Ontario Community Newspapers

Oakville Beaver, 24 Sep 2010, p. 4

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? ? ^ ? ? U J Q P C " H K V \ D [ F G U K I P E C ^ Y Y Y H K V \ D [ F G U K I P E C Time is Precious, Mistakes are Costly and Decorating is complicated. Inquire about your Personal Design Consultation Renovate Decorate Celebrate 5 J Q P C ( K V \ I G T C N F At Fitz by Design we are committed to creating breathtaking, functional spaces that are unique as the individuals living in them. w w w . o a kv ill eb ea ve r.c o m O A KV IL LE B EA V ER Fr id ay , Se pt em be r 2 4, 2 01 0 4 Hillier added that after some time searching it would have been fully under- stood if the soldier gave up and aborted the mission, but he didnt. Eventually he found the fallen man, swung himself on the rope until he reached the man, strapped him in and pulled him to safety. If you ever forget to treat people with respect and how important it is just think of Conrad (the soldiers name), he said. He added that strengthening business or work is based on relationships with peo- ple, not with machinery or technology and people should not forget that. Leaders have to listen and show respect to the people they deal with, however there are times when they have to be decisive and leaders have to show a mix of both. Your leadership is most important dur- ing those darkest days, he said. Theres no darker day than when the people you lead, when theyre doing a job because you asked them to, and they are dying in the field. Leaders, in business or otherwise, have to think long ahead, he said, because they are at war for talent. On a projector he showed a picture of three very young girls dressed in army gear. Youre at war for talent and you have to build your image so well that down the road, 15-20 years, these three little girls have to be considering us as one of their mainstream career opportunities, he said. If we want that, we have to build our image now, not when theyre in Grade 12. One way to build an image he said is through actions. Your actions speak loud- ly and they will articulate your values, he said. He said there is a free tool all leaders have and that is perpetual optimism. He said in Canada people have many reasons to be optimistic. He compared life in Canada to life in Afghanistan. In Canada there is a great police and judicial system. In Canada mothers expect themselves and their chil- dren to survive during birth, whereas in Afghanistan that is not always likely. Here, children complain about having to go to school, whereas when soldiers meet children in Afghan villages, the chil- dren ask for pencils and books because they want to learn, but they have no schools. Why wouldnt we be optimistic peo- ple? he asked. At the event he also thanked the Oakville-based Tim Hortons for bringing a location to Kandahar. He said the soldiers asked for a Tim Hortons in February and on July of that year that Tim Hortons was opened. I think they make more money on this franchise than any other one, he joked. He added that people havent seen a Tim Hortons drive-thru lineup until they have seen a tank in it. Hillier also found ways to poke fun at himself during his presentation. He said he wanted to join the military ever since he was a little boy. He came from a Newfoundland town of 563 people and was in a family of six children, five of whom were his older sisters. A reason why he wanted to join the military was because he was constantly wearing hand-me- downs. I was nine years old when I learned mens pants had a zipper on the front, he joked. He lived in the United States twice dur- ing his career. He commended the U.S. for its army and what it does around the world. Without the U.S., other national armies could not do the things they do around the world today. Living in Texas was a great preparation for a really long mission in Afghanistan. Texas has deserts and the temperature is 110 degrees, he said. All I could think when I was in Afghanistan is it felt like I was at home again. The only difference was that most Texans are armed better than the Taliban. He said he didnt aspire to the highest ranking position in the Canadian Armed Forces, but when the opportunity arose he felt the obligation and the duty that called him. When Prime Minister Stephen Harper offered him the position, he replied that it was a two-way deal and requested (and received) more government funding for the military. If I had to live my life over again, if I could relive my life, I would do two things the same, he said. I would become that soldier because I loved it and Id marry the same woman I married 35 years ago. Hillier was the chief of the armed forces from February 2005 to July 2008. After he retired from the military he took on a managerial role with TD Bank Financial Group as a senior advisor. Happy employees secret to business success: Hillier Continued from page 1 Theres no darker day than when the people you lead, when theyre doing a job because you asked them to, and they are dying in the field. General Rick Hillier, Canadas former Chief of Staff Pledge... Run/Walk... Help end hunger in Oakville LOCATION Heritage Square, Kerr St & Florence Drive Oakville, Ontario (Parking at Kerr St & Speers Rd) in support of Kerr Street Ministries Help Fill the Food Bank Shelves: Bring Non-Perishable Food Items Out To The Race www.5ksmturkeyrun.com5K Run/Walk + 1K Childrens Run TEAM CHALLENGE Team up with your family, friends, co-workers or school and make a difference together! Prizes for the top team. SCHEDULE Start Times: 7:30am Registration 9:00am 1km Childrens Fun Run 9:30am 5km Run 9:35am 5km Power Walk Thanksgiving Monday October 11, 2010 O.T.F.A. Certifi ed Course

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