For the last 25+ years, I’ve been a professor and university administrator. For most of that time, I’ve known that our education systems are deeply flawed because teaching is prioritized over learning. I tried for many years to make incremental changes within the system, but have recently explored alternative models that work much better, at least if actual learning and labour market success are the yardsticks. I’ve found that the key to learning is to help people lead themselves, rather than flinging a bunch of ideas at them and testing their recall. By helping people develop their self-leadership abilities, I am trying to change learning from an occasional by-product of educational institutions back into something we do naturally and continuously. My book, aimed at first-year post-secondary students, is an attempt to catch them and open their eyes before they get too deep into the ivory tower.

The path I have chosen for my life, or the one that has chosen me, is to change learning. We all learn, and we do it as naturally as breathing or thinking. Yet we have handed over what we call learning to institutions and individuals that are primarily interested in perpetuating themselves rather than helping learners get better. I know, because I am one of those people, and I’m convinced there’s a better way. Credentials are still useful, as fishing licenses in the job market. But learning is much bigger than a piece of paper. My passion is to help others develop their self -leadership skills so they can benefit from the changes that lie ahead.

BRUCE’S MESSAGE TO PROSPECTIVE MEMBERS

Do this thing. To paraphrase Mark Twain, our biggest regrets are the things we don’t do. My TEC journey with Joe and the group brought my previous company 6-figure revenue gains and led directly into writing my book. I only stepped aside because my book is not a business yet, but TEC has been instrumental in moving me forward. TEC is truly a great place to learn.