Ergon Communications is about helping people choose hope as they craft a better story for their life/career journeys
(Royal albatross, Dunedin, South Island, New Zealand)
The word Ergon comes from the Greek ergon, meaning deed, action, achievement, work, occupation.
I have over 30 years working in research, development, publishing, delivery, and training career and employment counselling materials and programs. I have worked extensively with government and private organizations across Canada and internationally.
I can provide a broad range
of resources and services...
to create new hope and possibilities by supplementing more traditional mainstream approaches with material adapted especially for those who don’t relate well to the usual approaches
to bring hope to people on their life/career journeys by encouraging concepts, tools, and activities that make the life/career world more accessible
to equip life/career practitioners with practical concepts, tools, and activities which engage people with hope
Guiding Values/Principles
The following are some of the central values and principles
that guide the work that I do.
An expanded view
of career
I have found that people engage more fully and personally when I have expanded my view of career to include metaphors relating to story, journey, conversation, and craft. My expanded definition of career is as follows: Career is about you, is about your world and your part in it, is about your journey in this world, is about crafting the story and the life you really want to live on your journey.
Hope
I try to equip people with hope as they discover that it is indeed possible to walk their life/career journey with a sense of dignity and value
no matter where that paths may lead. I seek to address any form of hopelessness that causes people to think that there is no point in trying.
Active Engagement
Building on Norm Amundson’s book Active Engagement, I strive to engage people where they are actually engaged in life. I recognize that I cannot directly change peoples’ past experiences, present circumstances, or their attitudes towards themselves. But I can develop an environment in which it is easier for people to engage.
The Backswing
The concept of the backswing, as set forth by Norm Amundson jn Physics of Living, encourages people to think about the principle that often we need to go backwards before we go forward. Many of my activities are backswing activities that equip people the necessary skills or knowledge they need to be adequately prepared for the next steps in life/career journey.
Journey
Career is about our life journey. It is an uncharted journey into a world of life and work that is often characterized by complexity, change, uncertainty, chaos, and confusion. Yet is is also a journey of great potential and possibility. I explore how to equip people with practical life/career tools that can be used throughout their journey.
Story
We all tell story and our stories influence the way we experience our lives. We all have a story; the question is what kind of story: one of problems and hopelessness or one of possibilities and hope. I seek to equip people in the lifelong task of crafting a better story that is big enough to sustain them through their life/career journey.
Diversity
/Inclusion
/Accessibility
Diversity is the reality in our world. The more diversity we work with, the more we will need to diversify our concepts, tools, and processes to ensure that our work is actually accessible to this who have experienced different life/career journey than the mainstream. In order to do this, we will need to be more intentional in examining our assumptions and conventions to ensure that they are broad enough to include the diversity of those we work with.
Alternative
Language
/Metaphors
Part of diversifying our approach is to use alternative language and metaphors to supplement traditional ones. Many may not fully understand the technical language and metaphors used in the traditional salesman model of careers which has been designed to work effectively with those who come from the mainstream world. Alternative language such as “learning” instead of “education” or alternative metaphors such as career journey or career craft may be more culturally appropriate.
Alternative Tools/Activities
Diversity also calls for alternative tools and activities that are suitable for those who have been on diverse life/career journeys. This is especially important for starting points. If someone is struggling with low self-esteem and doesn’t think that he/she is good at anything, asking them about what they are good at may trigger further feelings of failure. Even if people think that they are not good at anything, I find that by starting with their favourite things, i give them a starting point that calls forth a better reflection of who they truly are.
Holistic
I strive to work with the whole person by helping people to accept and then know how to use all of who they are. This includes accepting and leveraging their weaknesses as well as their strengths. Second, I help people to find their identity in context. Career identity is more than a resume. People do not live and work in isolation but in the context of self, family, community, culture, the natural world, and the spiritual world.
Imagination
/Creativity
Creativity and imagination are important in all aspects of the life/career journey. They are needed to develop the increasing flexibility and adaptability needed in our rapidly changing, chaotic world of life/work. Creativity and imagination are central to assisting people to open their lives to new possibilities.
Improv
Like improv, most of life is unscripted. This is especially true in a world of life and work often characterized as chaotic and uncertain. Improv accepts that although we cannot fully predict the path ahead, we need to be open to what ever comes. Life/career improv can give people the ability to deal with the unexpected in positive ways. We are all hardwired with this innate capacity. I encourage people to intentionally nurture this capacity in their lives and work?