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Cinder to Flame provides services to the private sector:

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• Non-profit organizations (e.g. food banks, housing shelters, etc.) 

• Sectors focused on the food supply (e.g. agriculture, food industry and manufacturing, grocery retailers, food service providers, restaurants, etc.)

• Sectors focused on housing (e.g. materials, home builders and contractors, realtors, financial and legal institutions, insurance companies, etc.)

• Other sectors that support quality living (e.g. transportation, technology, digital solutions, telecommunications, media, environment, energy, natural resources, entertainment, hospitality services, travel, etc.)

• Any other Corporation, organization or business that has a social impact agenda or would like to explore ways to give back to people and positively impact quality living in communities.

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Contextual Background

 

Private sector Corporations, organizations and businesses rose to the challenge throughout the pandemic and played a key role in providing basic necessities for daily life. Today, we are faced with an unstable economy, natural disasters, climate change and disruption of supply chains that will be exacerbated by higher tariffs and other trade barriers. All of these factors impact the cost of doing business and increase the cost of living for people. The inability to afford safe housing and healthy food is no longer confined to lower income groups, the middle class is now struggling. The situation will worsen as the cost for food, materials and labour continue to escalate.

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Cinder to Flame provides services to Corporations who share the vision for sustainable, quality living. This vision hinges upon broad support across public and private service and industry sectors. All levels of government are accountable for distributing public funds to support the health and well-being of people. However, the magnitude of issues renders it an impossible situation. For example, the unprecedented growth in the aging population will stretch municipal and health resources beyond the breaking point.

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Today, Corporations, organizations and businesses are embedding social impact into their vision, mission statements and strategic plans. This entails exploring how to contribute time, money or other resources and formulating strategies that positively impact the health and well-being of communities. The driver for a social impact agenda is awareness that people are struggling with the cost of living; empathy opens up new opportunities and possibilities to give back to people. Private sector Corporations also benefit from implementing a social purpose, it enhances their profile and market position because it builds trust among their corporate partners, clients and customers.

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Cinder to Flame’s strength is the ability to draw upon specialized expertise (whether you are a large, complex Corporation or a smaller business) and knowing how to facilitate connections across public and private service and industry sectors to solve complex challenges. Cinder to Flame helps Corporations generate more innovative solutions to complex challenges with attention to a social purpose, actionable strategies to give back to people living in communities.

 

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.

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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.​

 

Corporations and smaller businesses that flourish and survive focus on health and well-being of their people, from senior managers to front-line employees. 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 (and tied to your social purpose) 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 and ties the solutions to your social purpose.​​

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Your complex challenge can be unique to your Corporation or a shared concern across your service or industry sector. For example, a focus on green environment initiatives or an aging workforce and pending retirements that impact your pool of skilled workers. Your Corporation, organization or business can assume the lead role in solving such a shared challenge locally, within your organization.

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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.