For my second UBC blog post submission, I’m reflecting on assignment #2 for KIN597 and how it relates to the NCCP core competency of problem solving.

The purpose of assignment #2 was to assist us in developing a personal improvement plan (PIP) based on gaps we identified from the results of our online  Kouzes and Posner’s Leadership Practice Inventory (LPI). We were tasked to identify at least ten observers who we’d send the online LPI to and would then score me on questions related to each of Kouzes and Posner’s five leadership challenges:

1. Model the way,
2. Inspire a shared vision,
3. Challenge the status quo,
4. Enable others to act,
5. Encourage the heart

The observers I selected to complete the online leadership assessment consisted mostly of clients who I’ve coached in the sport of weightlifting or general health and fitness over the years, one senior coach staff member, and one fellow board member in our provincial sport organization. After receiving the results, we then completed the LPI workbook which was designed to assist us in reflecting on the results and help us hone in and identify any gaps or areas of improvement. The final task of the assignment was to figure out an action plan to address the gaps and perhaps use the Yearly Training Plan (YTP) as a tool to assist with project planning.

The following image is a table taken directly from my PIP assignment which summarizes my average observer’s scores for each of my leadership practices and highlights the lowest rated behaviours for the lowest rated leadership practices that my PIP focused on improving.

At the same time, KIN597 requires students to identify and connect with a mentor who would help us with our current coaching practices or PIP. For me, my challenge was that I wanted to find a mentor who would be able to help me with my research question which is:

“how can re-centring Indigenous knowledge, culture, and holistic perspectives transform physical health and education (PHE), health & fitness, and the sports ecosystem to be more inclusive, more accessible, and sustainable for everyone?” 

For me, this research question is my whole reason for joining the UBC HPCTL program so I need to ensure that every assignment I would do would tie into helping me answer (or get closer to answering) that research question. Ensuring that created a slightly more involved problem than the scope of assignment #2.

In fact, this entire assignment of receiving results from an online questionnaire, reflecting on those results, identifying gaps, weaknesses or areas of improvement, coming up with solutions or an action plan on how to address and improve on those gaps, and figuring out how to tie it all into my research question is all about problem solving and why I chose this core competency as the one I’d reflect on for this blog post.

Ultimately the gaps I identified as a result of my LPI would easily be addressed in my PIP with business-related interventions. That was the easy part and I was able to start implementing some of those business-related interventions the following week.

To help me with my research question, I was fortunate enough to have connected with Lara from the Indigenous Sport Physical Activity & Recreations Council (ISPARC). We met a couple of separate times over ZOOM and she later agreed to be my mentor for this program! In fact, she would be my lead mentor and would periodically bring in other knowledge keepers and ISPARC program directors to mentor me as well to help me with my research question. We then met with David who then acknowledged that my research question was quite a big one to tackle and advised that I break it down into more manageable objectives and deliverables.

Some deliverables ISPARC and I have established so are:

1. Engage in continuing education courses through an Indigenous lens for my personal development (e.g. ISPARC Aboriginal Coaching Module (ACM), ISPARC Indigenous Cultural Safety Workshop). I’m currently scheduled to host the ISPARC ACM at my gym on Oct 26th. I’m also going to attend the Indigenous Cultural Safety Workshop sometime in February.
2. Networking and information gathering where I’m conducting interviews with different sport leaders (ISPARC, PSOs, Regional Alliance, ViaSport)
6-8 informational interviews,
3. Collaborating with ISPARC Master Coach Developers (MCD) in providing culturally relevant PHE to the Indigenous community

The whole purpose is to eventually learn and understand the Indigenous holistic model and to apply that model to a long term development framework that is PHE focused curriculum rather than sport-driven. I believe doing so will provide a more solid foundation to support not only sports but all physical activities in life.

Kind of a big problem indeed but one I’m very excited to be working on solving.

Thanks for reading!