Have you ever wondered how an organization is embedding Leader Character? Mary and Bill welcome special guests Sonia Côté and Steve Virgin from Canada Revenue Agency to answer this exact question. This is a super long episode because Sonia and Steve have so much to share! From Sonia’s first exposure to Leader Character, to her hiring of Steve as the world’s first Director of Leader Character, Sonia and Steve discuss their incredible journey. We discuss Sonia’s vision of elevating character to the level of competence; the link of character to excellence and well-being; how Sonia overcame the questions and concerns that were initially raised; the importance of organizational preparation; Steve’s focus on the development of character throughout the organization; how CRA incorporated character into their interview processes (hint: you need to have character to interview for it!), how powerful that process is for both interviewers and interviewees; how character based interviewing can help minimize bias in the hiring process; the process to utilize metrics to measure character’s impact; lessons learned and so much more. Sonia and Steve discuss real life examples of how Leader Character has improved decision-making and outcomes and is influencing discussions, conversations and culture throughout CRA and beyond in federal agencies such as Canada Border Services, Public Prosecution Service and the RCMP. This is a must see / listen episode for leaders at all levels, and especially those in HR, the C-suite and CEOs. As Mary says, “Don’t sit back and wait for someone else, you can do this!”
Ivey 3C’s of Leadership: https://www.leadforward.ca/blog/2016/10/31/developing-leadership-character-pt-1
Leadership Character Framework: https://www.ivey.uwo.ca/leadership/research-resources/leader-character-framework/
Ian O. Ihnatowycz Institute for Leadership: https://www.ivey.uwo.ca/leadership/
Virtuosity App: https://www.dropbox.com/s/e3l6l46u8bsxkn9/Video%20-%20Introduction%20to%20Virtuosity%20Character%20App%20-%202020-07.mp4?dl=0
CRA Article: https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/organizational-dynamics/articles-in-press?page=3