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In Focus is our gift to the community. A way for us to help show our recognition for the people, businesses, and organizations that help make our city great. The team at KelownaNow.com is passionate about this community and the people that make it amazing. We want to show our friends, neighbours, family and colleagues that we notice them and the fabulous things that they do.
What is your name?
Lane Sherman
Where are you from and how long have you lived in Kelowna?
I have lived in Kelowna for three years. I was born in California and have lived in Canada for over 30 years, mostly in Victoria.
Who is your favourite person to spend time with and why?
My partner, Vicki (she’s standing here, I have to say that!), but actually, it’s also true. She is my favourite because she challenges me to be the best I can be and we have the kind of conversations that help me (us) to evolve.
If you could go anywhere in the world right at this moment where would you go and why?
I have been dreaming of Valencia, Spain. I hosted a client from there and he told us all about it. It sounds warm, old-worldly, beautiful, culturally rich and it's somewhere that I have never been.
What is your favourite local store in Kelowna and why?
The Re-Store. They do great work in the community (Habitat for Humanity) and they have an amazing collection of household stuff. Whenever I have a home-project, I head there first.
What is your favourite activity?
Travel. I love seeing new places and meeting people from different cultures.
If you had to choose: pizza, tacos, or burgers?
I am a taco kind of guy, but I wouldn’t turn down any of them.
What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you?
This is a fairly long list! Since it is a professional profile, I am going with when I showed up to a presentation and had the wrong Powerpoint slide-deck. I had to do the whole thing from memory.
What is the most inspiring thing that has happened to you?
The easy answer is my two daughters, but beyond that, the most inspiring thing that has happened to me was living in Israel for three years between ages of 16 and 19. It taught me that there are a lot of different ways of seeing and being in the world. I also learned to appreciate living in a country with such an abundant, stable and respectful culture.
Tell us your favourite childhood memory.
My favourite childhood memory is riding our bikes through the neighbourhood with my school friends. We just played randomly until it got dark, no planned activities or organized sports, other than after-school stuff.
Where do you volunteer or give back to in the community?
I try to give back by regularly offering my services to non-profit organizations on a cost-only basis. I am member of 100 Men Who Give A Damn, here in Kelowna, I am a mentor for KCR and I have volunteered at the Re-Store in the past. I am currently interested in starting a youth-leadership development group. Anyone out there want to join me?
If you could change one thing in the world what would it be?
One thing I would change in our world is the increasing polarity in our public discourse. It is time to focus on what we share and where we want to go together, not what divides us.
What is your favourite activity in Kelowna?
Is wine touring an activity? If so, taking friends to the Okanagan wineries is always at the top of my list. Hiking Myra Canyon is a close second.
Where would you sneak away to in Kelowna to spend some time alone?
Mission Creek Park or Mount Knox.
Where would you like to see positive change in Kelowna and why?
I would like to see the rental-housing crunch alleviated. It is hard for many people to make a living-wage here when the cost of a roof over your head is so high. That stifles economic development and discourages good people from coming here.
What do you think makes Kelowna great?
Wide open spaces, friendly honest people and a variety of diverse small businesses.
What are 3 things on your bucket list?
Quartz crystal mining in Arkansas, visiting the Galapagos and building log home... OK, someone else will build it, but I will design it.
Tell us something that not everyone may know about you.
For six years, when my children were young, I ran a licensed family daycare so I could stay home with them. I apply a lot of what I learned in the work I do now!
What is the name of your business/organization?
Lane Sherman Consulting.
Why did you get into/start this business?
I have had a strong interest in leadership, groups and how they work, or don’t work, for as long as I can remember. I also have strong values around being of service and making a positive impact. Because people spend most of their life at work and leadership makes such a big difference in how people experience their workplace, I chose to focus my consulting practice on developing leaders to help them create the kind of workplace that people want to be a part of. That kind of environment also tends to create successful businesses, so it is a win-win all around.
What is the goal of your business?
To help leaders fix their people problems and transform their organizations.
What has been your biggest struggle either in work or life?
Raising two daughters as a single father.
If you could start all over again would you do things the same or would things be different?
I would absolutely keep things the same. I would probably be a bit more relaxed about it though, now that I know it has turned out pretty good so far!
What do you always find yourself saying?
“Yes!!”
If you could spend one whole day with anyone in the world who is currently alive, who would you select?
I would spend the day with Maceo Parker. He is a saxophone player that played with James Brown and many others. I met him once, briefly, and he seemed like a very interesting guy. Plus he has spent 60 years playing with amazing musicians.
Why do you think it is important to shop locally?
I believe in supporting local businesses because it keeps money here and helps build a thriving, independent, diverse economy. I also root for the underdog, so I like to support local entrepreneurs.
What has been your proudest accomplishment?
Raising my two daughters as a single father. On a professional note, I built a world-class team-coaching program at Royal Roads University that has continued to expand since I left three years ago.
My choice for the KelownaNow In Focus spotlight is:
100 Men Who Give A Damn. They give significant donations directly to people doing good work here in Kelowna.
Some general comments I would like to share are:
Shameless plug alert! I have just scheduled the Kelowna dates for my new workshop series, 'For Leaders Only'. It is starting March 16 and then there is another session every two weeks until April 13th (four one-day workshops). Participants can enroll in all, or any one, of them and they must be in a leadership role to attend. By only accepting experienced leaders, the workshop participants can draw on the knowledge/experience that people bring with them.
We encourage you to leave your comments and words of support below and submit your own nomination by clicking HERE. You are also welcome to submit a form of your own by clicking HERE. Thank you, Kelowna.
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