Managing Summer Interns

During the summer, organizations often take on students for intern positions. I have hired a few students over the years and find that it's important to have a plan for what they are going to do. No plan means it takes a lot more of my time.

Here's an article with helpful tips for employing summer interns:

3 Tips for Successfully Managing Summer Interns

I hope your summer is off to a great start!

Inspired

On April 3, my company is starting up a program where senior executives will tell their stories. These leaders have inspired me by their generosity of spirit.

The executives giving these sessions are all busy people. They travel, they manage good-sized companies. All of them, when asked, agreed to share how they got to where they are.

Just considering this inspires me. That these individuals would be willing to take the time and present their tips, tools and advice. This isn’t about making more money or getting publicity - they already have enough of those.

So thank you, Halifax Executive Mentoring Series presenters!

If you are in the Halifax area and are interested in learning more about this series, please see halifaxleadership.com.

My Favourite Mentor

I was my father's favourite child. Never mind that I had five brothers and a sister.

In fact, I am the most beautiful woman in the world next to my mother. I know this because my father told me so. Okay, I know my father is a little biased but every time he said that I would laugh, and say, "Thank you!" It was great to hear the words.

My father also had five sisters and five brothers - he was the eldest child - and all of them were his favourites. And all of his sisters were also the most beautiful women in the world. Whenever any of them called, he would tell them so. No matter he had just talked with another favourite sibling.

My Dad passed away this summer. At the Home where he spent the last three weeks of his life in a shared room, his co-occupant would get his feathers ruffled because my father had so many visitors. From 7am until midnight, someone was with Dad, and often times there were five or six people there during the day. (I guess having literally hundreds of relatives helps with that.)

When someone needed a boost, they would call my father. He was a role model to many, including me. Always cheerful, always giving a positive word. And now that he has passed, my mentor more than ever.