February 2007

We continue to drive the theme in February 2007 that gives rise to Champions of Business in Greater Edmonton.  Business people like the alpha female, Eva Mah. Her rep as a serial entrepreneur started about 30 years ago in the field of interior design and facilities management before she scored the sale of her company to local engineering success story, Stantec. Mah’s next strategic move was into the area of biotechnology where she co-founded CardioMetabolics which she spun out from the University of Alberta.  This month, Mah spun her way onto the front cover of Edmontonians.   Her intrepid rise in commerce made us think of how women typically make out in the boardroom—traditionally, a male dominated arena. So, we asked Edmontonians Transformers to dwell on the topic of boardroom performance. The common denominator underscoring their analysis of women who generally use 30 percent more words than men is this: shut up and listen more.  Edmontonians Transformers — four individuals recognized for being at the top of their respective games in performance, conflict management, and executive muscle—include Tom Bradshaw, Les Brost, Steffany Hanlen, and Colin Williamsen.  Global Television’s spot introducing the Transformers starts airing February 16^th. The Transformers are joined again this month by Don Hill, a ‘thought leader’ from the Banff Centre. Hill interviewed 50 leaders for a new CKUA Radio Network series about leadership in the 21^st Century that started airing January 20. We are fortunate, indeed, to have Mr. Hill convey his thoughts for readers of Edmontonians.

From the Publisher                                               Edmontonians Publisher Sharon MacLean

News flash!  Edmontonians Transformers will be introduced this month by Rob Hislop to viewers of City TV on Breakfast Television. Think reality show for the makeover of entrepreneurs and decision makers of Greater Edmonton. Don’t miss it starting Thursday, February 15 and 16 on City TV.  

Erin Rayner returns with her column titled my Espace for young entrepreneurs. Rayner introduces Steven Teeuwsen, 25, to the publishing scene and talks about her favourite coffee shops to carry on meetings for those who don’t yet have oak-paneled boardrooms to entertain business clients. 

Yes, it’s time! Nominate your favourite Sizzling Twenty under 30 for 2007. See Bruce Kirkwood’s television spot also airing this month on Global Television

Port Alberta:  an intriguing ring says Cheryl Lockhart of Glen Vanstone’s take on the Edmonton International Airport to act as a hub for North America cargo movements. All of those widgets being produced in China and the rest of the Asia Pacific have to be unpacked and repackaged for North American distribution somewhere, and local authorities want that somewhere to be Edmonton.  Lockhart isn’t easily convinced by development authorities boasting “strategic” locations on a major trade route; every country vying for foreign investment does it. Nonetheless, Vanstone makes a persuasive case and Cheryl tells you why. 

David Norwood thinks the Edmonton Economic Development Authority scored a coup in securing New York Times columnist Paul Krugman as the keynote speaker for its annual luncheon on March 21. The award-winning and controversial author is professor of economics and international affairs at Princeton University. In Edmonton, Krugman’s keynote address will discuss economic and political trends and issues of global significance, and offer insights as to how they may impact Canada and Alberta. 

This Month: Lady in Red * Transformers 

Lady in Red

By Kris Hodgson

Eva Mah is a woman who epitomizes the road less traveled. 

While she doesn’t think of herself as someone who has done anything extraordinary with her life, there is much to learn from this successful Edmonton  business woman.

“You need passion in everything you do. You need to start and sustain, and when you reach your personal goals, it’s time to move on.”

Her love of knowledge has never ceased, and with four extremely successful careers behind her, she shows no signs of kicking back. Eva is already looking forward to her next challenge.

“It’s not in my nature to settle down. One of these days, I will.”

Eva calls Terwillegar home; her backyard provides a magnificent view of the River Valley stretching out from her back door. She lives with her husband Frank Borsato and her excitable eight-year-old dog, Bogart, a Kerry Blue terrier. A grand piano nestled in her living room is a tribute to her musical upbringing, while artworks adorn the walls of her home. With every piece of art, there is a story—and Eva has lots to tell.

For the success she has had in life, half of her fortune has been seeing a great opportunity when it presents itself. Her residence is one of those examples. She purchased it when the economy turned; her only regret is not buying more neighbouring property.

A CURIOUS LADY

Eva was born and raised in Red Deer, the second child of five. Growing up in Alberta always held new adventures for Eva and her curiosity always guided her.  Before she reached the age of six, she wondered why her father, Sidney, left everyday. Instead of asking her dad where he went, she decided to explore on her own.

So one day, little Eva hid in the backseat of his car under a blanket and, when he arrived at his first stop, she burst out and yelled at the top of her lungs, “Surprise!” That first stop ended up being her grandfather’s dry-cleaning business where she was put to work sweeping the floors and folding the linen, learning what it took to make a living. For that first day of work, grandfather Willie Yet Mah gave her a silver dollar—a prized possession she still has today. Her hardworking nature and entrepreneurial spirit are not an accident.

Eva’s grandfather believed Canada was the best place to live and he made it that way for his family. The senior Mah operated Red Deer Laundry and Cleaners for 25 years, owned a bowling alley and a pool room, and partnered with his children in the Michener Hill store.

“To my relatives, it was important that they all wanted to succeed and give back to the community.”

Sidney also wanted to succeed and he had many pursuits including restaurants, real estate, wholesale, retail, and even cattle farming.

“Dad used to say that one needs to take a risk in order to succeed.”

Hard work has been the foundation of Eva’s life. After finishing high school, she attended the University of Manitoba—a last minute surprise to her mother Margaret who had already enrolled her in classes at the University of Alberta. Eva studied interior design in the faculty of architecture, and it was at the U of M she met her husband. After completing her degree in the 1970s, she returned to Edmonton where she honed her skills on government facility projects and in the commercial buildings sector for a number of years. A quick learner, she was quickly moved through the senior ranks.

In 1985, Eva’s entrepreneurial spirit kicked in and she started Envirocorp Ltd. Her company provided facilities design and project management services to various clients including Xerox, Pepsi, Oxford and Stantec. When it was purchased by Stantec four years later, she remained as a principal for 10 years.

Her father’s death following cardiac surgery inspired her to help future patients. Eva created and co-founded CardioMetabolics Inc., which holds worldwide exclusive rights to technologies licensed from the University of Alberta. CMI was recently awarded the US FDA Phase III international, multi-centre clinical trial for a cost-effective drug called DCA (Dichloracetate) that treats cardiovascular and diabetic diseases for elderly patients requiring heart surgery. Although no longer president and CEO, Eva proudly pointed out a January news release announcing that DCA showed promise as a “breakthrough drug for the treatment of cancer”—specifically for patients requiring chemotherapy.

Her passion in the healthcare field continues as she sits on the Caritas board of directors. She is also currently president and CEO of Intellectual Capital Corporation Inc. that provides business and management consulting services. It positions, applies and transitions emerging intellectual property into commercially viable industry products. ICCI provides business analysis and planning services to private and institutional biotech and technology clients, consults on land development initiatives, and offers project management services to international corporations. 

FRONT-AND-CENTRE

Early on, Eva was picked out of crowds. She was chosen to present flowers to the late Prime Minister John Diefenbaker’s wife. She studied piano intently winning awards, “when I wanted to.”

While pursing her MBA at Queen’s, it was no mistake that Eva got handpicked from her class to write a paper her professor thought would be the most challenging. She tackled Transference of Wealth in the Global Economy: The Role of Canada’s Foreign Policy, with ease. Hugh Segal, her professor and recently Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s national co-chair of the Conservative Party campaign in the 2006 election, marked her paper with distinction.

Eva has earned various awards—including the Alberta Centennial Medal—and accolades for projects. She has attracted international clients to the City of Champions when they were swaying toward centres like Calgary, Vancouver and Toronto.

“I credit the people who worked with me. They went to the nth hour for me.”

When she headed-up Envirocorp, Stantec was impressed that she discovered a project to bid on mere days before the closing date, but she still won it. This led to the eventual takeover of her company by Stantec in 1989.

As an architect with Stantec, Eva worked on revitalization projects like Centre High: an out-of-the-box project for the Edmonton Public School Board. The success she saw in revamping that building was recognized in the first semester. “The kids thought it was cool and hip. They didn’t think they were in an institution.”

The first time she visited Beijing as an adult, Chinese businessmen looked at Eva, a second generation Chinese immigrant from Canada who couldn’t speak Mandarin, and they didn’t know what to think. “They couldn’t figure out what I was!” she says laughing. “I didn’t fit the mold.”

Eva has made many tough decisions, but she has always felt she made the right decision. Her father inspired her to always be ethical.

“As long as you do right, then you can sleep nights with a clean mind and a clear heart.”

To her peers today, Eva is known as having the aptitude to pushing the envelope because she knows there is more than one way to climb a mountain.

“If you take the well-traveled path, you always know what you are going to expect. If you take the path less traveled, you get both good and bad surprises along the way, but that’s the way you learn.”

Giving back… A partial list of Eva Mah’s volunteer involvement 

Caritas Health Group Board director, 2003 to present Trustee, 2005 to present

Alberta Art Gallery Member, Campaign Committee, 2006 to present 

La Soiree Gastronomique Co-chair, 2006 

NAIT SS Benefit Gala Chair, 2003 

Economic Development Edmonton - Greater Edmonton Investor Forum & Conference member, steering committee, finance and investor forum for the knowledge based industry, 2001 

Alberta Association of Architects (AAA) Councillor/LID representative, 2000; NAIT Foundation board member, 2000

Alberta Economic Development Advisor, Provincial Task Force for International Consortia Architecture & Engineering & Construction (AEC), 1996

China Canada Business Association  Board Director, 1993 to 1996 cultural event chair, inaugural Autumn Moon Festival

The Old boys’ club - By Steffany Hanlen

The Old Boys’ Network. I know that one—intimately. I spent 15 years working in a very male-dominated field called the NHL. Amongst all the jockstraps and five o’clock shadows, there seemed to be little room for a woman here. If I had ever taken issue with any of the Old Boys, I would never have lasted as long as I did. There were times when they didn’t even know they were the Old Boys… in fact, they would be offended if they overheard someone call them that. One of the most important things I learned in order to exist and be successful in a male-dominated field was to acknowledge that it was a male-dominated field.

Instead of trying to squeeze in, I focused on becoming the best in the world at what I did. I studied, trained and practiced my craft; I attended team meetings and get-togethers only when and where I was invited. I was polite and respectful of the Old Boys’ space. I became more interested in them and what they were doing. For the most part, I kept my mouth shut until I was sure I had something of value to say. I lasted nine years with the Oilers’ with this thought process.

Male hockey players do most of their talking on the ice. Take them away from the rink and you’ll quickly realize they are short on words. This is not meant as criticism, but instead as scientific fact. Men, on average, use about six to 7, 000 words daily while women use over 20,000. If I wanted anyone to listen to what I had to say—to have my words ring with more impact—I needed to learn to speak more concisely. I’m not saying all men are quiet or all women are chatter-boxes. My point is that if I wanted to be heard and understood, I needed first to listen and next to understand. The same lesson would be true, I assume, for a man in a female-dominated business.

Neuro linguistic programming (NLP) is a fascinating study of communication and human behaviour. The number one pre-supposition of NLP is “that everyone is doing the best they can” and the next one is that “we experience life through our own model of the world.” Ergo, if I could see the model of the world that exists for others, or try to understand how they saw something (for example, the players and staff of the teams I was working for)… and if I could truly see and believe they were all doing the best they could, then nothing they could do or say could hurt or exclude me. I began to realize that no one was out to get me and, if I stayed true to my values, I was always more than welcome to participate and be included in whatever I wanted. It was when I had expectations about being included, or made assumptions about how things should be, that I got shot down.

Human nature tends to lead us to tell “our stories” when we meet someone new. We share experiences with each other. It allows us to quickly determine commonalities or differences in status, education and even values. However, such a conversation is steeped in judgment whether we know it or not. This is not bad or wrong. Judgment is just one of the filter systems we use to decide if we are comfortable with another person or feel safe in a situation. We consciously or unconsciously size each other up almost like predators circling prey.

In business, this instinctive quality can kick in and important decisions can be made on first impressions. As a woman in a male-dominated business, I realized this kind of judgment can create insecurity, panic and even feel like professional suicide. We keep talking when we should be listening… or try to change who we are, inside or outside, just to fit in. Most of us generally don’t want to hang out or do business with anyone who is not who they say they are. In my coaching business I call this, ‘the-trying-too-hard-guy’ syndrome. Those “guys”—male or female—who are trying way too hard to impress, shamelessly pushing or promoting themselves, trying to attain more and more external goals only to impress, often push people away. 

I am often impressed with the strength and commitment of women entrepreneurs and executives. But, it surprises and saddens me to hear that so many of them feel something is still missing despite their success.  Trust me, there is nothing missing.

Take this time to reflect on who you are. Then the what you do and the how you do it will unfold. The barriers of that old belief system, your perceptions and that silly glass ceiling associated with the Old Boys’ Network will be shattered… but only if you are true to yourself.  Surround yourself with other powerful women. Learn to trust yourself and each other. And stop talking when it is time to stop talking. You really have nothing to prove.

Steffany Hanlen is a personal performance coach who conducts “The Champion Seminars.” Contact shanlen@edmontonians.com

Listen Up By Les Brost

Discord in the boardroom: it all starts with improving listening skills. It is not an accident the Creator gave us two ears and one mouth. Heck, cave men and women probably used their ears in more sophisticated ways than we do today. 

That’s why we need to hear before being heard. When we listen before speaking, we build empathy with others. Listening to what is really being said is a key conflict management skill—and it’s darn hard work.

What is listening? It’s not a simple question. We hear music played in the background as we work… but are we really listening? The act of listening involves not only our ears, but also our eyes, head and heart.

Effective listening—I call it “power listening”—requires us to be present for other people, and to set aside our desire to speak in the interest of hearing and understanding others. That’s not easy, as most of us have been struggling to be heard since we were pups.

A practice technique that I use is to imagine that a particular conversation is the last one I will ever have, and I want to savour the total communication experience of that conversation. That means that I must listen intently—powerfully—to the other person, giving my full attention to their words and body language. I can’t be framing a response to their remarks or thinking about their mistakes in fact or logic. My only job is to pay attention to their message. Try this exercise with someone you trust. You will find that you have powers of observation that you haven’t been using.

How do you complete the communication loop and let people know that they have been heard? I use the paraphrase, a powerful listening tool. Here is how it works: When the person to whom you have been listening is finished speaking, give that person an accurate paraphrase of their comments. It is important that you not “play back” a verbatim transcript. Put their words in your words. When you are finished; ask them; “Have I got it?” If you haven’t, incorporate changes until you do.

Always focus on facts and check out assumptions. A surmise or hunch or educated guess is just an assumption. Remember: You only know what you know. Many of us struggle to set aside our assumptions—like thinking “Bob is always criticizing my ideas because he wants me to look bad in front of the other directors.” If we listen with power, we might hear what Bob is really saying, and realize that this time, Bob is building on our ideas.

So how do we check out our assumptions? We use another powerful tool in the conflict manager’s toolkit: questions. As another key element of conflict management, they are the keys that open the door of understanding. Asking good questions is a powerful way to build your own understanding of the expectations, beliefs and priorities of others. They help you to understand the common and diverging interests at play within the room. Use open-ended questions that probe for information. “Help me to understand your thinking” is one of my favourites.

Each of us has the capability to build upon our skill sets and make conflict management a positive and enriching part of our professional and personal lives.  Don’t resist conflict. Embrace it as an opportunity to get to know more about other ideas… and to get to know yourself better in the process.

Les Brost is head of Southern Star Communications. Contact: lbrost@edmontonians.com

How to Make a Man Listen by Tom Bradshaw

Women in business, no matter how successful, commonly ask me the same question.

“How do you make men listen?” While I can’t help you with that guy around the house, I can help you with the boardroom boys.

First, realize that one of the most difficult situations for any speaker is addressing a group of men in a business setting. Mix women into your audience and the group will think more individually. But a corporate group of men will have or build a unified mentality. They will only react as a group, and, as the speaker you will have to take control. This dynamic will change if the president or another person of authority joins them. Then the group will only respond to what is appropriate—appropriate being the reaction of the authority figure. So it should be very simple: Win his approval and the rest of the group will follow. But wait a minute. It’s never quite that simple.

Too often, there is an individual in the room who believes it is his responsibility to challenge what is being said. Often women tell me they are intimidated when these “Boardroom Bullies” interrupt by increasing their volume. Just like schoolyard bullies, you need to have the skills to win them over and make them your champions, or at least get them to listen. Men have learned that when we want to be heard, all we need to do is speak louder.

Volume is all about breathing and breath support. Think about the act of shouting. Your first impulse will be to take a deep breath. Most women will notice that, as they try to take a deep breath, their shoulders will raise moving closer to their ears. This is upper chest breathing and can produce only mild support resulting in a tightening in the throat, limiting volume. Now think of the Opera Diva who belts out an Aria. Her breathing is deep and her throat is open. This is intercostals diaphragmatic breathing. If you run, do yoga or, according to my lovely wife, have gone through several hours of heavy labour, you know the kind breathing and breath control I am talking about.

Learn to control and develop this power and you can shout any man down. Of course this might not always work. So here are some strategies that most men don’t use.

First of all, don’t interrupt. Wait for the bully to finish interrupting you… pause—a good, long pause—and take it from there. That pause is often enough to make the point. If you are willing to listen to them—and it is in your best interest to do so—then they should be willing to listen to you. This is a respect issue but, if they are not able to have a dialogue with you, consider that you may be wasting you time.

The tone or pitch of your voice can also be helpful. Science has shown that, as women get frustrated, their voices will go up in pitch. No, really, I’m not making this up. The female voice enters a range that is actually hard for the male ear to hear.

I wouldn’t recommend you force your tone down to try to sound more manly, but trying some resonance may get a positive response. Simply hum a low tone that you can feel in your chest… as if you are considering what has just been said. This lower tone will help the male brain to focus on your voice.

Some other points to ponder: “People do business with people like them,” is the credo I hear in Edmonton these days. One of the ways you can establish this is by matching the vocal energy of the other person. If you’re in conversation with someone who has high energy and speaks quickly, try matching their cadence. If the mood is more reserved and methodical, then slow it down.

Also consider how fast you are talking. If you get nervous just before the big presentation, that nervous energy can cause you to speed up. This can be beneficial if you are telling a funny story but, if you want the room to remember something, slow it down. If it’s technical information, slow it down a lot.

Physical gesture can also be very effective as a way of gaining the focus of a group. It can also be a very effective way to emphasize or punctuate a point you are making. Here is a caution though: Just remember that great battles have been fought over the misinterpretation of a single physical gesture.

Tom Bradshaw is the head of the Academy of Voice & Speech. Contact: tbradshaw@edmontonians.com

The Yin and Yang in the boardroom...By Colin Williamsen

COMMUNICATION: Non-verbals

Your audience has assessed you within six seconds or less from the moment you enter the boardroom. Not only that but you have a 30-minute attention span in which to make your case, says Kim Arsenault. And according to Cheryl Soleway, Power Posture Coach™, physiotherapist and functional movement specialist. “The way you carry yourself–being your posture has a significant impact on your image and overall appearance.”  Proper alignment coupled with strong posture will provide the female executive with a significant advantage in delivering a powerful message.  How you use your body/physiology is responsible for 60 percent of your message. Your body’s silent language is the largest part of how you deliver your message and will undoubtedly have the most impact in influencing your audience to your desired intention. Keeping in mind that the definition of “influence” is a transference of emotion—and motion creates emotion—how you use your body is the motion that creates the e-motion.

Non Verbal - Preparation

By gently pulling your belly button in toward your spine, you will activate all of your core stabilization muscles. This will also flip on the master switch to all 12 meridians/railroad lines to which all of your chi/electrical energy flows to the approximately 1,000+ acupuncture and acupressure points throughout your entire body.

Prior to beginning your boardroom presentations, take a moment to perform some deep diaphragmatic breathing, as well as alternate right and left nostril breathing exercises to activate the electrical potential of both hemispheres of your brain. The purpose of these exercises is to get you out of your head—particularly if you are a cerebral type—and become fully integrated from a mind/body perspective. This will assist you in feeling centered and grounded.

Verbal

Most of us have heard the statement, “it’s not what you say, but how you say it” that creates your desired outcomes. How you verbally express yourself is the remaining 40 percent of the message–33 percent of which is tonality and seven percent is words. The energy and strength of your voice is directly connected to the amount of available chi/electrical energy available from your adrenal glands. The adrenal glands are the size of lima beans and each of them sits on top of each one of your kidneys. Traditional Chinese medicine refers to the kidneys and bladder as the element of water and the season of winter. This just happens to be the ideal time from the seasonal perspective to be cleansing and rebuilding your kidneys and bladder, as well as strengthening your adrenal glands to build up your internal reserves to sustain your body throughout the long, cold winter months and all of your boardroom dances.

Verbal - Preparation

Fueling your mind and body correctly will provide you with the necessary energy for your boardroom encounters. The human brain requires approximately 140 grams of glucose per day for normal functioning, and possibly two to three times that when you are making a boardroom presentation. A steady supply of complex carbohydrates will help provide your brain with the necessary amount of required sugar and glucose to assist the brain in functioning at an optimum level.

To maintain consistent strength in your adrenal glands (which is the strength of your voice) during the “water/winter” season, focus on potassium rich foods. I suggest all dried fruits, mandarin oranges, juices: blueberry, cranberry and peach; and deep-rooted, round vegetables such as squash and pumpkin.

Ensure that you are always properly hydrated. Try to be in bed by 10:30 p.m. since optimum physical rejuvenation occurs between 10 pm and 2 am, and optimum mental rejuvenation occurs between 2 and 6 am.  

Moving audiences to action will hinge upon your ability to play the edge between yin and yang and maintain the equilibrium that is required to achieve a high rate of success as you swim with the sharks in the heat of today’s boardrooms. Colin Williamsen is the president of The Wellness Coaches Inc. Contact: cwilliamsen@edmontonians.com

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