“Pay attention to your own development as both a worker and a person.” Meet Beedie Luminary Mentor, Michael den Haan
Work Title | Company:
Vice-President External Relations | Lakehead University.
Why did you decide to become a mentor with Beedie Luminaries?
I have been mentoring for over 20 years and find the experiences rewarding and the relationships very meaningful (often the benefit is reciprocal). I also continue to benefit from mentorship – largely informal now as my career/life journey takes on the various challenges and opportunities that come my way.
What was your favourite subject in school?
History because I love understanding the past as a way to inform the future and decisions about the future. I also love story-telling and narratives. I have found that the discipline of history is largely that: looking at past events from different perspectives and creating a narrative to help make meaning of those events. In a sense, part of my work as a mentor includes this approach – helping to understand, make meaning, and finding ways forward (together) that are built upon past and present experiences.
What was your first job? What was your biggest takeaway from that experience?
My first job, at 14 years old, was dishwashing in a boutique hotel restaurant. I became friends with the head chefs (there were two during my time there) and we worked very well together. I loved that job – both because of the sense of a tangible result/impact from my efforts (clean dishes!) and also because of the strength of my relationships with other staff. It taught me 2 things: 1. that being able to experience the impact of my efforts are key to work satisfaction and; 2. that the quality (trust, openness, clarity) of my relationships are fundamental to the experience of work – regardless of the type of work. I continue to believe that this is true today.
What are the three qualities that got you where you are today?
- Grounded – I practice this daily to maintain a connection with my core self/my sense of purpose; 2. Curious – I have an insatiable need to learn and understand. This has been both exciting and scary. It has been my strength and challenge (there is a time to ask questions/understand and there is a time to do/act) and 3. believe in the idea of service as a way to connect with others at a deeper level.
Do you have a “favorite failure” of yours?
No I don’t. I don’t like failing even while I understand the concept of taking risks, having the courage to do new things/different things even if success is not guaranteed or even clear. I have never been afraid to take risks, and I tend to fail/make mistakes differently each time. My more consistent mistake is not taking the time to slow down and reflect in the midst of a challenge or pending ‘failure.’ Mistakes are invitations to connect with that part of me which is the source of my sense of purpose, energy and determination.
One memorable failure was the time I was responsible for the communications and marketing for a small graduate school. I spent 6 months creating a new brand identity and worked with a national brand agency who agreed to provide their services pro bono. The work and the eventual brand identity was brilliant. However, I did not take enough time to consult the faculty of the school. By the time I engaged them in the project, I did not engage them in such a way as to invite input and participation.
As a result, they did not support the project and it was shelved. I was devastated at the time – given the amount of work I put into it, the pride I had in the project as well as the relationship I had developed with the agency. The experience offered for me a new way to understand the interplay and significance of relationships (which are so important to me) when designing and implementing any project.
What book(s) have greatly influenced your life?
The Lord of the Rings because the story is an archetype for the human journey and for our work lives: that the best journeys have a defined beginning and end (with a bit of ceremony); need a vision and goal; and are best done in community/as a ‘fellowship.’ I think about this story all the time.
What would the title of your autobiography be?
I wouldn’t want to write an autobiography because there are too many other, more interesting things to do. However, if I were to write one, I may call it “the life and death of Mike den Haan” and would organize it around the ‘deaths’ and renewals I’ve experienced (deaths of dreams, plans and the growth of new dreams and plans, on a small and large scale, throughout my life).
What advice would you give to post-secondary students as they prepare to transition into the working world?
Pay attention to your own development as both a worker and a person. Pursue success and accomplishment but also pursue a connection to your soul so that you have a consistent understanding of your purpose and what gives you meaning. Happiness can come from success and accomplishment. Joy comes from your sense of purpose and meaning.
What / where is your happy place?
The woods and water (lakes, streams, rivers, etc.), road trips with my wife and son.
What is a dream you have that you’ve yet to achieve?
I have a long list of experiences that I plan to have yet including a trip to visit Haida Gwaii, take my son to Churchill Manitoba to visit the polar bears, visit Galapagos Island, etc. My dream at the moment is fairly simple: to be in a place where I am close to my family, friends and work colleagues and am able to live/work in a way that is connected to my values and sense of purpose consistently.
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