Reflections of a Trailblazer

Barbara Bowes

Description

Author Barbara J. Bowes wrote Reflections of a Trailblazer hoping to encourage readers to confront any personal adversity they
might encounter.
Her story is one of having the strength to move beyond a marriage breakup, to step out of one’s comfort zone, and to try an entirely different career. This determined woman broke through the barriers of a patriarchal business world, and sought to highlight the importance of human resources in every organization. Readers will relate to Barbara’s open writing style as she shares both personal and career stories, and they will laugh along with her when she reflects on her own many humorous life situations.

Sujets

• Personal Memoirs
• Biography
• Trailblazer
• Autobiography

Informations

• Publié par: Éditions des Plaines
• Date de parution: 18 octobre 2023
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781774610640
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

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Barbara J. Bowes

Barbara J. Bowes

Relecîons o a raîbazer © 2023 Vîdacom Pubîcaîons ïSBN: 978-1-77461-063-3

ex © Barbara J. Bowes

he vîews and opînîons expressed ereîn are ose o e auor.

A rîgs reserved. No par o îs work covered by e copyrîgs ereon may be reproduced or used în any orm or by any means—grapîc, eecronîc, or mecanîca, încudîng poocopyîng, recordîng, apîng, or înormaîon sorage and rerîeva sysems—wîou e prîor wrîTen permîssîon o e pubîser, or, în case o poocopyîng or oer reprograpîc copyîng, a îcence rom Access Copyrîg, e Canadîan Copyrîg Lîcensîng Agency.

he pubîser graeuy acknowedges e suppor o e Canada Councî or e Ars and e Manîoba Ars Councî or îs pubîsîng program. We aso acknowedge e suppor o e Governmen o Canada roug e Canada Book Fund and e Governmen o Manîoba roug e Pubîsîng ax Credî Program or our pubîsîng acîvîîes.

Desîgn and ayou: Reîs New Brand Experîence Cover poo: Andrew Maon Poograpy Edîor-în-Cîe: Joanne herrîen

Lîbrary and Arcîves Canada Caaoguîng în Pubîcaîon

îe: Relecîons o a raîbazer / Barbara J. Bowes. Names: Bowes, Barbara J., 1947- auor. ïdenîIers: Canadîana (prîn) 20230545211 | Canadîana (ebook) 20230545246 | ïSBN 9781774610633 (sotcover) | ïSBN 9781774610640 (PDF) | ïSBN 9781774610657 (EPUB) Subjecs: LCSH: Bowes, Barbara J., 1947- | LCSH: Personne managemen. | LCSH: Women execuîves—Manîoba—Wînnîpeg—Bîograpy. | LCSH: Execuîves—Manîoba— Wînnîpeg—Bîograpy. | LCGF: Auobîograpîes. CassîIcaîon: LCC HD6054.4.C32 W56 2023 | DDC 658.30092—dc23

Lega deposî 2023 Lîbrary and Arcîves Canada Manîoba Legîsaîve Lîbrary

Vîdacom Pubîcaîons P.O. Box 123 Wînnîpeg, Manîoba, Canada R2H 3B4 e.: 204.235.0078 • îno@vîdacom.ca • www.vîdacom.ca

Table of Contents

Proogue Caper A radîîona Famîy Caper 2 Fîndîng My Persona Career Drîvers Caper 4 A Norern Advenure Caper 5 Wînnîpeg, Here ï Come Caper 6 Conronîng Workpace Dîemmas Caper 7 A Buyîng Experîence Caper 8 A New Roadbock Caper 9 A oay New Dîrecîon Caper 10 Scoo rusee and Consuan—Wo Woud Have houg? Caper 11 Buîdîng My HR Busîness Caper 12 A Brîe Journey îno Provîncîa Poîîcs Caper 13 Seps o Coaboraîon Caper 14 A Naîona Fîrm or a îme Caper 15 Rebuîdîng e Busîness Caper 16 A Regîona Parnersîp and New Caenges Caper 17 Anoer Rebuîd! Caper 18 A New Parnersîp Caper 19 Markeîng Sraegîes and Sayîng Creaîve Caper 20 Wîy Compeîors Caper 21 A Reaîonsîp wî eWînnîpeg Fee Pess Caper 22 On Beîng a Radîo Hos and eevîsîon Gues Caper 23 On Beîng an Auor Caper 24 A Lîeîme o Menorsîp and Coacîng Caper 25 Awards and Recognîîon Caper 26 A Legacy o Success Acknowedgmens Abou e Auor

7 9 15 28 38 41 47 50 56 60 64 69 73 78 85 94 100 105 110 113 118 122 125 132 139 142 149 151

Table of Contents 5

Prologue

s you mîg expec, my eary amîy and you experîences saped my îe’s A journey and my career. Fîrs, because o my aer’s Depressîon-era vîew o women and eîr roe în socîey, ï deveoped a deep sense o compeîîon, espe- cîay wî my oder broer—and o be ones, wî men în genera. Waever my broer coud do as a “guy,” ï swore ï coud do jus as we as a gîr. hîs încuded cîmbîng rees o coec pînecones and seîng em o e oca depar- men o oresry. And my compeîîveness aso încuded beîng abe o quîcky bounce back îno acîon ater ï e rom one o ose pîne rees and broke my jaw. Secondy, growîng up, ï was Iercey îndependen and ad dîicuy accepîng e word “no,” especîay wen my raîonae or someîng was caenged. ï even remember arguîng wî my Grade 8 eacers as o wy ï coudn’ eave e scoo grounds a unc îme. ï jus dîdn’ make sense o me a a oca suden coud eave e scoo grounds o wak ome or unc, bu ï wasn’ aowed o eave jus because ï was a bus suden. ï soon deveoped a persona moTo and way o ackîng caenges. ï kep înkîng a î my pa o e et was bocked, ï woud go rîg unî ï ound a way around e caenge ï was deaîng wî. hîs abîîy o probem-sove and pîvo as been a bîg par o my overa career success, as you wî see în my sory. ïn my îe and my work, ere asn’ been a ree ï woudn’ cîmb or a sîuaîon ï woudn’ acke. However, e bîgges sake-up în my career came a a îme wen ï was a specîa educaîon consuan wî e Seven Oaks Scoo Dîvîsîon. Ater severa years în e job and payîng cose aTenîon o e naure o scoo eadersîp ï encounered, ï se my own goa o becomîng a scoo prîncîpa. ï ad dîscussed

Prologue 7

îs wî my scoo superînenden Dr. Norman ïser many îmes and î was îs Ina bun saemen o rejecîon a sook me o e core. A e same îme, îs commens and suggesîons ed me o re-evauae wo ï was, recognîze were my skîs coud be used and deveop e courage o sar a woe new career. Dr. ïser’s commens and suggesîons ave been burned îno my mînd and are as cear oday as e day e sared em wî me. Here îs wa e saîd:

Barbara, You are aways caengîng e sysem. You are aways ryîng o cange îngs. You are aways ryîng o Ix îngs. We don’ need anyone îke a a e prîncîpa eve. We need someone a wî do as ey are od, so, wa you soud do îs run or scoo rusee and sar your own busîness!

Hîs commens î me îke a on o brîcks. ïn oer words, Dr. ïser was eîng me a a uure career as scoo prîncîpa, was dead! here woud be no promo- îona opporunîîes or me. ï was îs conversaîon a drove me o dîve deep îno wo ï was, wa skîs ï ad, were ï coud appy em, and wa ï waned o do wî e res o my îe. ï reca beîng very angry wî Dr. ïser bu ater severa more dîscussîons, ï decîded a maybe e was rîg. So, ï cose o ake a rîsk and cange my îe and career dîrecîon. he oowîng pages are my relecîons and recoecîons o e many wîss and urns o my îe, my career journey, and my success as a uman resource managemen consuan and busîness owner. As a raîbazer în e uman resource proessîon and a successu emae enrepreneur, my ope îs a my sory provîdes some guîdance or ose wîsîng o ake a major career urn, and a e same îme o enjoy some umour aong e way.

Happy readîng, Barbara J. Bowes

8 Reflections of a Trailblazer

CHAPTER 1 A Traditional Family

înce ï was e ony enrepreneur în my amîy and ad never oug abou S enrepreneursîp wen ï was growîng up, par o e relecîon on my career rajecory was o dîscover î ï ad any eary sîgns o enrepreneursîp. Franky, aoug ï was aware o our ocay owned prîvae busînesses, suc as e com- munîy grocery, ardware sore, e movîe eare and women’s dress sop, ï ad never oug o ese enîîes as enrepreneurîa, e aone înkîng o runnîng a busîness as a career goa. ïn ac, ï am no sure î e wordentepeneuwas even în my vocabuary durîng my you. here were ceraîny no arge-scae busîness owners în my îmmedîae amîy, aoug ï earned aer în îe one o my aer’s broers owned a resauran în souern Onarîo. My moer’s amîy îved on a sma subsîsence arm on e ouskîrs o e own o Sîoux Lookou, Onarîo. Her moer aways ad a arge vegeabe garden and sod produce în e a. Laer în îe, er aer boug and armed a sma po o and ou o own were e ad a “pîck-your-own” sraw- berry arm. He aso cu wood or sae. ï’ve seen poos o my grandaer wî îs orse, knee-deep în snow, ryîng o drag wood ou o e bus. ï ave anoer poo o îm wî îs orse sed- dîng around e communîy în e wîner, seîng and deîverîng wood o varîous amîîes. However, a ese endeavours amouned o more o a subsîsence îvîng raer an a busîness a was vîbran and growîng. o be ones, none o us cîdren ever oug o our grandparens as beîng în busîness. My moer’s ree oder sîsers sared workîng a an eary age and er broer Genn joîned e army a e sar o e Second Word War. Unorunaey, wîe wî îs roop în Engand, e was kîed în a moorcyce accîden. He was

A Traditional Family 9