Heather Stewart
Heather has been a leader and entrepreneur for her entire career—both inside organizations and as a business owner. From an early age, she enjoyed leading and facilitating change. The story goes that in kindergarten when the teacher had not arrived on time for class, she led her classmates out of school and to her home for snacks. Heather was demonstrating a very early interest in accountability, fairness and leadership. Her career has developed from there. Heather loves to cycle, hike and practice yoga. She practices the discipline of listening carefully to clients, and not having the last word.
For the past two decades, Heather has provided consulting support to many organizations and sectors. She has worked as a senior leader in government and post-secondary education, and facilitated learning in the classroom and online. Her Federal government communications and public affairs group received a national team award. Heather has a deep commitment to growing and developing her community. She chaired a ballet company Board of Directors in Vancouver, co-chaired a group of BC industry professionals interested in lobbying government for regulation, and led a group of volunteers in Kelowna to help make Okanagan Rail Trail a reality.
She was recognized by Okanagan College as one of the 50 People Who Made A Difference in supporting OC in its first 50 years of development, and by Okanagan College Alumni Association as a Distinguished Alumni. She was chosen to participate in the Governor General’s Canada Leadership Conference, a program that brings together emerging leaders from business, labour, government, NGOs, education and the cultural sector.
>Heather has an Advanced Graduate Diploma in Distance Education Technology and a Masters in Distance Education—both from Athabasca University. She is certified to use and analyze many psychological and emotional intelligence assessments. Heather has been involved in academic research projects with Okanagan College, and in writing reports, making recommendations, preparing news releases and delivering conferences and other presentations.
Ian MacRae
Ian has enjoyed working in and learning from a wide range of companies and sectors. His career has taken him to work with everyone from local economic development offices and non-profit associations and industry organizations to advising on selection to multinational companies and lecturing about leadership development at the UK Defence Academy. He is a researcher, consultant and writer who seeks to understand and explain how to bring the best out of people and be your best at work. Like Ruskin, he thinks work is more about what you become from it than what you get from it.
Ian’s career has taken him to London, the UK, where he works as a speaker, author, and workplace psychologist while continuing in his role with Sage Transitions.
Ian MacRae is the author of over 100 publications on work psychology including five books published with Bloomsbury and Kogan Page. Ian completed a BA (Honours) in Psychology from the University of British Columbia (2011), focusing on work engagement and communication networks, and an MSc Research Methods in Psychology form University College London in 2012 focusing on personality and leadership. His five books have been translated into 7 languages including High Potential: How to spot, manage and develop talented people at work, and Motivation and Performance: A guide to managing a diverse workforce. Ian's latest book, "Myths of Social Media", was published in March 2020. He developed the High Potential Trait Indicator, which is an assessment of personality assessment and leadership potential. The High Potential Trait Indicator has been translated into dozens of languages and has been used by tens of thousands of people from over 50 countries around the world. Ian and his work have appeared on platforms including BBC World News, BBC Capital, The Guardian, The Financial Times, GQ, Psychology Today and Business Insider.
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We had the pleasure of often working with Sage Transitions over the past 14 years, starting in 2006 when Heather Stewart facilitated the development of our seminal strategic plan. Since then, Heather and Ian have managed the revision of that plan, which included conducting a new environmental scan and conducting more than 50 consultation sessions, as well as working with the Board of Governors, senior leadership, and employees to develop a shared mission, vision, values, key directions, and performance indicators. Those documents have provided much of the strategic direction that has allowed Okanagan College to mature into one of BC’s largest and, arguably, best public colleges. In addition, Sage Transitions has worked with our Foundation, our Alumni Association, and our Continuing Students department on key planning exercises. We have always found them to be attentive to our needs, very professional in their conduct, highly collaborative, and able to work within budget and deadlines.
JIM HAMILTON
PRESIDENT, OKANAGAN COLLEGE
integrity, respect, innovation, collaboration
We have a framework guiding all of our work, our relationships with clients, research participants, organizations and individuals. Our code of ethics is as follows:
Integrity
We are honest about representing ourself and our work. We accurately and honestly represent our experience, qualifications, capacity and affiliations. We demonstrate the highest levels of integrity in presenting our research results, findings and feedback. We are also direct, honest and transparent about the costs of our services and any associated costs that may be incurred. We deliver services promised (and beyond) within specified budgets.
We remain aware and transparent about multiple roles and relationships, potential conflicts of interest and disclose sufficient and appropriate information about our various roles, responsibilities and associations. We respect all those with whom we work and do not exploit personal or professional relationships for personal or financial gain.
We recognize that conflicts of interest and imbalances of power or influence may still exist after professional relationships are formally terminated, and that professional obligations and appropriate conduct still apply. When in doubt, we ask questions, share information and are honest.
Respect
We respect the needs and requirements of our clients, as well as all those we work with or encounter in our work. This includes respect for individual, cultural, and role differences of all that with whom we work. We respect the unique insights, abilities and knowledge of our clients and others that we work with and members of the general public. We are willing to fully and honestly explain the reasons for our ethical decision making, as well as expected or past results of making particular decisions.
We respect the confidentiality of those with whom we work, safeguard information and only share information with those with whom we have the authority to provide information. We respect the information we obtain from research participants, as well as the spirit and intent of their responses: we respect our research participants so we represent them accurately as we understand them; and respect our clients and provide the information as honestly and clearly as possible. Sound ethical decision-making requires accurately presented information.
Innovation
In the words of Robbie Burns, “The best-laid schemes o’ mice an’ men, Gang aft agley”, which illustrates that even the best plans may need to change and adapt to circumstances. We will find ways to meet the client’s objectives and requirements by finding innovative methods to achieve results, with the knowledge and support of the client, and through advising the client the of barriers, challenges and options.
We make use of available tools, technology and good ideas to reduce our costs, provide access, minimize the environmental impact of our work and come up with better solutions.
Collaboration
We blend our ability to work independently on agreed upon work plans, with frequent communication with our clients who are engaged in and collaborate for the final results. We ensure that both the research and evaluative processes, and the final reports involve frequent discussions, and if required, collaborative decision-making.
Competence
We are aware of the level of competence required to conduct our work, keep up-to-date with research, techniques and knowledge in our field. We conduct work for which we are qualified, and strive to provide the best possible result for clients. When necessary we seek appropriate advice from relevant experts or authorities. We recognize, in many cases, our clients are subject matter experts: we respect and value their input.
Responsibility and Accountability
We consider research from all perspectives, and consider our responsibilities and accountabilities to our clients, to research participants and to the implications of research outcomes. In areas that affect large groups such as organizations, sectors and regions we will make every reasonable effort to ensure research results are an appropriate representation of the group under study.
We do not coerce or unduly influence participants to take part in research. Any rewards or benefits offered in compensation are commensurate to the level of participation required and do not force upon participants any personal or professional risks they would not already face in their everyday life.
recent media
Maximizing Benefits of Personality Testing
HEATHER STEWART & IAN MACRAE
Heather & Ian discuss how to effectively use personality testing in a variety of organizations and situations.
Personality Traits & Team Dynamics
HEATHER STEWART & IAN MACRAE
Heather and Ian discuss how to use HPTI team reports to facilitate team development and growth.
Personality Assessment for Senior Leadership Development
HEATHER STEWART & IAN MACRAE
Heather and Ian discuss how a senior leadership team used our personality assessments in their team development, and in organizational succession planning.
media enquiries
Both Heather and Ian have extensive experience speaking and presenting on topics relating to leadership, team development, remote workforce, orgnanizational change, and community change. Get in touch to have us speak at your next event.