In March 2020 K C Gauldine joined the ILFI team as interim CEO to guide the organization as the board continues its search for a new permanent leader. Recently, the Institute’s communications director Nicole Van Batenburg had an opportunity to talk with K C to introduce her to the ILFI community.
Nicole Van Batenburg (NVB): With a few weeks under your belt, what’s your impression of the International Living Future Institute?
K C Gaudine (KCG): When I join an organization, I immerse myself in its culture, people, and programs, to truly understand how the system supports the Vision and Mission. We’re all working remotely now, so I’ve had to shift my approach but I’ve found the Institute is built on innovation, passion, and commitment to a better world. I’ve taken note of how people have adapted and kept things moving forward. This is a busy time in the annual cycle, but people are thinking creatively, supporting each other, and working to stay connected to each other.
NVB: These are obviously very challenging times. How does the current situation with COVID-19 shape the way you are leading the organization?
KCG: As an interim CEO, my role is to manage the concerns of the staff, board, and stakeholders and ensure operations continue as smoothly and seamlessly as possible. An important element of this is setting a place at the table for the yet-to-be-identified CEO. Given the current pandemic, it is possible this new leader will enter the organization while our community is still feeling the effects of the COVID-19. While serving the organization, I am focused on working with the Board and Staff to build a high level of capacity throughout the system, which includes preparing for this possibility.
ILFI is an organization built on disrupting dominant paradigms, so we are better positioned than many to manage the current situation. We are structured to adapt to rapidly changing dynamics, and the culture supports this model. At one level, the Institute is completely up for the challenge–and the opportunities that are already arising. For example, we’re seeing an increased demand for community and this has already manifested in higher registration for a recent event. I don’t mean at all to diminish the human suffering that is part of this pandemic, of course.
It is exactly this human dimension that is a big part of how the pandemic is influencing my leadership. We are all in this together, so I am trying to be very tuned in to staff and how they are feeling. The isolation of remote work, the fear of uncertainty and health risks, the stress of retooling our biggest event into an unprecedented online gathering–these are all very real pressures on the people who are part of our organization. The pandemic is increasing my focus on people and what they need to do their best work.
NVB: With Living Future 2020 moving online and coming up on May 7-8, what are you most excited about?
KCG: Honestly, I’ve been so impressed watching the team adapt to today’s reality. They set the theme—Sustaining Hope Within Crisis—a year ago, and could never have imagined how truly timely it would be. So my biggest excitement is simply watching it all come together, looking for ways to support the team.
But on a personal level, I was first drawn to ILFI because of its mission. This organization speaks to my soul. So I am excited to dig into many of the sessions and learn from people like Katharine Wilkinson, David Trubridge, and Myrrh Caplan. As an aside, I started my career in construction, both residential and commercial, so I like getting into the weeds of what it takes to deliver complex building projects. I’m also excited to hear Jason F McLennan deliver his keynote. Jason’s vision is what drew me to the organization, so I look forward to what he has to say to the community.
I’m also excited about the Online Summit and Session Series, which is extending Living Future 2020 for six more weeks. This is an example of the organization adapting on its feet to meet demand from its community. People want to dig in and stay engaged, so we are going to try something new.
NVB: ILFI has proved its hopeful vision is possible in hundreds of projects. Now it needs to scale the vision to make it commonplace. How can you help?
KCG: I have been leading organizations through executive transitions, complex turn-arounds and strategic initiatives since 1994. My core competency is strengthening systems and building organizational capacity. This organization clearly has a compelling mission and suite of programs. The board hired me to do a few things, in addition to leading day-to-day operations: 1) Conduct an organizational assessment to understand where there are opportunities for refinement and increased capacity; 2) Support the executive search process; and 3) Enhance our opportunities to fund our impact on the cultivation of restorative ecosystems. These three functions are related, obviously, and they speak to how I think about scaling the organization. I want to hand the next CEO a very strong foundation for growth, with systems in place and thoughtful analysis of where strategic opportunities lie.
NVB: I read in Anthony’s announcement letter about your passion for early childhood development and the Reggio Emilia philosophy. How does that shape the way you think about leading our organization?
KCG: The Reggio Emilia philosophy is built on the notion that students learn through experience, built on principles of respect, responsibility, and community. Each child is an individual who needs to learn how to use a variety of tools—a hundred languages, as it’s known in early childhood development fields—to express ideas. Basically, we need to meet kids where they are, recognize their individual genius, and create experiences that foster learning.
This approach shapes the way I lead in several ways. First, every team is composed of individuals who each bring different perspectives, strengths, and ways of communicating. My job as a leader is to engage people in ways that work for them, and create opportunities that leverage their natural talents while also meeting organizational objectives.
I also like the idea of learning by doing. There is no such thing as the perfect plan; reality always intercedes. But with a good plan, and a strong supported team, we can move forward quickly and create feedback mechanisms to learn by doing.
Finally, I love that there are notable Living Buildings housing schools using the Reggio Emilia philosophy. I mentioned the Bertschi School to Anthony, and I’ve since learned that the UniverCity Childcare Centre in Burnaby, British Columbia, also employs the approach. To me this suggests a natural chemistry with what the International Living Future Institute is all about.
You can check out K C’s bio on the ILFI website here. Welcome to the team, K C!
