John Wilkins
John Wilkins is a teaching practitioner with The School of Public Policy and Administration at York University. He was a career senior public servant and diplomat. (wilkins@yorku.ca)
Learning and living humility
3 min read
A leader was asked, “Who is your greatest enemy?” The ironic reply was, “Every morning, I see that person in......
Maintaining a sense of humour
4 min read
In 2015, the Oxford English Dictionary named the ‘Laughing Emoji – Face with Tears of Joy’ as the word of......
Networking whole of government
4 min read
The majestic sequoia is a species of redwoods that is among the world’s largest and most enduring organisms. It can......
People first, policy second: An introduction to CGE’s Millennial Outlook
4 min read
Since debuting in 2000, Survivor has traversed the world and humanity over 38 seasons. It birthed a new lexicon in......
Changing management
4 min read
The word ‘dysfunctional’ is often used to describe individuals, families, relationships, organizations, and even governments. While ‘functional’ means it is......
Instituting Change
4 min read
Kotter International found that 90 per cent of managers and employees surveyed believe that responsiveness has grown in importance during......
Sustaining Progress
4 min read
In the 5th century BC, Nehemiah rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem. The governor’s transitional problem was how to maintain what......
Enlisting volunteers
3 min read
Large-scale change occurs when a sizeable body of people gets behind an opportunity and acts on critical initiatives linked to......
Forming a strategic vision
4 min read
High in the Arctic, the Inuksuk is a timeless cultural symbol of the human journey. The Inuit stack rough stones......
The elephant in the public service
3 min read
‘Elephant in the room’ is a metaphorical idiom for an obvious problem or risk that no one wants to discuss......