1Tell us about your role as CEO of Ontario Soccer.

I try to keep it as simple as possible because it's a very complex role, as it is with any large organization such as ours.

In simple terms, I'm responsible for the leadership and management of the organization’s strategy, planning and execution, as well as revenue generation, brand management and overall day-to-day operations.

To me, simply put… my job as CEO is to “bring the future into the present”.

2As CEO, how important is workplace culture? How do you go about establishing a strong team environment?

It’s critical to everything you do as an organization. Much of it is based on your organizational values that everyone upholds – in a way, it’s a staff covenant.

While as a CEO you hope you are providing inspiration, your staff culture truly comes from within your team.

Everyone should be encouraged to contribute to your culture – it becomes your organizational identity.

Therefore empowering your staff is important. The staff at Ontario Soccer are outstanding people first and sound practitioners second.

Never is your staff culture more on display and needed than in a time of crisis such as the present global pandemic.

It has been a very challenging time for all of us where unprecedented decisions had to be made.

I truly believe in our case we are managing through these challenging times because of the identity or culture we have established.

3With your past experience as EVP at Hockey Canada, president at Canadian Tire Jumpstart and in your current position, how has your leadership style changed? What has stuck with you and continues to represent your leadership style?

My leadership style has always been one of honesty, transparency and more importantly collaboration.

Our industry is so dynamic with so many moving parts that it takes everyone on board to have a voice and play a key role. There is a real power of collective thinking to solve problems or to develop strategies.

I would say that over time I’ve adapted to know best when I need to lead from behind and when to be out front. I’m not a big believer of hierarchal style leadership.

I believe everyone has the ability to lead regardless of their title or what they earn.

Organizational charts are only important when it comes to accountability.

A flat style of leadership is more important to me than a hierarchical or linear style of leadership because everybody has leadership abilities.

It's just the strength in people in high places to bring that out of people so that the collective sum of your parts is more powerful.

4With over 33 years in the sport industry, working within the national, provincial and the non-profit sectors, what have you learned that might help aspiring sport professionals choose which sector is right for them?

Really research and understand the sport industry. It has really become specialized with so many operational areas and skillsets required.

The sports industry, while it seems small in comparison to other industries out there, is actually quite massive on its own. It has become very specialized over time, especially over the last decade.

Professional and amateur sports are similar in some ways, yet so different in many areas.

Talk to people, find out what it is like to work in a particular area of operation be it the business or technical side, or administration, etc.

Be honest with yourself and first ask the question about what are you most passionate about? If you can’t do that and if sports is not a passion first, then this industry is not for you.

Simply put, if it's a passion, it doesn't feel like a job. It becomes a part of your life.

My mother gave me some staunch advice when I went off to university, she said to me, “whatever you want to study, just make sure that whatever you do for a career, find something that doesn’t just feel like a job, find something where you can make a difference”.

That really meant a lot to me. That's why I chose sports because it was always such a passion to me.

This is a message I share all the time when speaking to college or university students who are the potential future generation of sports management or sports administration leaders.

It's very easy at the surface to look at the profile of sports and get mesmerized by the perceived glamour of working in it, however, like every industry or job, it has its moments that can be not so glamourous. That’s life so do your research.

My time as the Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations at Hockey Canada, I was very fortunate to have travelled around the world with our national teams and worked closely with Team Canada at the annual World Championships and even three Olympic Games and the World Cup of Hockey.

The perception was that oh, it must be nice travelling to France and going to Paris or travelling to Sweden or Finland or to Germany or Switzerland, Italy and going to the Olympics and all that kind of stuff.

Yes, it looks and sounds very cool and believe me it is, but the reality is these trips and events were very long days where an airport, hotel and ice rink is all you have time to see.

In the end, you will have to be prepared to make personal sacrifices. I spent a lot of time away from my family. Your work-life balance is always challenged.

I have seen the demands of this industry for some, really struggle. If it’s not your passion, you will soon find out.