Quotes

The Emerging Leaders Network has not only allowed me the opportunity to access informative and relevant programming about civic action (a subject that I had very little experience in) but it has also encouraged me to engage with my peers. It’s one thing to know that you have opportunities to grow but it’s another thing when you’re encouraged to act on those opportunities, ELN gives you the space to ask, meet and engage.

The DiverseCity Fellows program has been a great way to get more connected beyond my own sector and apply invaluable lessons in leadership to my endeavors.

The GTHA is one of the greatest regions in the world and this isn’t by accident, but rather because of the work done by leaders past. Maintaining this status will require creativity, ingenuity and the highest commitment to civic responsibility – this is why leadership development is important for our rising leaders.

After being in the DiverseCity Fellows program, my network has increased exponentially. I’ve had the opportunity to meet many brilliant and committed individuals from across various sectors.

Civic leadership is as necessary to community development as the air we breathe. True leaders are self-examining, constantly learning, never asking others to do what they have not attempted and encouraging of those who try and fail.

After participating in the DiverseCity Fellows program, I now feel part of the city-building process in the GTHA. It has given me the experience and tools necessary to connect with and influence leaders in areas that I feel passionate about.

Being an ELN Co-Chair has been a professional development rocketship. Not only has it allowed me to strengthen my leadership skills, but it’s also provided unparalleled access to new opportunities and opened new doors. 

Having strong civic leaders who are in touch with the emerging innovation economy will enhance the competitiveness of our region, and help build a truly prosperous Canadian economy for future generations. Bringing together private, public, and government institutions will be key to our success.

The true leaders of tomorrow will be those who know how to gather the best ideas for city-building from around the globe and adapt them for a park in Parkdale, a hospital in Hamilton, or a transit strategy for the region.

I strongly believe we must build the infrastructure – social programs, green space, transit – that we’ll need to support future inclusion, growth and sustainability. The leaders who bring these programs to life are critical to helping shape and drive this important agenda.

Tomorrow’s leaders will need to be passionate, creative and courageous and drawing on their diversity of ideas, backgrounds and beliefs, they will impact the lives around them.

It’s so inspiring to see how many young Canadians are engaged in building their communities. At EY, we’re big believers in the power of legacy, and we’re proud to support those whose legacies will shape the future of our cities.

Tomorrow’s leaders will need to be creative thinkers, lifelong learners, and entrepreneurial spirits. They’ll need to be willing to listen to all views, but be fearless about deciding to act. And it’s our job today to help grow these leaders.

Leaders shape our cities, making them vibrant places to live, work, play and grow old. CivicAction’s leadership programs expose rising leaders to new networks and ideas and provide them with the skills to become the kind of collaborative leaders that cities need.

The ELN is my window to region; I get to peer closely and work across sector lines to engage in issues that are affecting our cities. There’s nothing more gratifying than rolling up our sleeves to co-create a region that works for all.

In challenging times, great leaders turn issues into opportunities. As the GTHA grows up and grows out, we need unprecedented collaboration among our regional leaders. I applaud CivicAction for leading that charge!

Tomorrow’s leaders must act collectively. CivicAction brings us together so that we can build upon each other’s strengths. The result is magic: now we have the critical mass needed to make a positive difference.

Engaged leadership from a thousand different places is critically important. It is only when government, the private sector, and civil society work together around a broad vision that you can achieve a city region with great places and a cool  “vibe”.

The people I’ve met and the perspectives I’ve been exposed to through CivicAction have made for a truly transformational experience during my time on the ELN exec. It’s an organization that manages to evolve and reinvent itself so it can more effectively work toward solutions to the ever-changing challenges facing the region. Yet it also remains relentlessly committed to its core values of diversity, inclusion, collective leadership and, above all, action.

Civic leadership inspires everyone to take part and have pride in their communities, which inevitably leads to better impact.

Business leaders across all industries and sectors need to be forward-thinking and embrace our civic role and responsibilities as change leaders. We need to be innovative, proactive and agile, and we need to prepare and develop the next generation of leaders to have the courage to do the same.

Leaders engage people and build inclusive solutions. They foster innovative ideas and open doors to possibility. To be a civic leader is to be on the cutting edge of transformational change that creates a better future.

Our communities are becoming increasingly diverse and complex. Great leaders can see the issues facing their communities from many sides and encourage people to work collaboratively on solutions that are in the best interest of the entire community.

In an era of more complexity and fewer resources, civic leadership and collaboration across all sectors of civil society is critical to ensuring a better future. The DiverseCity Fellows Program brings together leaders from various fields and gives them the tools and support they need to find common purpose, work collaboratively and make real, positive change.

Being a DiverseCity Fellow has been a tremendous privilege. I have experienced first-hand how the combination of diverse perspectives and a shared vision produces a creative tension that leads to innovative and better solutions.

I learned from David Pecaut that leadership is, above all else, about demonstrating the qualities of being truly human and selfless.

CivicAction and ELN attract leaders who assume that transformational change is not only possible, but necessary. This network of positive, powerful and diverse leaders inspires me, teaches me, and makes me feel included in the present and future decisions affecting our region.

For years, CivicAction has helped convene, train and develop community leaders looking to shape and strengthen the region in which we live. By providing an environment in which our leaders can thrive today, we are also investing in the positive potential for our towns and cities tomorrow.

The DiverseCity Fellows program has expanded my knowledge about city building issues and has pushed me to further leverage my strengths and question my assumptions so my thinking is broader.

Authentic leadership is diverse leadership – everyone has a voice in shaping our collective future.

It is a privilege to be a member of the CivicAction Leadership Foundation, an organization that is providing emerging leaders across the GTHA with the tools and the platform to shape the future of our region and allow it to reach its full potential.

Great regions like the GTHA are a product of the richness of its people, the diversity of their individual perspectives and strong leadership. It is through collaboration and collective leadership that we afford ourselves the opportunity to drive innovation and action that benefits us all.

The Fellows program provided me with a better understanding of different leadership styles, the importance of collaboration and the value of multiple and diverse perspectives. I’m now better able to evaluate situations, share ideas, and take action.

Toronto has become a thriving global hub in part because of the leadership roles citizens are encouraged to play and the diversity of thought and action each leader brings to bear on civic matters.

Civic leadership is about leaders across all sectors saying our quality of life is a collective issue that needs collective leadership. That only works if we are curious, empathetic and agile to understand each other’s issues and concerns.

We must have all hands on deck to pursue real collaboration, build broader and deeper confidence, and mobilize all of the resources we need to build a great city. Tomorrow’s leaders will need not just the ability, but also the desire to collaborate.

Growing the pipeline for leadership starts with developing tomorrow’s civic leaders today. Our society needs transformational leaders who understand the diversity of our communities’ needs and are ready to inspire trust and confidence, empower others, and have the passion to drive lasting change.

I’m involved in CivicAction because it’s an organization that relentlessly focuses on getting stuff done on the most pressing issues of our region. I see my efforts translate into results through the CivicAction approach that combines a power of convening with a disposition for action.  When I raise my hand to be involved in a CivicAction initiative, I feel confident that we will not only have a transformational outcome for the region, but also that I will personally learn and develop through the process.

The truth is not that we all can be city builders, but that we all must be city builders. I want to commend CivicAction for taking a proactive role in fostering the leaders of today and tomorrow.