A clear vision. Period.

One On One with Mélanie Lussier

12 April 2023

One-on-One

1- What does it mean to you to be a communication leader these days?   It’s quite simple. I believe that the power of communication is to enjoy making an impact on the lives of people and organisations. Regardless of the industry, a communicator, by definition, mobilises, engages and informs people, as well as advising […]

One-on-One with Marc-André Séguin

1 March 2023

One-on-One

1- What does it mean to be an HR leader in the video game industry? I really believe in the idea of putting the right person, in the right place, at the right time, and that’s what I’ve been telling my recruiting teams for a while now. You’ll have more success if you create the […]

One-on-One with Yves Gougoux

9 February 2023

One-on-One

1- La tête chercheuse celebrates its 25th anniversary this year and you are part of our history. Do you remember your first mandate with us? I met Louise Descarie when she was working for Touch TV, one of my divisions. After, when I made my sale with Publicis Worldwide, Louise launched La tête chercheuse and, […]

One-on-One with Isabelle Panelli

11 January 2023

One-on-One

1- What does it mean to lead with impact in a male-dominated world?  I really wonder whether we’re doing ourselves a disservice by highlighting the fact that there are women of impact in a man’s world. We become disassociated, we get marginalized. These days, when equity has become a major talking point, I wonder whether […]

One-on-One with Manon Goudreault

9 November 2022

One-on-One

1- What does being an impact entrepreneur mean to you?  For a long time now, I feel like we’ve viewed entrepreneurs as people focussed on profit, and anything related to social value was relegated to either non-profits or government agencies. For me, being an impact entrepreneur is to be driven by the desire to make […]

Jean-Michel Maltais – Senior Vice-President, Omni-Channel at New Look Vision Group

19 April 2022

One-on-One

1- What have you learned most about yourself as a leader? I learned a lot about myself, actually. In fact, when you manage teams, you are almost always have to contend with yourself. First, I would say that even though I maybe don’t feel very calm inside, I am perceived as a calm person. I’d […]

Yves Lalumière – President and CEO of Tourisme Montréal

25 February 2022

One-on-One

1. What have you learned most about yourself as a leader? I have been in the tourism and entertainment industry forever; that is, with Amex, Transat and Tourisme Montréal: it’s an industry that generates happiness. This is a great sector, and it has been growing for the past 20 or so years now. We were […]

Émilie Dussault – Country Head – Canada at Technicolor

29 November 2021

One-on-One

1. Since you’ve been in management, what have you learned about yourself?   That managing for results with precise objectives to attain has always been fundamental for me and most importantly, that you can’t do it alone! Managing projects from start to finish means setting milestones, and I find developing strategy very stimulating. Moreover, it’s […]

Anne-Marie LaBerge – Senior Vice-President, Global Brands & Communication at BRP

10 September 2021

One-on-One

1. Since you’ve been a manager, what have you learned about yourself?  That I was tougher than I thought! At BRP, I discovered my ability to transform and build… and then COVID arrived. For months I had a chance to really reflect on things. I thought I knew myself, but I realized that my courage, my ability to see the glass as half-full and my ability to support the team were strengths […]

Mara Gourd-Mercado, Executive Director – Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television, Quebec section

28 May 2021

One-on-One

1. For the cultural industries and the economy in general, how do you see the economic reopening and the future in the short term?   For a little more than a year, with all the closings and reopening we’ve had, the cultural community was hit just as hard creatively and in terms of the artists’ mental […]

Myrianne Collin – Executive Director of LaSalle College

2 July 2020

One-on-One

1. In this period of chaos, as a leader, what prevented you from sleeping? Let’s just say that I was driven by my survival instinct. That may be a strong word, but I wanted to make sure that I was doing everything I could to preserve my organization. By day, that translated into a role […]

Isabelle Frenette – Vice Presidente of Human Resources at Ludia

11 June 2020

One-on-One

1. In this period of great chaos, as a leader, what has prevented you from sleeping? In the context we’re in right now, I’d say we’re lucky to be among the privileged companies, and I’m very grateful for that. We haven’t had to make any tough decisions, any layoffs, like a lot of other companies. […]

Ben Marc Diendéré – Chief Public Affairs and Communications Officer at Via Rail Canada

28 May 2020

One-on-One

1. In this period of chaos, as a leader, what prevented you from sleeping? Since my arrival at VIA Rail at the beginning of the year, I first had the barricade crisis which led to the railway’s blockade; this kept me busy and concerned. Immediately after the resume of services, literally the next day, we […]

Alain Bergeron – President and founder of SYRUS Réputation

22 May 2020

One-on-One

1. In this period of chaos, as an entrepreneur, what prevented you from sleeping? Layoffs. Even if they are temporary, still hurts. Otherwise, generally speaking, I don’t need a lot of sleep and I sleep pretty well. Right now, I would even say that I sleep more than before, being confined in the countryside and […]

Guillaume Bouchard – CEO of CONTXFUL

23 April 2020

One-on-One

1. In this time of great crisis, as an entrepreneur, what keeps you awake at night? I must admit that what I find the most difficult is the amount of responsibilities that I have taken on. I quickly realized how central and sensitive I was on many levels. I say that putting my ego aside, […]

François Dumontier – CEO of Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix and Octane Racing Group

6 July 2019

One-on-One

1. What factors do you feel led you to become CEO of Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix and Octane Racing Group? This year has marked my 25th year at the Grand Prix. It has not always been easy! We lost the Grand Prix in 2009 and we almost lost it before that, in various crises […]

Eric Desaulniers – CEO of Nouveau Monde Graphite

20 May 2019

One-on-One

1. What led you to become president of Nouveau Monde Graphite? As a physicist + geologist, you might say that I wasn’t predestined to become a CEO. But my expertise and audacity pushed me to look into new technology, and explore an underestimated sector in Quebec’s subsoil. The result? A world-class graphite deposit. I founded […]

Frédéric Soucy – President of the Société de Gestion Cogir

6 April 2019

One-on-One

1. What factors do you feel led you to become CEO of the Société de Gestion Cogir? I think that multiple factors were favorable. Like in many cases, the sum of these factors has led us to success. I arrived in the right environment, at the right moment, with the right team and that was […]

Samuel Watts – CEO of the Welcome Hall Mission

19 March 2019

One-on-One

1. What led you to become CEO of the Welcome Hall Mission? It was an opportunity to have a major impact on our city. I’ve always been lucky, in both my life and my career. When the Board called me, with everything I’ve done over my career, I saw an opportunity to really give something […]

Kathy Baig – President of the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec

15 February 2019

One-on-One

1. What led you to become President of the Ordre des Ingénieurs du Québec? I had the deep desire to reposition the engineering profession and bring it back its lustre. It all started in 2013, during the Charbonneau Commission. I was on maternity leave and was watching the proceedings on television. I was deeply saddened […]

5 highlights from our 25th anniversary round-table discussion

8 June 2023

In Our Minds

    “Sometimes I see myself as a cheerleader for my employees’ happiness.” – Sheila Morin, Senior Vice President, Corporate Marketing, Coveo “I’m a marketing person and now head of a marketing team. I never studied human resources, but today 75% of my time is devoted to human resources! It’s a gift for me to […]

The quest for happiness has become a full-time job!

7 December 2022

In Our Minds

These days, happiness at work has become a major talking point. You can read about it in magazines and blogs; you can even attend conferences and be inspired by best practices for keeping your employees happy. We’re all seeking a 5-step manual so that we can keep our teams fully engaged. But with a recession […]

Getting inspired, from heart to head

9 August 2022

In Our Minds

This was also an opportunity to show our team how much we appreciate them! Given how hot the job market remains, organizations spend a considerable amount of energy to ensure team members do not wander to what they perceive to be greener pastures. The LTC conference was the perfect opportunity to increase employee engagement and […]

Ultra-performing, but for how long?

12 September 2019

In Our Minds

People come to us to open up – and we get them to do so by creating a bond built on confidence. It’s an exercise that very often results in a fascinating introspection, delivered out loud. Let’s say it gets very real. The talent goes over career highlights, but what we notice, with a specific […]

Competitive or performing?

11 August 2019

In Our Minds

Performance (or grit) is the idea of accomplishing and even surpassing your goals. How the Best of the Best Get Better and Better, a well-crafted piece by the Harvard Business Review, explains that a top performer possesses the same qualities that can make the difference between a top athlete and an Olympic athlete. The competitive […]

Five books to help you develop your leadership skills over the summer

5 July 2023

Be in the Know

Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance In this New York Times bestseller, pioneering psychologist Angela Duckworth shows everyone striving to succeed that the secret to (exceptional) success lies not in talent, but in a unique combination of passion and long-term perseverance that she calls grit.   The daughter of a scientist, Angela Duckworth remembers how […]

Power skills: the guarantors of a company’s success

16 June 2023

Be in the Know

Before going any further, here’s how the term “power skills” came about.    In its 2022 report on workplace learning trends, it was Udemy Business that coined the term “power skills” to describe the characteristics formerly known as “soft skills” (behavioural and social competencies) and elevated them to the status of essential competencies for success at […]

Alone, together

19 January 2023

Be in the Know

Let go of being 100% productive, 9 to 5 Even though employees are back at the office several days a week, interactions between colleagues are still quite few and far between, and this impacts the social fabric of your troops, right down to their sense of belonging. The oldest employees have succeeded in maintaining personal […]

Recession and inflation: how to best present your job offer

13 October 2022

Be in the Know

What is total compensation? Total compensation is the full scope of benefits you can offer employees. It has three components : direct pay – salary, tips, commission; indirect pay – pension plans, employee benefits; and non-pecuniary income. Lately, Sébastien has noticed that candidates are lending as much importance to money as they are to greater stability: […]

Bidding wars for talent is a real thing. But how does it impact hiring?

28 June 2022

Be in the Know

The dangers of labour shortages Labour shortages are tricky because you have to think long term. Always respect your limits and ask yourself, “Is an employee who is only motivated by salary the one you want to bring on board?”. Nicolas advises employers to look beyond a candidate’s current skill set to see what they […]

Does your office reflect your company culture?

5 April 2022

Be in the Know

In the Spotlight

We discussed this topic with Véronique Chayer, founder of Folio Design. For her, it’s “about striking a balance between management’s vision and that of employees. In other words, how do you meet everyone’s expectations?” And, what’s the best way to go about it?   Why do we need an office? The workspace plays a bigger […]

The “trap” of compassionate leadership.

22 February 2022

Be in the Know

When we talk about “compassionate leadership”, the word “leadership” always has to stay top of mind. Performance can never go off the radar, even if compassion is a major leveraging tool for keeping your troops productive. Compassion should never become a “guilt” zone for managers. Because when that happens, they’ll have the impression they are […]

Virtual onboarding success

13 April 2021

Be in the Know

What might seem like a drag on efficiency to some is an opportunity to revisit a critical step to the future success of any new staffer. Onboarding a new player is demanding and often given short shrift. That said, teleworking forces us to rethink everything for the better. Based on our past year experiences, here […]

A head full of interview questions: La tête chercheuse’s TOP questions

20 January 2020

Be in the Know

Adaptability and alignment with organizational values are just as important as the responsibilities the candidate will have to deliver. Therefore, in all our mandates, we take the time to validate aspirations, personal interests, motivation sources and even personality traits. To influence you to do the same, we present a compilation of La tête chercheuse’s “signature” […]

“Why do you want this job?” said the interviewed interviewer.

17 November 2019

Be in the Know

First impressions are a big deal. Especially if you’re the candidate’s first exposure to the company and/or the role available, just be yourself, and conduct the interview in a manner that’s transparent, authentic and enticing. Forbes offers interviewees similar advice in this article. As an interviewer, bring some of your own (or your organization’s) colour […]

Does your office reflect your company culture?

5 April 2022

Be in the Know

In the Spotlight

We discussed this topic with Véronique Chayer, founder of Folio Design. For her, it’s “about striking a balance between management’s vision and that of employees. In other words, how do you meet everyone’s expectations?” And, what’s the best way to go about it?   Why do we need an office? The workspace plays a bigger […]

How is the job market reacting to the crisis?

10 June 2020

In the Spotlight

After recording a record unemployment rate in the midst of the pandemic – jumping from 7.8% to 17% last April, and then dropping back to 13.7% this June – we were curious to see how this new reality was affecting professionals and workers throughout Quebec. More than a hundred people responded to our survey, launched […]

The way out of the crisis: Discussion with three entrepreneurs in China

23 April 2020

In the Spotlight

Remaining hopeful up until the recovery We are currently experiencing one of the major global societal crises since the stock market crash of 2008. The current crisis is incomparable. Unlike the crash or even the Great Recession of 1929, it is rooted in a real human disruption (pandemic) and not in the economy.  Hoping this […]

Crisis Management 101

10 April 2020

In the Spotlight

A webinar instigated by the Leadership Institute and masterfully conducted by Harold Fortin and Victor Henriquez recently highlighted the elements behind successful crisis management. Here are the 6 key factors that were identified: 1) Show empathy and solidarity When a spokesperson is chosen to communicate through the crisis, one must feel that the topic they […]

Celebrate “We”

11 December 2019

In the Spotlight

Interestingly, the Harvard Business Review recently focused on a publication about employee engagement. It illustrates that people are more dedicated to their team – more than the company they work for, their position, and even their field of work. They talk about the importance of collaboration and cohesiveness, feeling a part of something, shared recognition […]

Is professional happiness a new concept?

17 October 2019

In the Spotlight

For more than twenty years, we’ve been working with people who want “better” – a better quality of life at work. We’re not about to hide it – today’s “better” coincides with a labour market transformation that’s handing talent “the long end of the stick” – more often than not. Talented people can afford to […]