I recently accepted an invitation to speak at the International Association of Strategic Planners annual conference in Winnipeg. The theme of the event was “Leading Transformation with Momentum.” Several hundred senior executives from around the world were in attendance and represented multiple industries.

Since nobody can predict the future, all of us have to be comfortable with change and adapting to the changes that affect our lives and businesses. From my work guiding leadership teams to sharpen how they think about customer value, I see this as a particularly important topic given the significant changes in recent years.

In my experience as an executive, and in my current consulting role, this topic affects organizations across all sectors.

Since the purpose of any business is to stay in business, there must be structure and capability to implement plans successfully and adapt accordingly. Many organizations spend months creating a strategic plan and only days thinking about implementation. Yet implementation is where value is created. A brilliant plan poorly executed delivers less value than a good plan executed consistently.

A Manitoba First Nation and former national chief are throwing their weight behind new-to-Manitoba energy storage methods amid projections of squeezed energy availability.

The province doesn’t have any utility scale battery energy storage systems. Through these, electricity is kept in electrochemical batteries until needed.

Volterra Technology creates the battery technology. It’s part of a new venture: Waywayseecappo Energy Alliance.

Other members include Waywayseecappo First Nation and Ishkonigan Inc., a consulting company founded by former Assembly of First Nations national chief Phil Fontaine. (Fontaine is a member of Sagkeeng First Nation in Manitoba.)

The Manitoba Heavy Construction Association has appointed its first female president and chief executive.

Felicia Wiltshire will assume the role Dec. 1. She’ll become the fourth person to helm the association over its eight-decade history.

Wiltshire joined the association in June 2025 as its first vice-president. The MHCA represents more than 400 businesses, including contractors and suppliers.

Wiltshire previously spent more than two decades as a communications strategist. She worked for 10 years at the City of Winnipeg as its director of customer service and communications.