Feedback is not always delivered directly, but it is always there if you look in the mirror. Sometimes the challenges your team experiences are subtle, and the habits you have developed as a leader may unintentionally be contributing to them. These patterns are common, often well-intentioned, and usually invisible to the person exhibiting them. Taking time to reflect on these five areas can help you sharpen your leadership impact. 1. Being Vague or Leaving Assumptions Unchecked Reflection: Are you leaving your team guessing or assuming they understand your priorities? Vague direction rarely shows up as outright failure. More often, it
Now that we’re officially into 2026, it feels like the right time to pause and take stock of what’s unfolding around us. The final months of 2025 offered some clear signals. Job vacancies softened, roughly 25,000 roles disappeared across the city, and unemployment began to increase. With further reductions in the public service expected, it’s reasonable to assume the year ahead may feel unsettled for many organizations. That doesn’t mean it’s without opportunity. Times like this tend to force important conversations: about leadership, structure and what organizations truly need to succeed in a more constrained environment. A City Navigating Change
Executive search in the defence sector is frequently treated as a variation of any other senior leadership hire. For many boards, that assumption is where problems begin. Defence organizations operate under a unique set of pressures. Government procurement rules, national security considerations, export controls, long program timelines, and shifting geopolitical realities all shape how leaders make decisions. Add rapid technological change and a complex web of stakeholders, and the tolerance for misalignment becomes very small. Despite this, boards often default to hiring frameworks borrowed from commercial industries that do not face the same regulatory depth or public scrutiny. The candidates
Canada’s defence industry is entering a time where leadership capacity is under a real strain. As expectations around capability development, innovation, and international engagement increase, the pool of senior leaders with the experience to manage that complexity has not expanded at the same rate. The result is a widening leadership gap. This shortfall creates real operational and strategic exposure for Canadian defence firms. It is not the result of weak technical capability or a lack of commitment within the sector, but rather the outcome of demographic change, shifting leadership requirements, and long-standing approaches to developing and recruiting senior talent. An
Across Canada, and especially here in Ottawa, the labour market has shifted in ways that few organizations can ignore. After several years of rapid hiring, many companies have tightened their teams in response to economic uncertainty. Leaner structures, however, have created an unintended consequence: The people who remain have never been more valuable. But while organizations are counting on their key employees, many of those same employees are feeling stretched, disconnected, or ready for a change. Quiet conversations about new opportunities are happening more often, and when an external offer lands in front of them, employers are stepping in with
As an executive search firm partnering with organizations across Canada, we get a clear view of how the job market is evolving. Shifts in the economy, workplace expectations, and leadership priorities are changing how both employers and candidates approach opportunity. Every few months, we pause to look at what’s happening in real time, and reflect on what those changes mean for the people and companies we work with. More Professionals Are Exploring What’s Next One of the most notable shifts has been the surge in engagement when we bring new roles to market. In the past, we’d be pleased to
At Keynote Search, we measure our success not only by the placements we make, but by the long-term impact our work has on organizations, leaders, and communities. Over the past year, our team has been fortunate to partner with incredible organizations across diverse industries, helping them find the right leadership, strengthen their teams, and position themselves for future success. Here are some recent highlights from our team: Building Stronger Community Organizations By Brenda Kirkwood, VP, Coaching & Integration I’m proud of the multi-year relationships I’ve built with two incredible community organizations: the Glebe Neighbourhood Activities Group (GNAG) and the Ottawa
Who would have thought a reality TV star could have so much impact on the Canadian labour market? The impact caused by the returning President is a fear factor (pun intended for those old enough to remember the show!) that is creating a wave of uncertainty in businesses globally, but crucially here in Canada.
After a decade of building Keynote Search into a leading executive search firm, co-founder James Baker is taking a moment to reflect. Ten years of business growth, client wins, leadership hires, market shifts, and company milestones have offered more than just professional achievement, they’ve brought a wealth of insight. Here are 10 of the most important lessons James has learned over the past 10 years, insights that continue to shape Keynote’s success and might just help you build yours. 1. Surround Yourself with Trusted Professionals No founder can do it alone. The people you lean on, legal advisors, HR specialists,
