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Cinder to Flame provides services to:

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• Municipal Government (local government)

• Regional Municipalities

• Provincial or State Government

• Federal Government

• Corporations, organizations and agencies funded by the government such as education (from elementary to post-secondary education), police and armed forces, fire fighters, paramedic services, environmental protection, parks, etc.

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Contextual Background

 

Cinder to Flame offers a “fresh” perspective to government, bringing over 25 years of diverse leadership experience in health care that developed an understanding of the challenges faced by large, complex Corporations such as the need to bridge business silos, enable cross-sector collaboration and increase the quality (and volume) of services while containing costs.

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An aging population holds unprecedented challenges for every level of government to meet basic needs such as appropriate and affordable seniors’ housing, food security and health care. More innovative solutions are required to enable more seniors to age in place, within their homes to maximize independence and quality of life, maintain social connections (associated with both physical and mental health) and help seniors thrive and contribute within their communities.

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The cost of living is a critical issue in Canada, the United States and across the world that has resulted in lack of affordable housing and food insecurity. These issues are no longer confined to lower income groups, the middle class is struggling with the prospect of affording a home and the ability to purchase healthy food. When these economic challenges are unresolved, there is a growing trend for the middle class to relocate to the suburbs and smaller municipalities to manage the cost of living and seek a better quality of life. Such regression of formerly progressive cities is happening across North America, leaving the rich and poor.

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Large, complex problems are messy with multiple interrelationships across systems and sectors. For example, insufficient income to afford safe housing results in food insecurity and these two social determinants of health increase emergency room visits and length of hospitalization, impacting the health and well-being of communities. This is a vicious cycle because when more dollars are directed to health care, less government funding is available to build a greater number of affordable homes.

 

Champions are leading an emergency response to many challenging problems such as food banks to address food insecurity. However, every emergency response needs to be coupled with equal attention to sustainable solutions because these problems are anticipated to get even worse.

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Cinder to Flame helps Corporations move beyond process or continuous quality improvement - these innovation strategies were never intended to solve significant challenges or manage a crisis. More impactful solutions to complex corporate, community and system challenges can only be realized through alignment for major innovation.

 

Cinder to Flame’s Comprehensive Program

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The conceptual framework for the Cinder to Flame program is based upon robust research and evidence that underpins its design. The program applies a novel approach, derived from a diverse knowledge base spanning: creativity and innovation research, behavior change, adult education, educational psychology, knowledge translation, communication theory, quality improvement, project management, organizational culture and change theory, and high-performance team coaching.

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Cinder to Flame’s program builds the healthy corporate culture that enables your Corporation to harmonize and draw upon the strength of two innovation strategies: continuous quality (process) improvement and major innovation.

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Cinder to Flame services do not replicate or overlap with the work of other internal departments. Rather, Cinder to Flame complements the ongoing roles of Innovation (Transformation), People and Culture (Human Resources) and integrates a proactive approach to Occupational Health.

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The Comprehensive Program Includes 10 Service Deliverables:

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1.   Specialized Operational Review (baseline)

2.   Culture Metrics Report  

3.   Business Strategy & Action Plan

4.   Program Logic Model & Gantt Chart

5.   Inspirational Keynote Presentations

6.   Activities for Skill Building & Culture Change  

7.   Management, Leadership & Team Coaching

8.   Inventive Tools for Team Application  

9.   Innovative Solutions Canvas™

10. Specialized Operational Review (summative)

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Prior to every Cinder to Flame launch, a customized Program Logic Model is designed for your Corporation detailing inputs, outputs and quantifiable outcomes. This model is informed by a specialized Baseline Operational Review to identify the current state of corporate health and capacity for major innovation. The findings are detailed in a Culture Metrics report. Your leadership team is presented with the results and engaged in discussion to craft a Business Strategy and Action Plan that builds upon strengths, addresses gaps and barriers to corporate health and major innovation. Your Program Logic Model is converted into a Gantt Chart to map the achievement of your Cinder to Flame program deliverables.

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​The Cinder to Flame program is unique in its approach and energetic, inviting employee participation in focus groups, coaching sessions and 12 inspirational Keynote Presentations.

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It Is People Who Innovate. 

A Healthy Corporate Culture Is the Fuel for Major Innovation.​

 

Thriving Cities and municipalities are predicated upon the health and well-being of people living within their communities. And, the ability of individual government employees to serve their communities, province or state and country, hinges upon their own health and well-being. Cinder to Flame’s program integrates health and well-being - as one of several facets of a healthy corporate culture - because research has established a strong connection to several prerequisites for major innovation.

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At program onset, employees will strengthen skills for self-care and set individual goals for health and well-being while simultaneously building inventive thinking and performance skills. Research has tied health and well-being to these prerequisites for major innovation: energy level, positive mindset, motivation, resilience, receptiveness to change, and performance.

 

Other facets of a healthy corporate culture for major innovation focus on transformational leadership, maximizing team capacity for inventive thinking, and the context of the work environment (e.g. hybrid work arrangements). Targeted leadership, management and team coaching build essential skills for major innovation, such as: risk taking, managing disruption, navigating through ambiguity and harnessing failure as a positive opportunity for learning. 

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​​As a Cinder to Flame client, you have access to Inventive Tools and applied activities for individual, team and leadership skill building to align for major innovation. One example is application of Cinder to Flame’s System of Systems Approach™ to enable examination of complex problems through a wide lens to generate more novel ideas and innovative solutions. Cinder to Flame’s clients can utilize these tools and replicate the approaches for future projects and corporate initiatives.

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Cinder to Flame focuses on measurable results and the summary of ideas and innovative solutions to address one complex challenge will design your customized model called an Innovative Solutions Canvas™. It can be tested and further refined over time, and then scaled and spread when integrated into your annual and strategic plans.

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The Cinder to Flame program ends with a Summative Operational Review to capture changes at program end, with recommendations for the future. Since building and changing culture is a gradual process that takes time, the Cinder to Flame program extends over a number of months. This enables employees to carry on with their daily workload while engaging in small bursts of activity to gradually instill new knowledge and practice skills. The goal is to build upon your strengths and align your Corporation - to generate more innovative solutions - that address challenges faced today and into the future.

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Cinder to Flame services are flexible and customized to match your corporate needs and desires. For example, the length of the comprehensive program typically spans six months; however, it can extend over a longer time frame, depending upon your requirements.

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All 10 service deliverables (with metrics) are packaged within the comprehensive program. However, the service deliverables can be unbundled. For example, the package of 12 Keynote Presentations (each are tied to applied activities) can be selected. There is also latitude to select individual Keynote Presentations - or - the set of Keynote Presentations that focus on employee health and well-being that simultaneously builds capacity for inventive thinking and performance.

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Cinder to Flame's Customized Workshop

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Another service option is Cinder to Flame’s workshop that is fully customized to your corporate needs. It will include selected elements of the 10 deliverables such as inspirational keynote presentations coupled with activities for skill-building and application of inventive tools.

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This workshop introduces Cinder to Flame’s System of Systems Approach™ to develop a customized prototype (preliminary model) of an Innovative Solutions Canvas™ that addresses one complex challenge with a focus on sustainable solutions.

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Your complex challenge might be specific to your region, such as an escalation in car thefts or a high burnout rate for elementary (primary) school teachers. Or, it might be a unique challenge for a given municipality or first nations community related to climate change or access to safe drinking water.

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Other complex challenges may be prevalent across municipalities, such as lack of affordable, safe housing or food insecurity. Any level of government, Corporation or agency can take the lead to pursue more innovative and sustainable solutions to a shared, complex challenge. If a municipality is planning a Healthy City Strategy, the next step would be to assume primary ownership and take the lead to source sustainable solutions to complex challenges that will impact the effectiveness of their strategy.

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Cinder to Flame draws upon a wealth of resources (from the comprehensive program) to trigger a paradigm shift in thinking and potential actions to disrupt an emergency situation with innovative ideas and sustainable solutions. Following the workshop, your customized prototype of an Innovative Solutions Canvas™ can be further developed then tested and refined when integrated into your annual and strategic plans.