Last summer, on August 20 2016, 11.7 million people (⅓ of Canada’s population) tuned into CBC to watch the Hip broadcast their last concert from Kingston, ON. I doubt that Gord Downie ever sought to be iconic. Who are the influencers in your companies and what stories do you have to tell? This past week, we had the pleasure of working with an organization searching for their “company stories.” Who best exemplifies the values and competencies that are most important to them? There were plenty of examples to draw from! It is stories that personalize your company, which in turn, influence customers to choose you over your competitor. Their songs are rich with stories of Canada that many of us can relate to. I remember hearing an interview over the past year that quoted Downie as saying, he told Canadian stories “because they needed to be told.” Despite being a huge hockey fan, I would not have known about Bill Barilko had it not been for The Hip. What is your organization doing to foster communication and relationship building among colleagues? INFLUENCE Recognizing the needs of others and appreciating different work styles, fosters a community of trust, acceptance and understanding. Being open and honest a willingness to engage in conversation (even when time doesn’t seem to permit it) helps foster positive working relationships. Our ability to communicate with others is of utmost importance in business. Gord understood the importance of relationships. We can’t deny Downie’s proficient and poetic lyrics, but if you ever attended a live show I believe it was his honest and heart felt comments that truly drew people in. I suggest that people who make a positive impact on their companies and community share some of these common traits. Are these leaders (and rock and rollers) different from us? Even if you aren’t a fan of The Hip, there is no denying their music, dripping with references to Canadian life, and Gord Downie himself, had an impact on many of us. Our work often provides us with the opportunity to connect with people who make a measurable impact within their companies and our community. With Gord taking the stage in metallic leather suits and feather adorned hats, I quickly realized it wasn’t his attire that made an impact, it was his actions and his words. Last summer, I was fortunate to stand in the 6th row at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg, MB taking in one of the the final shows on the last Tragically Hip Tour. In the last months of his life, I believe he demonstrated behaviours indicative of corporate and world influencers. Here are my thoughts on why losing Gord has affected so many of us and strangely, it relates directly to the passion we have about developing leaders. The last few weeks have presented me with many moments, and the passing of Canadian rock icon, Gordon Downie (The Tragically Hip) has been one of the most profound. Our leadership journey presents us with many opportunities for self reflection.