful of managers or all 120 managers in the EPS program. As with our other education initiatives, we elected to provide all of our managers with this life-changing experience. With 1,500 employees and 120 managers, we believe that we can make real and tangible progress with a 1:12 ratio of leaders to people.

With this in mind we realize that our managers have great influence on our people. It is their optimism, energy and aspirations that determine how high their people can fly. As leaders of people it is my hope that their time with Robin will give them the energy, tools and beliefs to soar with their people.

The EPS experience: Not simply a feel good session.

I can say with confidence that the EPS experience was a 'wow' factor for many of our people.

The education itself was unlike anything else our people had ever experienced. Robin was engaging, personable and thought-provoking. He kept the attention of our people for 16 hours. He challenged us to identify the fears and limiting beliefs that hold us back in life and in leadership.

Where this program was truly exceptional was the way in which it provoked the emotional energy of our people. Robin captured the hearts and souls of our people. It is this emotional engagement that is the true motivator of the human spirit - engagement that stirs our people into action and makes substantive change in their personal and professional lives.

Although some of Robin's teaching techniques made some participants uncomfortable, all agree that the core messages of optimism, wholehearted leadership and perseverance will allow OMNI and its people to live greater, more fulfilled lives.

As testament to the success of EPS, I have received an abundance of thank-you cards. The significance of these cards is the personal reflections that the EPS experience caused for them and the awakening of inner feelings that have been left dormant for years. Our people have left the training feeling empowered to embrace life, confront their fears and enable their people to do more and be more. They are changing their perspective. Looking for the good in others and the work they do.

Our management teams have renewed synergy, cohesion and trust. There is energetic dialogue on how they can better lead, get beyond the day-to-day tasks and inspire, encourage and acknowledge their people.

Elite Performance Series Advanced (EPS Advanced):

One of our greatest challenges with education is to ensure its implementation. With planned weekly e-mails, monthly conference calls and quarterly refresher training with Robin, the EPS Advanced will provide us with a comprehensive and timely mechanism that will ensure our managers lead with greater passion, tap the intellectual capacity of our people and move the organization towards our compelling cause. The EPS Advanced will ensure the necessary change in the behaviour and leadership dynamics that will drive our whole organization "to demonstrate the full potential of the collaborative human spirit."

I am convinced that any organization that believes in its people and is committed to an empowered and enlightened way to capture their hearts and minds will reach new heights of creativity, passion and purpose.

I encourage everyone to dream big dreams and live significant lives for 2005 will be the year we unleash our reigns to a new lighter, brighter path in life and love.