Leveraging wins in Hollywood, Toronto, and the global entertainment and arts stage, Nova Scotian-born Chaz Thorne shifted his focus to aggrotech entrepreneurialism while later earning his Executive MBA from Northwestern University (CANADA).

In this episode of Get Hired UP!, he shares the Japanese concept of Ikigai, which means “a reason for being”: What you love to do, what you're good at doing, what you will be paid for, and what the world needs. Although I had not heard of this concept before, this drives my own work. I believe when you’re doing meaningful work with people you respect, everyone wins.

During our call, we chatted about his film-making career and his transition to corporate business. Now, Chaz leads 3 successful Canadian businesses specializing in competitive business strategy, facilitation, and strategic planning.

Chaz and I discuss being real at work: “Showing up as your full self is critical and by doing so increases the value you bring to your company."

He says, as a leader, recognizing when the context has shifted is critical, because then you must change the way you lead based on what is appropriate with the new context. For example, you might not be an authoritarian leader in daily life, but in a crisis, this might be what your team requires (9/11 for example and Rudy Giuliani’s management of the crisis).

Listen here.

Have a great week ahead and thank you for subscribing to our weekly e-note!

We’re counting the days until spring when we can get to the cottage once again. Here are my husband, Patrick, and daughter, Allison, building our new woodshed last summer (it's now finished). Except now we’re thinking of using it as a bunkhouse for weekend guests. What do you think…bunkhouse or woodshed? Let me know.