Ian Cook

Building Best Bosses

Ian Cook, is Principal of a consulting firm that specializes in leadership development and team building. Since 1988, following seventeen years of corporate experience in both the high tech manufacturing and transportation industries, he has been working with managers who want to increase their effectiveness as leaders and build teams. He is author of Sharpen Your Leadership Game - 8 Solid, Practical Strategies for Managing People.

Ian holds a Bachelor of Commerce from McGill University and a Masters degree in the field of Human Resources Management from Cornell. As well, he has been a lecturer in the Faculty of Business of Ryerson University. He earned a three-year Diploma in Gestalt Theory and Methodology from the Gestalt Institute of Toronto which has greatly deepened his ability to achieve results for his clients as a facilitator and executive coach.

In his keynotes, leadership development programs and executive coaching, Ian's advice to management is both thought provoking and practical. While he speaks with passion, his message is clear: "Superior results occur when individual employees accept personal accountability for their own goals, priorities, performance, attitudes and how they choose to work with others. And, while it is mostly up to the individual to find job satisfaction, managers can adopt proven leadership approaches to create an environment where people choose to excel."

His client list includes some of the largest corporations in the private sector, major trade and professional associations, small business, government, and not-for-profit organizations.

For his community involvement, Ian serves on the Board of Leadership Fairfax and has been Chair of the Program Committee for this community leadership organization.

Topics:

How to Close the "Leadership Deal" - Converting Employee Motivation into Performance
Do you have an employee who just doesn't put out the effort to do even a satisfactory job? In fact, maybe he (she) was once a positive contributor but now has lost the spark for doing good work. You know he has the ability to do the job. You have tried everything to motivate this individual. This is not a skill problem. It's a will problem and a lack of motivation. It's a dilemma every manager encounters: how can you motivate someone who doesn't know what he/she wants. Drawing on lessons from good closers in sales, Ian shows how to challenge your employees to:
- Figure out what they want from their job
- Take responsibility for their job satisfaction AND their performance
- Transform their attitude about their job from "have to" to "want to"
Build "Best Bosses" - The Key to Developing Extraordinary Leaders
For years we have been hearing about how important it is to grow "effective" leaders. Some managers clearly do excel as leaders. They bring out the very best in their employees. But the reality is that most units are headed up by well meaning, dedicated, hard working, yet uninspiring individuals. And, all too often, unit results fall well short of what they could be. It doesn't have to be this way! Find out how to:
- Upgrade your managers' current internal "operating systems" to "leadership 2.0."
- Address the beliefs and assumptions - not just skills - that determine a leader's actions
- Make new leadership behaviors "stick" back on the job
You Can Be Their "Best Boss Ever" - What to Do and How to Show Up
Do you remember what it was like working for the best boss you've ever had? You probably worked harder for this individual than you have for anyone else, before or since. You most likely contributed extra effort, enthusiasm and creativity to your job. And you felt really good about yourself. Now you are the manager. Would your staff say that you are their "best boss ever?" Would you like them to? Are you ready to make a difference as a leader... or is it more important to keep yourself safe, secure, and liked by everybody?
Ian challenges you to transform yourself into a superb leader and lays out how you can go about it.
Is This a "No" I See Before Me?
This fun and interactive session combines the wisdom of Gestalt psychology and the martial art of Aikkido to treat resistance as a most natural human phenomenon, one that you must first understand from a psychological perspective.
Learn a six-step approach to eliminate or, at least reduce, the other person's opposition to your idea or direction, while you minimize your frustration and stress, respect them and their point of view, and maintain your position (when justified) with integrity and assertiveness
(NOTE - This is a shorter, audience involving, presentation, ideal for a 20-30 minute time slot.)

References:

"I also know we will experience long term positive results for our business based on this program. Again thank you for presenting the highest quality program that delivered results for our High Potential employees. I look forward to working with you again next year." RealNetworks

"Ian Cook's ability to sift through business and learning needs in a concise and focused fashion coupled with his natural leadership and coaching ability lended to a meaningful, purposeful and actionable learning event for about 50 of our leaders. To this day many of our leaders apply the coaching and leadership principles introduced in the workshop." Alcon Canada

"Ian helped to de-mystify the art of leading people and provided useful, applicable skills for real managers in real situations. He masterfully blended theory and practice and always delivered his message with a high degree of enthusiasm and professionalism."The Federal Judicial Center

"It is with great pleasure that I write to thank you for the excellent work that you have provided to our association over the past 18 years. Your professionalism and manner in which you conducted the various sessions with our members has been noted by many as leading to the success of each of those events. In addition, the outcome of the strategic planning sessions has led to the unprecedented success of our association." Wood Preservation Canada

"I just want to commend you for the high caliber of delivery you have exhibited in all of the "Manager as Coach" sessions. This program was targeted at the very top leaders and managers, 1800 in all, across all ministries of the Ontario Government. Add to this the fact that this is the very first mandatory program for the Senior Management Group. On all accounts you have exceeded our expectations. You have consistently scored 4's and 5's out of 5, with glowing comments received from what can be a very critical audience." Government of Ontario's Centre for Leadership and Learning

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Ian Cook

Building Best Bosses

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