July 16, 2018

Five ideas leveraging the co-op advantage

Five ideas leveraging the co-op advantage

Written by 2web

The Common Share Podcast

In this episode, Aasa sat down with Dr. Dionne Pohler to discuss her keynote speech from the Saskatchewan Co-operative Association’s 2018 conference. The keynote focused on leveraging the co-op advantage.

Dr. Pohler’s address touched on five big ideas that co-operatives should keep in mind, given the unpredictable social, economic, and technological atmosphere in which we currently live. Her five ideas are:

Good governance is about more than strategic planning, oversight, and risk management
Avoid falling into the “growth trap”
The short-term business case for diversity is weak and it downplays the hard work required to foster inclusiveness in organizations
Organizations need to embrace conflict
Co-operation and self-interest are two sides of the same coin.

Dr. Pohler is an assistant professor from the University of Toronto’s Centre for Industrial Relations and Human Resources, and a fellow at the Centre for the Study of Co-operatives at the University of Saskatchewan.

Links mentioned in this episode:

For a discussion about the co-operative principles and values, check out Episode 2: What makes a co-op?

International Co-operative Alliance co-op definition

Credit Unions: Definitely NOT Banking (thankfully)

Governance Challenges in Credit Unions: Insights and Recommendations

Back

“Heather and the team at Co-operatives First are top-notch. Not only their knowledge but their understanding of the project. They have truly helped us along every step of the way. Their timely response and knowledge of the steps are extraordinary. They are forthcoming with information. This is one of the most knowledgeable and friendliest teams I have ever had the pleasure of working with.”

Weyburn Theatre

“Co-operatives First made the process of establishing our Artisan Co-operative a very clear and easy process. The expanse of available tools and resources provided by Co-operatives First answers many questions and lightens the workload. Greatly appreciate having the connections made with Trista and Kyle, they keep the co-operative moving forward.”

Nehiyawaskiy Indigenous Peoples Art Co-op

“Our experience working with the Co-operatives First team was absolutely fabulous. The staff was accommodating, knowledgeable and patient. It was truly a breath of fresh air to have such a wealth of skill and resources available to a non-profit. They were invaluable to our successful launch!”

Heart Linked Community Services Cooperative

“Working with Co-operatives First was fantastic! We are still new to the cooperative world, and we relied heavily on their advice and expertise when drafting our rules/bylaws, and our memorandum of association. The team has experience with many different cooperative models, so they provided advice on what has and hasn’t worked for other cooperatives. We wouldn’t have been able to incorporate without their help!”

Ananda Cooperative

“We have had a very positive experience with everyone at Co-operatives First. They have helped us in multiple ways. Right from the first step in knowing how to incorporate, how to set our business and offering ideas for us to help steer us in the right direction plus allowing us to really make our own decisions. If our decisions go off track, they have gently guided us back to where we needed to be. The Co-operatives first guys are always eager to answer questions, and give ideas to us that got us off the ground.”

South East Butcher Block