AlbertaSW hosts meeting featuring author Doug Griffiths

Doug Griffiths
T. Lucas photos

• Fall release date planned for new book '13 ways to kill your corporate culture' 

Toni Lucas

Close to 80 people from 16 communities came to Pincher Creek to attend a meeting hosted by Alberta Southwest (ABSW) at the Heritage Inn on Wednesday May 13.  The group included council members, administration member, chamber of commerce representatives, and economic development committee members from each community as well as other partners.  ABSW Executive Director Bev Thornton said "This is the wrap up on a project that Alberta Southwest has completed based on the book  'Thirteen Ways to Kill Your Community'  "


ABSW worked with Twist Marketing to create a community audit.  "It's intended to be a fun way to look at community attitude, governance, what's pushing us ahead or holding us back, and set some vision for ourselves for the future."  The guest speaker during the banquet was author/former MLA/former Alberta Municipal Affairs Minister Doug Griffiths, who wrote the book '13 Ways to Kill Your Community'.

Griffiths said that we are all responsible for the success of the communities we live in.

Griffiths discussed the book, and how his message applied to those that were in the room.  "I think that the very first chapter I talked about was about cooperating, or if you want to kill your community, don't cooperate.   It's about organizations cooperating, but it is also about communities cooperating, and how when they don't, they can cause failure."  Griffiths added that he has seen communities that have been so negatively competitive that it turns off businesses considering locating there.  "They competed in a way that sucked the energy out of it and drove business away from their community."  He suggested a better approach is for two communities to cooperate and create a situation where complementary businesses can thrive.   "It's really great to see this group together, and the way they're cooperating."

"I am writing a second edition of this book with some new stories and some updates,"  said Griffiths.  The  new book is scheduled to come out in the fall and he is collaborating with another writer to create a book about business.  "We are writing '13 ways to kill your corporate culture', which is about business attitudes.  Because ultimately, everything comes down to attitudes.  Whether you believe you can, or you can't, you're right."  He ended his public address with the quote "Those that say it can not be done should not interrupt those that are doing it."

Griffiths said that one of the people that he dedicated his first book to was a close friend from Pincher Creek.  "Probably more than anywhere else, I have passion, a pretty powerful passion here when I am presenting it, because I think about him."  He said he thinks Pincher Creek is a fantastic community.  "I still like to say it's the birthplace of Alberta, right here."  He said that during the early years of Alberta many of the people coming north from the U.S. and west from the more settled areas of Canada  came through the area.  "It's still, as far as I'm concerned, a very significant heartbeat for the Province, and what happens here is important for the success of the rest of the Province."

^Waterton Community Development Officer Kristofor Jensen attended in spirit, and in robotic form with a Double telepresence robot.