Recently I was invited to participate in an evaluation team for Canada’s Networks of Centres of Excellence, to review a funding proposal.
I was pleased to have this opportunity, because it enabled me to provide my expertise, on a volunteer basis, to assist the Government of Canada in making important funding decisions. This is Canadian taxpayer money we are working with; this is important.
I was struck by the expertise and variable skillsets of my fellow team members. All had at least 25 years’ of relevant experience in business, academia or research. All were highly skilled in their areas of expertise. And all had the experience behind them to know what would work and what would not work.
As well, the team at Canada’s Network for Centres of Excellence did a good job of compiling a roster of experts who each had different backgrounds and expertise.
The clincher? Even though we were all of different backgrounds and expertise, we all came together and shared the same conclusion in the end. Far easier than in the novel Twelve Angry Men.
It was amazing how six diverse experts came to a common conclusion.
