Resources
Blog
Keep the conversation going – follow Kelly on LinkedIn:
What does “mobbing” mean in the workplace?
A form of psychological abuse that occurs in the shadows of the workplace. It happens when someone in a position of authority manipulates their colleagues or peers into isolation, discrediting, or ganging up on a single individual.
Women of Inspiration award nominee
Kelly Cooper has been nominated for the Women of Inspiration Award. Decision will be made November 20, 2025! Read what Kelly had to say about the nomination on LinkedIn:...
Kelly Cooper is awarded the GENDER, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION AWARD
The 2024 recipient is Kelly L. Cooper of Ottawa, ON. This Award was newly added to the CIF-IFC National Awards Program in 2021 and recognizes individuals who make significant, unique, and outstanding contributions to advance gender equity, equality, diversity and...
AI: Arrogance and Ignorance?
Ok I said it – those two letters that are at the forefront of everyone’s mind these days, but I’ve applied them to two words that are at the forefront of everyone’s mind when it comes to equity and inclusion. I’ve witnessed arrogance and ignorance first hand – not...
Unveiling Traditional Leadership, One Clue at a Time
Remember the game Clue? I loved that game — going from room to room trying figure out “who done it” and with what means? I’ve been racking my brain for months on a “crime/wrongdoing” committed in the workplace, a situation where individual agendas caused a few people...
Top 5 Resources for Supporting Work-Life Balance
Here’s my top 5 ideas for supporting your team with work-life balance: 1. Encourage socializing - Don’t look down on employees for having water cooler conversations or chatting in between assignments — better yet, join in when it makes sense to do so! Encouraging...
Free Resources
Identifying Hidden Cultural Resistance
In every organization striving to evolve — whether toward inclusion, innovation, or agility — there lies an often-overlooked obstacle:hidden cultural resistance. Download the Report Enter your information for an instant download:
Using Social Intelligence to Address Workplace Culture and Root Out Toxic Leadership
Workplace culture issues and toxic leadership often arise from a lack of awareness, unchecked power dynamics, and poor communication. Social intelligence (SI) provides leaders with the skills to observe, understand, and influence behavior in ways that improve culture,...
Understanding Social Intelligence and Its Role in Leadership
Social intelligence (SI) is the ability to effectively navigate and manage social interactions by understanding and responding to the emotions, intentions, and behaviors of others. It combines awareness of one’s own social presence with the capacity to read,...
How to Deal With Resistance to Diversity & Inclusion
Change of any kind is often met with some level of resistance so it is no surprise that some people – both men and women – resist changing a workplace culture to be more gender diverse and inclusive. In the report “The Path of Least RESISTANCE to Gender Diversity...
Become an Ally – Toolkit
Want to know how to be an ally to underrepresented groups in your workplace? This report provides “the ally journey spectrum” to help individuals learn the steps they can take to contribute to an inclusive workplace culture. It also provides tangible allyship actions...
Inclusive Leadership – Creating a culture of empowerment, accountability and belonging
This report takes a look at best practices from twelve leading international companies that are certified in gender equality in the workplace by DiversityInc (international focus) and Women in Governance (Canadian focus) and identifies various approaches and tools...
Media
YourForest Podcast
Find out some of the challenges faced with implementing Free To Grow in Forestry. “I wouldn’t have expected someone from the LGBTQ+ community, and a woman, to be behind the undermining of Free to Grow. That’s when I knew this was about power and control, not the...
CIFAL Global Network – Sector Series Panel
Panel Discussion on Localizing the Canadian Supply Chain – Understanding Sector Specific Impacts on US Tariffs in the Forest sector.
Canadian Council of Forest Ministers (CCFM) recognizes Free to Grow in Forestry
https://www.ccfm.org/canadians-and-communities/forests-an-integral-part-of-our-communities/
May 2025 – Article in The Intelligent Miner
Link to the article: https://theintelligentminer.com/2025/04/30/social-intelligence-meets-digital-transformation-the-future-of-mining-organisations/
Social Intelligence article from HR Talent Magazine (Feb-March 2025)
Link to the article (note, free subscription required after first visit): https://www.talentcanada.ca/why-social-intelligence-is-the-competitive-edge-every-workplace-needs/
Women of Inspiration award nominee
Kelly Cooper has been nominated for the Women of Inspiration Award. Decision will be made November 20, 2025! Read what Kelly had to say about the nomination on LinkedIn:...
Recent Events
CIFAL Global Network – Sector Series Panel
Panel Discussion on Localizing the Canadian Supply Chain – Understanding Sector Specific Impacts on US Tariffs in the Forest sector.
November 2024 – FSC Regional Conference, Nashville, TN
Presented on Free to Grow in Forestry
October 2024 – Nation and Constitution Building by Women Event
October 2024 – Unifor Forest Sector Council Meeting
Presented on Free to Grow in Forestry
September 2024 – St. John’s Newfoundland
Canadian Institute of Forestry Conference September 2024 Presented on all that transpired with Free to Grow in Forestry from 2018-2024 Award acceptance for spearheading the sector-wide initiative “free to grow in forestry”...
June 2024 – IUFRO World Forest Conference – Sweden
Presented on the Free to Grow in Forestry Movement Recognized as the leading initiative worldwide to affect change on inclusion in the forest sector.
