Graduation Address

"The Responsibility of Ownership: An Address to the 170th Encaenia, Ceremony C." (20 May 1999). (UA Case 67, Box 3)

Your Honour, Mr. Chancellor, distinguished guests and fellow graduates.

Those of us who once sat where you are, still remember the tingle of excitement—the joy of success—a sense of accomplishing—and mostly the pride of ownership of that degree.

However, with that ownership comes some—I believe obligatory responsibilities; amongst them, social responsibility and a continuing commitment to change.

The enormous changes experienced in this Century will be eclipsed, ten-fold, over the next couple of decades—the difference being that future changes will be almost totally dependent on the individual.

Increasingly, the next decade will focus on your ability to adapt to change. It will no longer be possible to institute change and slowly disseminate that change throughout the organization.

Change will be individualistic, it will be ubiquitous. It will occur at random. The organizations that prosper will be those who can recognize the need for the individual to drive her or his change requirement.

Let me be unequivocal about one thing. It is the students and graduates of today—you who are graduating from this and other institutions like it—that will lead the change. Whether you realize it or not—rapidly developing technology and your ability to cope with it, will make you the change agents of tomorrow.

*Unlike the present leaders of industry who have had trouble coping with the unknown.

If you have trouble acting on these points within the organizations you join—then—simply stated you’re amongst the dinosaurs and should exit. Only groups that foster your individualism will prosper in the next millennium.

Let us examine why you will change.

1. Demographics
   
   No business can afford to be without a sound knowledge of demographics



• lacking that you may find yourselves in a different market than you thought you were in and there can be no discussion of demographics without considering the impact of population growth—for our growing world population is truly a phenomenon.



• the world is growing by 80-95 million each year – we don’t really know.



• a child born this morning will see the world grow from 6 billion today to 11 billion by her 35th birthday.



• this is phenomenal change.



2. Crisis Management Will Force Change
   
   In David Hurst’s Book – "Crisis and Renewal: Meeting The Challenge of Organization Change" he describes crisis as an essential part of the renewal process. Organizations need to destroy themselves—creatively—if they wish continued success. What an intriguing idea when juxtaposed with the way we run our organizations today.
   
   During the past 50 years, management teachings have been much more concerned with rationality and stability. To this day, crisis and surprises are usually seen as dysfunctional. Not so if we really intend to change.



3. Process
   
   My generation has allowed a hell-bound process rodeo to engulf us. Permit upon permit, document after document, internal memos and multiple letter drafting to name a few. Ask yourselves how that adds to our International competitiveness. No level-headed-free-spirited-entrepreneurial person should condone process without a damn good fight.
   
   We are told that for every 400 Japanese engineers on a per capita basis we’ve got just 12. But we’ve got them beaten on accountants and lawyers. For every three Japanese accountants, we’ve got 43 on the job—and for every one Japanese lawyer, we’ve got 39.
   
   Now, of course, those are valuable occupations but when you consider that engineers build, construct and create while accountants and lawyers administer process, I think we are faced with a very serious situation.



4. The Centreless Organization
   
   Many of you will find yourselves in centreless organizations. What is that? It is a successful group of people who utilize knowledge—sharing processes, and who operate independently from all over the world. They are not hide-bound by the classic organizational model—dependent on organization charts and hierarchy. In short, the centreless organization will empower its managers (you) to realize a true sense of proprietorship.

Corporate Social Responsibility

Corporate social responsibility is the business issue of the 21st century. It is about volunteerism, philanthropy and reacting positively with society. It will permeate all aspects of a corporation and will be a fundamental part of an organizations strategy.

As the Chief Executive Officer of a large resource based company, I was very aware of the contribution we could make to the communities in which we operated.

It would have been normal to be cast as a villain or a predator by a strong and influential environment community.

But – IT DID NOT HAPPEN. Why?

While we were bombarded with the issues of the day: dioxins, P.C.B.’s, effluent solids, airborne particulates, clearcuts and the old growth forest debate – we went into the community with as much scientific information as we could provide: we asked our chemist to work with environmental protection groups; our engineers with biologists from Non-governmental organizations; the foresters with groups protecting wildlife; and, our senior executives with a host of environmental agencies.

And I, as C.E.O. watched and cheered as we showed beyond a doubt that the quartet of economic, social, environmental and cultural factors that constitute Sustainable Development are compatible with international competitive-ness, profitability, the strengthening of communities and a manifestation of our social responsibilities.

But once again, Corporate Social Responsibilities will be generated by you the individual. Prepare yourselves right now to give something back to society. Do not rationalize that you don’t have the money or time to give. At this stage you may not have the former but somewhere you can each find the time to help.

And what are the issues:

1. Homelessness is a blight in our country. If you collectively really want to adjust your sights you could make a huge difference. Imagine – bringing your present skills and knowledge to this problem – and the impact you could make.



2. Think of how society treats the mentally and physically handicapped, the chronically unemployed, and the physically battered. Could you make a difference – I’ll bet on it.



3. As you progress through your organizations be conscious of the unfair treatment that takes place in most organizations when it comes to giving women an equal opportunity in the senior executive offices. While the representation of the female gender in senior offices stands out on this stage, I can tell you it did not, in my and most other organizations, and I am ashamed of it.
   Stand up for the principle of gender equality in your organization. It will pay huge dividends in both the economic and social sense and you will have every right to be proud.



4. Conservation
   
   You have an opportunity to save precious pieces of this country by supporting the huge efforts being made by many of us to protect natural areas. Youth and your science background are needed to identify ecological significant areas and threatened landscapes so that they can be preserved for your children and generations to come.



5. Education
   
   In the environment we find ourselves this afternoon, I am obliged – and want to – underline the importance of supporting with all your youthful vigor – our great Canadian institutions of higher learning. We have tended to abandon our responsibilities here and it is time we secured our place of excellence in this regard.

It is with huge negative consequences that we have fallen to abysmal levels of funding for research in this country. We will not compete corporately or socially if we do not increase funding levels at least three-fold. In this way encouraging the brightest amongst us to continue finding solutions to the questions as yet unanswered.

We are here this afternoon because we are privileged. Today – privilege demands that you give of yourself – to your community, the homeless, the under-privileged or a slew of "not for profit" agencies that are working for the betterment of society. That giving is something we can all do – whether financially or through personal volunteerism – and must grow exponentially if our Canadian society shall flourish.

Leaders will come from all over the organization. They will focus on caring about people, about the mission, and about the task at hand. They will be good listeners, give good feedback and respond with speed.

Finally, I want to repeat: no age cohort is better placed to bring about change than the classes of the last few years of the 20th century.