A GLOBAL ODYSSEY: LOGBOOK ONE: The Making of the Chief Explorer EXCERPT 2: ADDITIONAL PROFILE MATERIAL ON THE CHIEF EXPLORER The turtle only makes progress when it sticks its neck out Donald G. Simpson, Chief Explorer of the Innovation Expedition A Colleague Provides Her Profile of the Chief Explorer Dr. Michele Johnson is a professor of history at York University, teaching a variety of courses relating to “Blacks in the Americas” (encompassing the Caribbean, Latin America, the United States and Canada. She is one of the founding members of the Harriet Tubman Resource Centre on the African Diaspora and is now serving as Acting Director of that Centre. A historian with an interest in the cultural history of Jamaica in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as well as the 20th-­‐century history of domestic service in Jamaica, Michele’s passion is for capturing and preserving the voices of ordinary people – people whose lives might otherwise pass unnoticed, but in whose stories lie unique pieces of insight and wisdom to be excavated and explored. Comments by Dr. Michele Johnson “I met Don Simpson on March 25, 2007 at the launch of the Harriet Tubman Institute for Research on the Global Migrations of African Peoples at York University. The new Institute was in fact the next evolution of the Harriet Tubman Resource Centre on the African Diaspora, which had itself grown out of the Nigerian Hinterland Project, part of the UNESCO Slave Route Project. For the growing community of researchers sharing an interest in the global experiences of African Peoples, the launch marked a significant milestone in an extensive journey, guided by the commitment and passion of Dr. Paul Lovejoy, Tubman’s founder and Director and Dr. David Trotman, its Associate Director. The Institute is proud to be part of an international network of research centers committed to overcoming injustice and inequity as a result of slavery. We were there both to launch the Institute and to mark a significant historic event – the 200th anniversary of the day the British law to abolish the slave trade received royal assent. Excited by the success of the two-­‐day symposium on “Slavery, Memory and Citizenship” which preceded this event; we were sharing a meal and looking forward to welcoming Canada’s Governor General Michaëlle Jean to officiate at the launch.
1 LOGBOOK ONE: Excerpt Two As we introduced ourselves around the table at which I was seated, I was surprised to find that the gentleman with the shock of white hair was Dr. Donald G. Simpson, author of Under the North Star: Black Communities in Upper Canada Before Confederation (Africa World Press, 2005). Since I was then engaged in teaching African Canadian History at York, my colleague Jose Curto (historian of Africa at York) and I started to talk generally with Don about the black experience in nineteenth-­‐
century Canada. We quickly moved on to a number of the more contemporary concerns that I had dealt with in my course. Like so many before me, I was intrigued by Don’s casual references to the historical moments he had experienced, the depth and breadth of his travels, concerns and contributions. Given our interest in gathering data, narratives and perspectives, Jose and I agreed that it would be a good idea to capture Don’s memories. We thought his expertise in African Canadian History, his experiences in a number of organizations and his many travels would make for a phenomenal oral history. It was much later that year before I had a chance to sit down with Don again and begin to record elements from some of his stories. As I learned about the history of his parents and his childhood, I found myself intrigued by many possible avenues of exploration. What was family life like for the ordinary Canadians who lived through the Great Depression of the 1930s? What sort of toll did miners’ occupations and lives have on them and their families? How and why did the communists make their mark in the mining industry in Sudbury? How did Canada address the challenge of reintegrating soldiers after World War II? I have a broad interest in what we can discover from the life histories of people who are not “historical figures” in the traditional sense. I have made that interest the focus of my studies and writing. As I heard Don reminiscing about his PhD research, which included turning the stories of ordinary Canadians of African descent into a “Black Canadian History” which few mainstream scholars believed even existed, I realized we shared strong interests and a similar approach to historical exploration. While his life history opened up so many questions for me, the focus of my work at York and Don’s growing commitment to help the Tubman Institute continue to evolve suggested that the interaction between Canada and Africa should be our main focus. At the same time, it was very clear that our fundamentally different backgrounds and life experiences would cause us to analyze and interpret events from different perspectives. I began to look forward to some informal “sparring” about motives and interpretations whenever the opportunity presented. What I didn’t know at the time was that opening the doors to the walking archives called Don Simpson would bring down an avalanche of information, ideas and hundreds of boxes of data that were eventually christened “The Don Simpson Archives” and incorporated as a special collection in our university’s archives. No one warned us at the Tubman Centre that this informal interaction would grow exponentially into a multi-­‐faceted “Canadian Odyssey,” of which this series of LogBooks represents just one of the outputs. 2 LOGBOOK ONE: Excerpt Two The Odyssey starts with Don’s personal history, but it’s much more. I see the life story of this ordinary—and also extraordinary – Canadian as a window through which many major historical developments in the second half of the twentieth century can be viewed, analyzed and discussed from a unique perspective. I am proud to have played a role in challenging and encouraging Don to tell his stories. I am confident they will be received warmly by a diverse audience of students, educators, researchers, business and nonprofit leaders, as well as engaged citizens in all walks of life.” 3 LOGBOOK ONE: Excerpt Two Appendix A to Excerpt 2 from LogBook 1: Sample List of Don Simpson’s Roles and Activities (1957 to 2015) In the 1950s and 1960s •
Following three years as a member of the intercollegiate football team at Western University, played two years of semi-­‐professional football with the London Lords of the now-­‐defunct historic Ontario Rugby Football Union (ORFU). •
As a rookie high-­‐school teacher and football coach, launching a small student project to fund post-­‐graduate studies in Canada for one student from Ghana – then growing it into the national African Students Foundation, which educated over 300 Africans •
Inspired by Harlem-­‐based black preacher Dr. James Robinson, founder of Crossroads Africa – participating in volunteer experiences building rural schools in Ethiopia and Nigeria – co-­‐founding the Canadian arm of Robinson’s organization, which continues today as Canadian Crossroads International •
Serving as the first regional director for West Africa, for the Canadian University Services Overseas (CUSO) •
A Founding Director of the Office of International Education at the University of Western Ontario⎯one of the first such units in any Canadian University •
Creating a unique cross-­‐cultural learner centre in London, connected by telephone into a floor-­‐
sized random access batch processor in the US, to prepare CUSO volunteers for work in developing countries and to help support intercultural education in Canada In the 1970s •
Becoming one of the first staff members (Project Associate for Education Initiatives for Africa, Asia and Latin America) of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) – founded by the Right Honourable Lester B. Pearson, led by Dr. David Hopper, and recognized as a breakthrough innovation in the use of collaborative global research networks •
Co-­‐leader, with Canada’s top constitutional expert, Peter Russell, of the Southern Support Group for the Dene Nation in the Northwest Territories, helping to train social development community workers, preparing submissions to the Berger inquiry into a proposed Mackenzie Valley Pipeline and supporting community-­‐based research on land claims of the Dene Nation. •
Completing a PhD thesis on the history of blacks in Canada before confederation, published in 2005 by Africa World Press as Under the North Star: Black Communities in Upper Canada •
While researching, beginning a still-­‐active connection with the community of Buxton (once a terminus of the Underground Railroad) and helping them fulfil their dream of opening a museum of what was then known as “negro history” 4 LOGBOOK ONE: Excerpt Two In the 1980s •
Serving as Director of the Centre for International Business at the Ivey Business School, stimulating efforts to globalize their curriculums, strengthen exchange programs with several European and Asian business schools, founding their first MBA course in Sustainable Development and helping establish the first “western-­‐style” business school in China at Tsinghua University, including early leadership for introducing the “case method” for preparing business leaders in China •
Co-­‐founding consulting firms Kanchar International, focused on economic development, and Salasan Associates, working to develop human resources and organizational capacity in developing countries and with First Nations in Canada •
Designing and delivering courses at a German private business school with a focus on preparing German innovators to negotiate collaborative alliances with Japanese firms. •
Present in Berlin when the “Wall” came down and leader of a team preparing an initial workshop series for entrepreneurs in Dresden •
Leading diverse change initiatives, including helping to introduce solar energy to Kenya, working to transform the university sector in Indonesia, and organizing community dialogues which led to the transformation of the education system in Canada’s Northwest Territories In the 1990s •
As vice-­‐president of the Banff Centre in Alberta, taking on the challenge of globalizing the curriculum and perspectives of their Centre for Management •
Leading the team that engaged over 20,000 community leaders in roundtables exploring what it would take to build an innovation-­‐driven society, as part of Alberta Premier Don Getty’s “Toward 2000 Together” initiative •
Supporting early efforts of Canada’s national Roundtables on the Environment, and serving as catalyst for environmental management training programs in Canada, Europe and Japan •
Founding the Innovation Expedition, which from its spiritual home in Banff identifies, connects and mentors influential innovators from around the world who are committed both to building a high performing organization in their own sector and to supporting initiatives aimed at helping to make the world a better place •
Designing and developing with Japanese partners a major annual effort to help Japanese leaders learn how to be successful in the United States •
Creating the Challenge Dialogue System (CDS)™ to help diverse stakeholders collaborate and innovate in order to accomplish complex tasks and dramatically improve performance •
Undertaking major transformational initiatives with large corporations, including Syncrude, AVCO Finance, Bayer Canada, Occidental Petroleum and Textron 5 LOGBOOK ONE: Excerpt Two Since 2000 •
Applying CDS to mentor the diverse corporations that form the Oil Sands Leadership Initiative (OSLI) in a collaborative innovation program with economic, social and environmental goals •
Mentoring the young Kenyan entrepreneurs who won the $1 million prize in the 2010 Nokia Growth Economy Venture Challenge for their company Virtual City, which uses mobile phone technology to automate rural supply chains and reduce poverty •
Teaching emerging leaders from around the world at the Oxford University Advanced Management Programme and initiating early design work on the concept of modern day Renaissance Cities, Renaissance Organizations and Renaissance Leaders •
Co-­‐authoring Renaissance Leadership: Rethinking and Leading the Future with Dr. Stephen Murgatroyd, reflecting two decades of exploring the style of leadership that succeeds in unleashing innovation and building high-­‐performing organizations •
Assisting Dr. Murgatroyd in establishing Future Think Press™, producing e-­‐books and paperbacks that challenge, enable, encourage, inspire, provoke and equip leaders to rethink the future. Coauthoring a book Rethinking Innovation in the series •
Acting for four years as Innovator in Residence at York University in Toronto, providing mentoring services to three units: the Faculty of Health, Schulich Executive Leadership Program and the Harriet Tubman Institute on the Global Migration of People of African Origin. •
Documenting Canada’s early interaction with Africa and Asia, and with visible minorities domestically beginning in the 1960s, through the lens of his personal experience, in A Canadian Odyssey (an unpublished manuscript) •
Donating papers collected over a half-­‐century of global engagement to create the Simpson Archives in the Clara Thomas Archives and Special Collections at York University •
Collaborating with Seth Goldenberg of the Epic Decade coalition, based in Rhode Island, in co-­‐
creating a coalition to assist the Wood Buffalo community in northern Alberta in their quest to build a global model of sustainable living. •
Interim CEO of the ArtsGames, a breakthrough innovation whose mandate is to present to a global audience the excellence that exists in all cultures – by returning medalled competitions to the Olympic and Paralympic movements. 2014 and Ongoing •
Further design of a Renaissance Innovation Community to identify, connect and support a group of innovative organizations that are rethinking the future of their sectors (energy, health, education, corporate sustainability, philanthropy, humanitarian assistance and development in Africa) and playing a role in creating sustainable prosperity in their communities •
Announcing on his 80th birthday (July 13, 2014) a new Expedition in Search of Modern Day Renaissance Leaders. This Expedition is intended to be: 6 LOGBOOK ONE: Excerpt Two “An Innovative, Customized, Learning and Leadership Journey to Identify, Connect, Mentor and Promote the Efforts of a Select Group of Transformational Leaders Who Combine a Passion for Driving High Performance in their Organizations with a Desire to Help Make the World a Better Place.” 7 LOGBOOK ONE: Excerpt Two Appendix B to Excerpt 2 from LogBook One: Elements of the Chief Explorer’s Personal Expedition in Support of the Renaissance Expedition A diverse group of leaders from the Innovation Expedition Network are engaged in the design and testing of a global Community of Modern Day Renaissance Pathfinders under the leadership of Bob Westrope. Their efforts will be influenced and supported by a set of personal activities by Don Simpson in his role as ambassador, identifier, connector, mentor and promoter of modern day Renaissance Leaders These activities will be organized around the following core elements: 1. Capture and Share Stories from the Chief Explorer’s Global Odyssey. This will involve the creation of a mixed media package of resources reflecting on highlights of Don’s 50-­‐year global journey which prepared him to be a distinctive mentor. Don intends to tell his personal stories of what a Renaissance approach has meant to him and encourage others to tell their stories. In addition to providing insights on nurturing leadership for today’s global knowledge-­‐based world, the premise also is that Don’s personal experiences can serve as an instructive prism for viewing Canada’s growing interaction, starting in the late 1950s, with the Third World globally and with aspects of the Third World inside Canada. Don will reflect on all these diverse, cross-­‐cultural and community development experiences and then organize vehicles for sharing his insights. The intent is to stimulate conversations about linking public, business and non-­‐profit efforts into creative, collaborative models for development. This includes designing, developing and delivering, with some alliance partners, a concept of Social Enterprise and then evaluating the implications of this thinking to transform community development initiatives. The various knowledge products created and collected as a result of Don’s global Odyssey will be stored in a digital Knowledge Bank. They are meant to inspire and support others who are on a journey to become an entrepreneurial, innovative, collaborative leader. The hoped for outcome is to help these leaders strengthen their capacity for helping diverse stakeholders to work together to unleash innovations aimed at driving dramatic improvements in the performance of organizations. 8 LOGBOOK ONE: Excerpt Two 2. Identify, Engage, Mentor and Promote Breakthrough Innovations of a Select Group of Renaissance Pathfinders. When Don announced the Expedition in Search of Modern Day Renaissance Leaders in July 2014, it included a year-­‐long series of visits in 2014-­‐2015 to reconnect with old colleagues and meet new alliance partners in a wide variety of economic sectors whom the Chief Explorer has positioned as Renaissance Pathfinders. Don has begun to seek out outstanding practitioners who are directly involved in the design, development and delivery of breakthrough innovations aimed at building entrepreneurial, collaborative, high performing organizations which can serve as “game changers” in the transformation of their particular sector. The categories represented by these Pathfinders include the following. •
Transforming Cities—with a focus on building happy, healthy, productive, benevolent, harmonious, globally-­‐connected and multicultural communities; including powerful examples of the roles being played by young change leaders and the arts and cultural sectors in helping to drive some of these transformations. Note: Included in this category are also specific innovations related to transforming health, education, economic development, poverty reduction and philanthropy. •
Transforming Humanitarian Assistance—with a focus on challenges faced by those at “the bottom of the economy pyramid,” as well as examples of initiatives related to the creation of appropriate ”arrival cities” for immigrants and refugees globally. Note: This category also features some initiatives around the co-­‐creation of productive partnerships between First Nations and other communities in Canada •
Transforming the Natural Resources Sector—with a focus on prioritizing a Triple Bottom Line approach that delivers integrated, balanced and positive economic, social and environmental outcomes. Note: This category has a significant focus on innovations related to the links between energy and the environment and the transformation of the agriculture and food sectors. •
Pioneering in the Third Industrial Revolution—with a focus on mobility solutions and increased understanding and involvement in digital, collaborative, open-­‐source manufacturing; the emerging “Maker Movement;” and the evolving concept of an “Internet of Everything.” Note: This category initially has a strong focus on the breakthrough, collaborative innovations of Local Motors and their 3D printing of a car which has led them to be positioned as “the new face of 21st century innovation.” 9 LOGBOOK ONE: Excerpt Two •
Nurturing Modern Day Renaissance Leadership—with a focus on IT-­‐enabled, experiential-­‐
based, cross-­‐cultural education and leadership development programs aimed at nurturing the development of entrepreneurial, collaborative innovators who have a strong respect for diversity and who demonstrate a passion both for driving high performance and for making the world a better place. Note: Included with these education and leadership development examples are initiatives that demonstrate the role of Renaissance Artistic Instigators who stimulate the “drive to strive” required of influential innovators. Fifty of these Renaissance (REx)Pathfinders have already been engaged and Don will post regular Scouting Reports online introducing these leaders and the innovations they have undertaken. His aim is to encourage and support their efforts to make their stories available to other Pathfinders in the REx, and through each of them to a much wider audience. While Don will not be involved in any direct operational work with any of these Pathfinders, he will provide them with his mentoring services and will undertake efforts to get them engaged with other REx Pathfinders in a search for collaborative opportunities. In situations in which a coalition of Pathfinders commit to undertake a major integrated, collaborative project Don will, when requested, spend time promoting and supporting such major activities. 3. Explore, document and Present Expanded Insights on the Concept of Modern Day Renaissance Leadership. The overall intent here is to play a lead role in the development and promotion of the Renaissance brand as conceived initially by the Innovation Expedition and now being developed by an evolving community of Renaissance Leaders. Don will organize a number of national and global Scouting Parties with the intention of better understanding the changing realities, emerging challenges and opportunities of a knowledge-­‐
based economy and the associated evolution of the Third Industrial Revolution. In these Scouting Parties, he intends to engage, nationally and globally, in conversations with others who share his interest in leadership development. He also intends to collaborate with them in documenting what is said in these conversations and why it matters. He will draw on the output from the Scouting Parties to engage in the ongoing design, development and delivery of resources for promoting increased understanding of the concept of a modern day Renaissance. 10 LOGBOOK ONE: Excerpt Two This focus on developing the concept of Renaissance will lead him to collaborate with other members of the Renaissance Community to identify opportunities for making all these leadership resources available, first to the members of the REx community and then to a wider audience. 4. Identify, Engage and Stimulate a Number of Artists to Operate as an Informal Group of Renaissance Artistic Instigators The Innovators, by Walter Isaacson “Human creativity involves values, intentions, aesthetic judgements, emotions, personal consciousness and a moral sense. These are what the arts and humanities teach us—and why these realms are as valuable a part of education as science, technology, engineering and math.” The Chief Explorer is in the process of engaging and interacting with such a group of artists, including poets; jazz, classical and folk musicians; storytellers; painters; filmmakers; authors and journalists. He describes this group as Renaissance Artistic Instigators. It is difficult to conceive of operating the Renaissance Expedition without including among the Pathfinders a number of artists who have an interest in the Renaissance concept and the skills to help inspire and prepare others for significant creative initiatives. The Artist as a Creative Instigator To explain his sense of the importance of his artistic colleagues as creative instigators within the Renaissance Expedition, Don Simpson, as Chief Explorer, draws on some words by the curator of a recent art exhibit in the Harbourfront Centre of Toronto, Ontario, where Don lives: “The instigator is usually a person of energy and vision. In artistic terms the instigator is a crucial stimulus and perhaps the essential component in creating and inspiring others to create. Instigators shake up the status quo. They are the ones who are foremost in innovative approaches and do the heavy lifting for subsequent creative accomplishments.” —Patrick Macauley, Director of Visual Arts, Harbourfront Centre The intent of this fourth leg of the Chief Explorer’s REx is to find innovative ways to: — Feature and promote these artists (including capturing their stories on film) — Help them engage and support each other — Encourage them to create innovative ways to present their art, woven around some aspect of the concept of a modern day Renaissance and supported by the contacts and the credibility of some of the REx Pathfinders in other social, economic and education sectors 11 LOGBOOK ONE: Excerpt Two — Included is the desire to stimulate, among leading education reformers, an interest in moving their major efforts from promoting STEM education towards STEAM initiatives. This involves the addition of the arts and cultural sector to recent increased focus by educators on the important focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics. LET THE JOURNEY CONTINUE! Contact: [email protected] 12