accommodations in an outstanding century-old inn located
on a beautiful property of the historical 'Millionaire's Row'.
The perfect venue on the shore of lake Temiskaming
for business travels & meetings, family, friend & group
reunions, your wedding and family or weekend holidays.
NISKA Leadership Centre| Welcome to the NISKA Leadership Centre |  |
 It is with pleasure that we want to share our passion to help businesses, organizations and individuals to go further with their dreams and projects. We believe we can together make a difference for Northern Ontario. The mobilization within communities, increasing the internal capacities within companies and organizations and the well being of individuals are the foundations for our progression as a region. Leadership is a key element necessary for this progression. Leadership is the ability of an individual to influence a group of people to endorse and share the vision of a goal. Leadership is manifested by its ability to mobilize energies for a collective action. Over the years, through our professional and personal experiences we have gained knowledge that we would like to share with you and your group. The Niska Leadership Centre uses as a working basis the leadership lessons observed from the behaviour of Canada geese during their migrations. The simplicity of our approach and the willingness to insert an element of fun is making it possible to offer something different to individuals and groups with whom we collaborate. To get different results, we must innovate. After all, there is a solution to any situation; it is be able to see things from a new perspective. Nicole & Jocelyn |
Philosophy
The Niska leadership centre uses as its base philosophy the behaviours from the Canada geese, the most well known example of migrating birds. An understanding of these behaviours can reveal some useful lessons about
leadership and the value of collaboration for any organizations, businesses and individuals.
Working as a team
Canada geese migrate as a flock over long distances flying in a V-formation. A flock of geese is like a team. Flying together creates an uplift, a surge that carries the whole farther than its individual parts could go by themselves.
Collaborative Leadership
When the lead goose gets tired, it rotates back into formation and another goose flies at the point position. Every few minutes, one of the birds from the back of the flock will break away, fly to the front, and take over, giving the previous leader a chance to move back and take a break. Leaders rotate, empower, delegate. Leadership is about helping others. Everyone has the ability to lead.
Communication
The geese in formation honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed and direction. While many people only hear the trademark “honk” when geese make noise, there is evidence that Canada geese can communicate with as many as 13 different sounds that are used for things like greetings, warnings and contentment. In groups where there is communication and encouragement, the production of the team and the individual happiness is much greater.
Well-being
The geese take time to stop along their journey to their destination to rest and eat. If a goose gets sick or wounded, others will drop out of formation to help and protect it. Healthy individuals make up for a healthy group. In this fast-paced and competitive age, we seldom stop to ensure that individuals are healthy. The human being, the individuals must be back as the core of any organisation.
The Flight Plan
An innovative approach for collaborating planning that will enable your group or you, as an individual, to arrive at your destination on time.
The routes followed by migratory birds are numerous, and while some of them are simple and easily traced, others are complicated. Differences in distance traveled, in time of starting, in speed of flight, in geographical position, in the latitude of the breeding and wintering grounds and in other factors all contribute to great diversity. No two species follow exactly the same path from beginning to end.
The traditional strategic and project planning process is often too complex, not inclusive and it’s outcomes often remain on the shelves.
95% of a typical workforce doesn’t understand its organization’s strategy.
90% of organizations fail to execute strategies successfully.
A strategic plan usually achieves the following:
- Reflects the values of a group
- Define the action to achieve a big picture
- Explains how to progress and defines the criteria for achieving success
- Guides everyone in daily decision-making.
The flight plan approach is different; it is much simpler. It’s versatility and inclusivity will facilitate the participation of team members, which in a few hours or a few days at most depending on the complexity of the situation, will deliver a comprehensible plan that will lead the way.
The key elements of the Niska flight plan for your strategic or project planning:
Plan the destination
Set milestones for the journey
Initiate collaborative leadership
Improve individual’s well being
Communicate and encourage team members
Have fun.
Let us collaborate with you, your business or organization to develop your flight plan, your team’s flight plan!
Other Modules
Other ModulesAbout Us
The Niska Leadership Centre is our newest joint project. Through our professional and personal experiences we have gained knowledge that we would like to share passionately with your business, organization, group or you as individuals.
Over the years we have been both on several occasions at the crossroads with the 3 C’s of life:
The 3 C's of life: Choices, Chances and Changes.
You must make a choice to take a chance or your life will never change.
In the past twenty years, Nicole Guertin has launched a multitude of projects across Ontario and in the Whistler area in B.C., to promote French language services in the areas of health, culture, communications and tourism. Her energy, great networking capacity, vision, passion and her education as a community health nurse enable her to mobilize communities around projects, which are dear to her.
The career of Jocelyn Blais can be divided into three distinct parts. During the first third, he worked in the civil construction sector while the second third was dedicated to the manufacturing sector. For the past ten years, Jocelyn decided to be closer to the people working in various projects in the health sector and economic, community and tourism development. His education in engineering and management, vision and passion has allowed him to succeed, and this in several different areas.
We are now living in Haileybury and we are managers / owners of the Niska Leadership Centre and the Presidents' Suites located on the shores of Lake Temiskaming. We both appreciate this great region, which has so much to offer.
CV N.Guertin EN March 2012.pdf CV J. Blais EN April 2012.pdf
Available Approaches
By combining on our many expertise and personal experiences, the comfort of the President’s Suites and the beauty of the Temiskaming Shores area, we can offer a different, enriching and complete experience that will provide you the results you are hoping for.
We strongly believe that in order to have an effective process, the participants must be placed in aholistic context differentfrom their traditional environment (which normally involves being away for a period of one to two days). For us, it is important that participants live this different and complete experience. It is difficult to do planning or organizational work through the daily routine - people are often too busy or preoccupied.The services offered by the Niska Leadership Centre are based on a holistic approach. Holistic comes from the Greek word, holè, which means ‘totality’. The holistic approach is to provide a whole rather than one particular aspect. Our approach is the opposite of specialization. We believe it is important to integrate the informal and the formal in the same environment. It is important to develop from past experiences and from the new. It is important to incorporate nature, the outdoors and the community.
Sessions or modules of the Niska Leadership Centre are delivered at the Presidents' Suites in Haileybury. The Presidents' Suites century-old inn is located on the shores of majestic Lake Temiskaming. Some of the working sessions take place in the Murphy Suite on the 2nd floor while others are offered outdoor on the property, along the lake, or elsewhere in the community in order to experience this difference. Most meals are served on the main floor in the Ferland Suite.
We therefore seek groups of up to about 12 people. Ideally, the sessions would be offered over two days, but depending on the situations and needs, they could be offered over a shorter period.
Format 2 days - 2 nights
1st evening - introduction & group activity
Day 1- sessions during the day - lunch - dinner - supper
Day 2- sessions until noon - lunch - dinner take-away
Format 2 days - 1 night
Day 1- introductory sessions during the day - dinner - supper / evening
Day 2 - sessions until late afternoon - lunch - dinner
Format 1 day - 1 night
1st evening - introduction & group activity
Day 1 - sessions until late afternoon - lunch - dinner
Format 1 day
Day 1 – introduction, sessions during the day - dinner - supper / evening
We tailor your session and stay to suit your needs. By using different modules, those that will be most useful to your group, it is really possible to allow your group to achieve the set objectives. Whether to establish a flight plan for your business, a flight plan for a project, to improve the bonding within your team, we assure you that you will enjoy your work and your stay with us!
