Reinventing Yourself

Congratulations to the Canadian Men’s and Women’s hockey team for their gold medals in the 2014 Winter Olympics that ended in Sochi, Russia on Sunday.

On Saturday I joined over 200 hundred walkers, runners and volunteers for Regeneration Outreach Community of Brampton’s Coldest Night of the Year Campaign. My goal for the campaign was to raise $2,000 for the benefit of the homeless as well as to help build awareness of the issue of homelessness in our communities. Thanks to my friends, I collected $150.00. In the process I have walked and ran more than 50K for the month of February. Saturday night I walked approximately 15K. I never spent the night outdoors.

Over the past two to three weeks I have used my blogs and other social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Linkedin and Slideshare to speak about the issue of homelessness. I still believe that a night outdoors is perhaps one of best strategy to build awareness on the issue of homelessness in the Greater Toronto Area. I am going to take some time to re-think how and when I spend a night outdoors in solidarity of the homeless. This is a commitment I want to keep and one I truly need you encouragement and support to accomplish. This is not a dream I can accomplish alone. I need you!

Today I want to share my thoughts about reinventing yourself.

Last Thursday I had an awesome time presenting two workshops to the staff of TD’s Global Anti-Money Laundering Group – Testing. One of the presentations was on Bitcoin and its implications for regulations. Since then I have being thinking how can we reinvent ourselves? Bitcoin as you may know is a virtual currency being used by people on the Internet. Bitcoin is a relatively recent innovation. In 1998, Wei Dai first described on the cypherpunks mailing list, the idea of a new form of money that uses cryptography to control its creation and transactions, rather than a central authority. Later In 2009, Satoshi Nakamoto published the first Bitcoin specification and proof of concept in a cryptography mailing list. It is perhaps the novelty of Bitcoin that got me thinking about how we can reinvent ourselves. How can you reinvent yourself? How can you be as new?

I have reinvented myself several times to forge a new path for myself. Each time that I reinvent myself, I take control of future. I am usually very deliberate and I reinvent myself with foresight. Here are 5 steps to reinvent yourself:

Ask yourself: “what changes do you want to make in your life?”

In order to reinvent yourself, you need to take a moment to reflect on the changes you want to make in your life. This will help you to create a vision for your future. Why do you want to reinvent yourself? List the things you want to change. Document the big changes you want to make. For me I want to help bring awareness to the homeless in the Greater Toronto Area. To reinvent yourself, you need to examine the changes you want to make and create a vision. This will help you make your future come alive.

Create a plan for making the changes you identified

Remember a vision without a plan is a dream. Once you have identified the changes you want to make in your life, you should create a plan with specific goals and activities that will give you a new future. Your plan will be a part of your commitment to reinventing yourself. You plan will help you break your goals into workable tasks. You should also surround yourself with visual reminders of the reinvented life you would like to create.  What do you need to do to reinvent yourself?

Share your plans to reinvent yourself with others

I was speaking to my friend Mike few days ago and he was telling me about his new job. He was so excited I could not help but feeling happy for him. I am usually inspired when others share with me the great things that are happening in their lives. The same is true for you. As you are reinventing yourself, share your plans with others. Ask your loved ones, coworkers, or any other people in your life for their support during this period of adjustment. Explain to them why these changes are important to you. I use my blog and other forms of social media to share my plans. My wife, Michelle, is my greatest critic and supporter. She keeps me transparent and accountable. For example, Saturday evening as I was heading out for my walk/run she said you better have dinner since you are sleeping outdoors. She knew I was serious about sleeping outdoors but she could not see my inner fears. As you are inventing yourself, share your plan with others let them know you are serious and they will help to keep you transparent and accountable.

Visit your vision every day

When you are reinventing yourself you should visit your vision every day. Each morning I start my day by looking out the window of my kitchen towards the sun in the east. Even on gloomy winter days I look towards the sun in the east. As you are reinventing yourself, you should always look at your vision and your path towards your future. The sun in the east is a point of reference for me just as your vision is the compass pointed to your reinvented life. Even in the midst of any resistance or struggles you may encounter on your path you should always visit your mission. Ask yourself, “What can I do in this moment to keep moving forward?”

One of the things I did this month to accomplish my walk/run for the homeless was no matter how I felt lonely, self-critical, tired, lazy, or disappointed I still went for my walk/run. I did it because I wanted to maintain my momentum. Even when you do not feel energetic or hopeful you have to push ahead. Yes, I admitted I allowed my fear to stop me from spending the nights outdoors. However, I acted on my fear of the cold and went walking/running and for me as small as it may seem it took courage. Remember true courage is not about not feeling fear but it is about feeling fear and acting anyway. Visit you vision daily and choose courage instead of letting your fear choose your future for you.

Stay motivated and inspired

A key success factor in reinventing yourself is staying motivated and inspired. You have to maintain a positive outlook on life and remain motivated throughout your journey to reinvent yourself. You have to be mentally strong. Avoid naysayers as they can suck your energy away. Surround yourself with images that remind you of your vision for your future. Keep a scorecard of your progress. It will help you to feel a sense of accomplishing and boost your confidence.

Remember reinvention never stops. To reinvent yourself, you have to start from scratch. You have to always be in motion and moving forward.

How will you reinvent yourself?

Mark McKenzie is a leading Subject Matter Expert in financial services regulation and supervision as well as a professional motivational speaker, corporate trainer and youth mentor.  He can be contacted by email mastbmckenzie@gmail.com or by telephone 647-406-4622. Read my blog http://mastbmckenzie.blogspot.ca/ and always write me a comment and share. Follow me on Twitter @mackynacky. Connect with me on www.youtube.com, Google+, Facebook and Linkedin.

Great Expectations

“In a word, I was too cowardly to do what I knew to be right, as I had been too cowardly to avoid doing what I knew to be wrong.” ― Charles Dickens, Great Expectations

Happy Family Day!

I am confident that that in each and every one of you there is an innate desire for you to achieve your dreams. If I can do it, you can do it too. On Thursday, I will be doing a presentation on Bitcoin and the implications for regulation at one of our Top Canadian Banks. Bitcoin as you may know is a virtual currency being used on the Internet. Few months ago a representative from the bank called to request that I do a presentation for the staff in one of the bank’s compliance and risk division. From all indications the staff are very excited and a lot more of the bank senior employees than was initially anticipated will be participating in the workshop.

When I agreed to doing the presentation I did not know that Jim Flaherty, the Federal Minister of Finance, was going to announce plans in the 2014 Budget to explore implementing laws to regulate Bitcoin in Canada. Bitcoin is a relatively new phenomenon and recently it has caught the attention of lawmakers not just in Canada but globally including Benjamin Lawsky, superintendent of New York Department of Financial Services. When I agreed to do the presentation never in my wildest mind could not I have predicted that just over a week ago two major Bitcoin exchanges, specifically Mt. Gox and Bitstamp, would have experience disruption of trades causing concerns among Bitcoin users.

Why have I shared this with you? I share it with to you because I truly believe you can achieve your dreams. If I can do it, you can do it too. You never know where your next opportunity will come from all you have to do is set your goals and take actions to Exceed Your Potential, Create Opportunities and Make the Impossible Possible.

In our lives everything starts with a dream. However, it takes courage and perseverance to turn dreams into reality. I have been inspired by Elon Musk, of PayPal and SpaceX. Elon Musk wants to colonize Mars with 80,000 people. I ask myself the question, if Elon Musk can dream of colonizing Mars with 80,000 people, what more can I dream of? What more can I accomplish?

The truth is I can dream of much more and I believe you too can also dream of more. I also know that if I have the courage to take action and the will to persevere I will accomplish my goals long before Elon Musk create the technology for people to travel to Mars. What can you accomplish by the time Elon Musk succeed with is lofty goals?

Motivated and inspired by Elon Musk’s lofty goals I have committed to using my time and skills to help bring awareness to the homeless and needy in communities across the Greater Toronto Area. Consequently, in blog 5 Tips to BeExtraordinary I committed to walk/run approximately 50K during the month of February. So far, I have walked and run approximately 20K and in the process feeling physically healthier. I have also committed to spending the entire night of February 22, 2014 outdoors in solidarity with the homeless. My goal is to raise $2,000 for Regeneration Outreach Community of Brampton’s Coldest Night of the Year. Regeneration Outreach Community of Brampton has a wonderful program that provides breakfast and care for those who need food and care. To this end, I seek you kind support, sponsorship and donation. Click here to sponsor my walk/run.

Please come out and walk with me on February 22, 2014. You can also bring me a cup of coffee or something for me to stay warm or even just stop by to chat and keep my company. To the best of my knowledge even the weather is being supportive. The forecast Saturday seem to suggest favourable weather conditions for me to survive outdoors.

One of my key take away from Elon Musk’s goal is that there is absolutely nothing wrong having great expectations or high goals. Our expectations are based on our dreams and dreams are limitless. Dreams are not impossible. Eleanor Roosevelt said “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” Dreams do come true when you demonstrate courage and perseverance to chase them. My daughter, Marchelle is three months away from graduating from her training to be a pastry chef and my son Malcolm is completing his first year at the University of Ottawa. I usually tell both Marchelle and Malcolm to chase their dreams. I tell them they have to want their dreams so much that it feels like being in the deep ocean desperately trying to take keep on breathing.

You have to want your dream more than anything else and you have to be willing to do whatever it takes to make it come true. For Elon Musk, success is not just when the first person arrives on Mars. The path to success is a journey with small accomplishments. For Elon Musk, is will be his contribution to technology, communications, science and the environment. For me, it is a tweet on Twitter from ‏@Dhindsa_04 and @680News which indicates that others are helping to bring awareness to the issue of homelessness in communities across the GTA. It indicates to me others are also getting involved. It is about the email I received from my friend Lawrence Scott who wants picture of me sleeping outdoors. A picture tells the story of a thousand words and for me key is to bring awareness to the issue of homelessness. To date I have raised $100 and I I am confident with your support I will achieve and even surpass my goal of $2,000.

Here are my tips for having great expectations:

Believe in yourself

Success is about believing in yourself and believing you will succeed. It is like a prophecy. Read my blog about the power of believing in yourself.

Walk away from Naysayers

You have to maintain a believe system that empowers you. To do this walk away from naysayers and pessimists. Don’t let anybody take your power away. At the same time don’t be too critical of yourself. Recently in a conversation with my friend Jeet Tulshi I told him one of the keys to success is being soft as sponge to absorb positive encouragements while having the shell of turtle that let negative vibes just slide right off.

As long as you are able to stay away from naysayers and maintain the belief system that empowers you, you get back up from your mistakes. You will have the courage to keep on taking action as well as the strength to persevere and eventually succeed.

Don’t let fear stop you

The most common excuse I hear to setting high goals is, “But what if I fail?” Never let the fear keep you from take action. True failure is when we fail to take actions. Accept that you are going to make mistakes.

Michelangelo said: “The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short, but in setting our aim too low and achieving our mark.” Look at Elon Musk he has very great expectations and he is not afraid to go after his dreams and goals.

Why should you be afraid? Why should I think I can’t help to bring awareness to the issue of homelessness in the Greater Toronto Area?

What are your dreams? What are your great expectations?

Mark McKenzie is a leading Subject Matter Expert in financial services regulation and supervision as well as a professional motivational speaker, corporate trainer and youth mentor.  He can be contacted by email mastbmckenzie@gmail.com or by telephone 647-406-4622. Read my blog http://mastbmckenzie.blogspot.ca/ and always write me a comment and share. Follow me on Twitter @mackynacky. Connect with me on www.youtube.com, Google+, Facebook and Linkedin.

The Will To Continue

In my blog 5 Tips to Be Extraordinary I committed to walk/run 2K daily, 5K on Saturdays and Sundays and 10K on February 22, 2014. I also committed to spend the entire night of February 22, 2014 outdoors in solidarity with the homeless. My goal is to raise $2,000 for Regeneration Outreach Community of Brampton’s Coldest Night of the Year.

On Thursday I saw the shocking video of two homeless persons being enticed by someone to be kicked in the groin for money. People living on our streets are desperate and consequently some will even agree to being kicked in the groin for money. However, that does not make it right and the individual or group of individuals who chooses to exploit the most vulnerable in our communities in such an inhumane manner are insensitive. It is distasteful, degrading and despicable to take advantage of a vulnerable person such as someone who is homeless with the promise of money to compensate them for injury.

There are a number of different reasons why people end up homeless and living on our street. Some people are living on the street because they are alcoholic or drug addict. Some may suffer from mentally illness or some may be escaping abusive relationships. People who are living on street need food and care for their personal hygiene. They should not be subject to abuse and further humiliation on top of their already tough lives. Regeneration Outreach Community of Brampton has a wonderful program to help provide breakfast and care for those who need food and care. To this end, I have committed to help Regeneration reach its goals of $40,000 for its Coldest Night of the Year Campaign. Click here to sponsor my walk/run.  

I will use my time and skills to help bring awareness to homeless and needy in our communities. Allow me to share my experience since Monday about my walk/run. I spent Monday at Regeneration on Main Street. My walk Tuesday morning was uneventful as the weather was not bearable. On Wednesday, February 5, 2014 record snowfall in the Greater. Toronto Area prevented me from going out for my 2K walk/run. The intensity of the snow fall created some doubts in mind. However, as my desire to success at my goal outweighs my fear on Thursday morning I went for a 5K walk/run making up for the mileage lost on Wednesday. My walk/run on Thursday was eventful as at one point along the path on Kennedy North heading towards Mayfield I underestimated the depth of the unplowed snow. It was knee high and by the time I realized I had to crawl out using my hands which even I found rather comical and made a pleasant sight for the passing motorists. Friday morning I went for another 5K walk/run in much colder temperatures due to the wind chill. Saturday morning it was -18C and wind chill it felt like -24C.

I am undaunted by the record snowfall mid-week, knee high snow and bit cold temperatures. As I mentioned in my blog 5 Tips for Facing Challenges in 2014 in the pursuit of our goals we will encounter challenges and setbacks. I am not going to deny that record snowfall and the bit cold is not frightening. My goals are clear. I am facing my fears. I am determined to help the homeless. I am determined to succeed and I am moving forward. What are you doing to achieve your goals? Do you have the will to continue?

To be successful, we need to set ourselves goals. In the pursuit of your goals you will encounter obstacles which you have to be determined to overcome. Last Thursday a friend said to me teasingly that since I am from the tropics I should camp outdoors in the summer instead of on February 22, 2014. In response another friend reminded him that the homeless are outdoors in the winter too. The latter comment was very encouraging for me since a part of my goal is to bring awareness to the issue of homelessness. However, if you think about, I have decided to walk/run an aggregate of approximately 50K in the month of February in a year when we are experiencing one of the worst winters in a long time.

Why am I determined not to be daunted? First, relative to Elon Musk’s goals to colonize Mars with 80,000 people I am confident I will raise the $2,000, walk/run approximately 50K and survive a night outdoors in the cold. In addition to fostering public awareness if my actions can spur others to act on their dreams and goals then that would be an added bonus. So where do I get the will to continue?

I get the will to continue from you. If you feel you lack the will to continue I encourage you to seek out reinforcement or a support network. Remember success comes from building an effective team. I encourage you to join me on this journey. Sponsor or donate here and email or text me you words of encouragement.

Here are some of the positive comments I received:

Tuula Redditt, Digital Artist, Sky Studio, Brampton, Ontario:

Mark what a fantastic leader you are for all of us to aspire to. You’re the BEST!

William Ramdass, Real Estate Sales Representative, Mississauga, Ontario:

Pity I met you so late in life. I would have been a vastly improved if I had you as mentor and coach but it’s never too late to learn. You are an inspiration to the young and the old alike yet maintain such humility - the mark of true leader. The fact that you will show solidarity to the homeless in such a very direct manner reminds of a man who lived here about just over 2000 years ago.

Julie Slusher, President, Antigua Toastmasters Club

Thank you for your uplifting message. There are not many great leaders in this world who are able to inspire others to become more than they are. But that’s exactly what you did when you helped us to form the Antigua Toastmasters Club. We remember you fondly all the time. I am always saying how lucky we were to have you as our mentor and sponsor for an entire six months. Even though the club is only one year old, we are already President’s Distinguished Club 2014 and welcome the opportunity to host our District 81 Conference in May 2014. You are a generous, insightful, effective leader who is an inspiration to those who have the privilege of working with you. All the best with the 50K run/walk and I am sure the time you spend with the homeless will be a source of encouragement for those who are less fortunate. I am proud to have met you. Best regards.

Trudie German, Personal Trainer & Fitness Competitor, Body Envy, Mississauga, Ontario

Oh my goodness Mark, you say we inspire you, but the truth is YOU inspire us. WOW….walking/running 2-5km and spending a night outdoor in this weather is altruistic of you. Here are a few tips for your walk/run:

Dress Accordingly

Layers, Layers, Layers that is very important. You will definitely need an outer layer that offers protection from the wind, hail, rain or snow while offering ventilation and allows moisture (sweat) to escape.

Gloves, hats, headbands and even masks are definitely essential (think about the stinging wind in your face).

Bright or reflective clothing are strongly recommended if you will be walking/running in the evenings.

This way you are more obvious to drivers.

Added precaution against slipping and falling would be to wear traction devices that can easily be slipped over your running shoes.

This allow for better grip on the road and reduces the risk of injury (these are to your feet what snow tires are to your car)

Hydrate

You may think hydration is only required during the warm summer months for your walk/run, but believe me you need to hydrate in the winter months just as much.

Even when it's freezing outside, you still loose water through sweating.  Have those water bottles with you on hand during your walk/run.

If roads are icy or slushy stop and drink instead of simply slowing down to drink.

Have Fun

You chose to walk/run this winter. Don't lose sight of your goal. Enjoy the journey and congratulate yourself at the end of each walk/run

Mark McKenzie is a leading Subject Matter Expert in financial services regulation and supervision as well as a professional motivational speaker, corporate trainer and youth mentor.  He can be contacted by email mastbmckenzie@gmail.com or by telephone 647-406-4622. Read my blog http://mastbmckenzie.blogspot.ca/ and always write me a comment and share. Follow me on Twitter @mackynacky. Connect with me on www.youtube.com, Google+, Facebook and Linkedin.

5 Tips to Be Extraordinary

On Friday I had the opportunity to present my Leaders Leave Legacy Workshop to a group of about 20 employees of large investment firm in the Greater Toronto Area. During my presentation I made the point that an effective leader must have clear vision and goals. I used my personal experiences to show how having clear vision and goals can lead to commitment from team members and ultimately success. One of the examples I used was my Holiday Season Food Drive and the level of support I received from others. I also used the example of Elon Musk and his goal to colonise Mars, the Red Planet, with 80,000 people. When I mentioned Elon Musk, I posed the following rhetorical question to the participants: Do you think Elon Musk’s goal is ridiculous? I followed up by telling the audience that my goal for Holiday Season Food Drive was to collect 10 boxes of non-perishable food item for the benefit of the Salvation Army of Brampton. I went on to say that compared to Elon Musk my goal was simple and perhaps it meant I had low expectations or no ambition! My comment was purposefully. It was intended to be self-deprecating while eliciting reflection and introspection from the participants.

Since my presentation on Friday, I have being reflecting on my statement and I have concluded that there are five key attributes to be an extraordinary and effective leader. Today, I would like to share my thoughts on these five key attributes. One of the key lessons I have learned about leadership is that extraordinary leaders are extremely intentional about everything they do and say. In order to be intentional as a leader you have to be deeply committed to constant self-examination so that you can determine your path to becoming an effective and extraordinary leader.

Before I proceed to share the 5 key attributes to be an effective and extraordinary leader, please allow me to share one of my lofty goals. For the month of February I am committed to helping Regeneration Outreach Community of Brampton in its Coldest Night of the Year Fundraising Campaign on February 22, 2014. Regeneration Outreach Community cares for the homeless and those at risk of being homeless. They believe breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Regeneration’s goal for the Coldest Night of the Year Campaign is to raise $40,000. Participants can register to join a team or start their own team here. As a participant you can determine to walk or run 2K, 5K or 10K. As at the time of writing this post for my blog McKenzie’s Voice the amount raised so far is $11,735 or 29% of the target.

My goal is to raise $2,000 for Regeneration’s Coldest Night of the Year Campaign by February 22, 2014. Commencing today, Monday, February 3, 2014 I will walk 2K daily, 5K on Saturday and Sundays and on February 22, 2014 I will walk and run 10K.

However, I want to do a little more to test the attributes of effective and extraordinary leadership. Within the context of Elon Musk lofty goal to colonise Mars, I am committing to spend the entire night of February 22, 2014 outdoors at 156 Main Street in Brampton, Ontario. Please note that I have never spent an entire night outdoors during the winter. I am terrified of the cold but on February 22, 2014, I want to confront this fear with a mission and a purpose. I will need all your encouragement.

How will I achieve my goal of raising $2,000? I am pledging $50 from my fees from each of my speaking engagements during the month of February to Regeneration’s Coldest Night of the Year Campaign. In addition, by committing to walk 2K daily commencing today, 5K on Saturdays and Sundays as well as walk and run 10K and spending the entire night of February 22, 2014 outdoors, I am seeking your kind support and support of the wide public for the benefit of Regeneration’s Coldest Night of the Year Campaign.

You can register here to make your contribution. After you have registered, I am kindly requesting that you call or text me at 647-406-4622 or email me at mastmckenzie@gmail.com to share tips on how to survive the cold outdoors. Also message me on Facebook, Google +, Twitter and Linkedin with the hashtag #mckenzie2000.

Why have I set such a lofty goal? My goal may not appear to be as lofty as Elon Musk’s goal to colonise Mars with 80,000 people but it is specific and sufficiently challenging, it is measurable, attainable, result-focused and time-bound. More importantly with your kind support I can achieve my goal of raising $2,000 for the benefit of Regeneration’s Coldest Night of Year Campaign.

As I pointed out above I am using the opportunity to test the 5 attributes of effective and extraordinary leadership I mentioned below. More importantly I recognise that it is easy when we walk by someone living on the street to assume that the person is there because he or she is an alcoholic or drug addict. However, I know that this is not always the case as there are other factors such as mentally illness, lack of education, job training, employment, housing and abuse that can lead to an individual ending up on the street with nowhere to live or eat or take care of their personal hygiene. Regeneration Outreach Community of Brampton has a wonderful program to help provide breakfast and care for those who need food and care. To this end, I am committing to help Regeneration reach its goals of $40,000 for its Coldest Night of the Year Campaign. In addition, I want to use my skills and time to help bring public awareness to the issue of homelessness and care for the needy.

Here are the five attributes of effective and extraordinary leaders:

Clear Vision, Goals and Plan

Effective and extraordinary leaders always have a clear vision, goals and plan. Vision is about tomorrow. It is about how leaders see the future or what they would like to happen in the future. Vision provides purpose and direction which are turned into goals, plan and activities. Vision solicits commitment and support from others. My vision is link to my core values of love and compassion for others and my strong desire to contribute to my community.

A S.M.A.R.T goals is defined as specific, measurable, achievable, result-focus and time bound. Your plan document your goals and the activities and tasks required to achieve your goals. Above I articulated and documented my goals and laid out my plan of action while seeking your commitment. A plan is a roadmap or guide used in the pursuit of your dreams and ultimately achieving your goals.

Emotional Agility or Flexibility

As a leader you have to be deeply aware of your emotions and how you respond or react to various situations. What level of emotional agility or flexibility do you possess? How do you respond when you are angry, confused or fearful? I am truly terrified of the cold. Should I allow my fears of the cold to prevent me from taking action to make a contribution to the Regeneration’s Coldest Night of the Year Campaign? Is it courageous to say I want to spend a night outdoors in the cold? Or is it, perceived by some people, as ridiculous as  Elon Musk's goal to colonise Mars?

Systems Thinking

Victory or success for me is not about whether I stand or sleep outdoors on February 22, 2014. I am fully committed to executing my plan. I share it publicly because I want to be transparent. I want to be held accountable by you. I want to confront my fears of the cold during the winter months but my deeper battle is to help bring public awareness to homelessness and care for the needy. I don’t want to win my own battle and lose sight of the war. I am deeply conscious that my single act is not all that is required for public awareness on the subject of homelessness. It is only a small contribution but it is better than doing nothing. It will not create sustainable change but it is a first step. As an activist I recognise that public awareness and change must occur within the context of public policy and the overall social system. To be an effective and extraordinary leader you must ask the following questions:

What is the change you want to make? 

What is the larger system or wide environment you to need to effect, and work in, in order to make that change?

Communicate frequently and with precision

Effective and extraordinary leaders are effective communicators. Leaders must communicate frequently and with precision to promote transparency and openness. A leader that wants to be taken seriously must lead with a steady hand and calming voice. Leaders must be patient. A leader must take time to explain complex actions in a simple manner. Leaders must speak bluntly without offending others. Leaders must leave a window for descending views and allow room for dialogue and discourse. In this post on my blog McKenzie’s Voice I have taken the opportunity to put to test the key attributes of effective and extraordinary leadership. My goals are very are clear.

Build a team

One of the hallmarks of effective and extraordinary leaders is that they always surround themselves with a strong support team. By articulating my vision and goals I am hoping to inspire your loyalty and support. I am fully conscious that I cannot do this alone. If I am going to sleep on cardboard boxes I will need the best cardboard boxes to protect myself. I may even need a cup of coffee. You are part of my team.

Will you join me? Support Regeneration Outreach Community Coldest Night of the Year Campaign.

Mark McKenzie is a leading Subject Matter Expert in financial services regulation and supervision as well as a professional motivational speaker, corporate trainer and youth mentor.  He can be contacted by email mastbmckenzie@gmail.com or by telephone 647-406-4622. Read my blog http://mastbmckenzie.blogspot.ca/ and always write me a comment and share. Follow me on Twitter @mackynacky. Connect with me on www.youtube.com, Google+, Facebook and Linkedin.