About The Human Assignment
It seems like common sense to say that people don’t clock in and out of the human experience; what happens at work is what people bring home and what happens at home comes with us to work. But we think that’s too often ignored. Now more than ever, the line between work and personal life is blurred.
So, through this podcast we hope to uncover a little more around what it means to be a human, working and living in the 21st century. We’ll be learning from experts and having conversations to gain insights into all those things that fall at the intersection of life and work– emotional and physical health, the environments in which we live and work, skills and money, all of the relationships we navigate each day, and of course the purpose and meaning we all desire.
Thank you for joining us on the Human Assignment :)
Hi, I’m Matt.
I’m a recovering personal development junkie, “retired” pro-golfer who now works in an office, and I’m endlessly curious by what makes people tick.
A bit of background about where I come from: I grew up in Winnipeg, Canada dreaming of the Canadian dream, playing hockey in the NHL. At the age of 15, barely 5 feet tall and still waiting for my voice to change, it became evident that a career in hockey was a long shot for me. So, I pivoted to the obvious sure-thing career path– trying to become Tiger Woods.
For the next fifteen years, I devoted my life to becoming a golf star. Although the only stardom I ever achieved was through the unconditionally supportive (*cough* delusional) eyes of my parents, the pursuit gave me the opportunity to get a business degree in a much warmer climate than Canada, travel the world playing on every golf tour that would accept me, and stalk/listen to every great coach, trainer, psychologist, mystic, self-help book, online course, smoke signal, positive affirmation... (this is only the shortlist) that I could get my hands on.
Since “retiring” from golf, and most of the above pursuits, I’ve spent a few years in the start-up world of Silicon Valley, I’ve helped grow the first pro-Ultimate Frisbee League (shout out to @theaudl), and most recently I’ve moved back to Canada to join the family business in health benefits and HR services. My winding path has been adventurous and humbling, to say the least, but it has sparked a fascination to learn more about what it means to live a fulfilling life, at work and at home.
Hi, I’m Donna.
A coach at heart, I am constantly intrigued by all types of human performance and what people need so they can be at their best.
I am a prairie girl who grew up in small towns across central Canada. The daughter of an RCMP officer, my family moved several times through elementary school and middle school, it seemed that no matter where I went, I was always the “new” kid.
Prior to moving into my current role in the wellness field, I was first an athlete and then a coach in the sport of Track and Field with the University of Manitoba. An All-Canadian athlete, I transitioned from athlete to coach and held concurrent roles at the national level as a coach (University of Manitoba) and a sport administrator working full time for various organizations including Athletics Canada, Athletics Manitoba and Racquetball Canada. It was during this time I started to both experience challenges with work/life balance as well as question if it was really possible or simply a myth.
A decision to walk away from a national team coaching pathway coupled with illness from stress due to a life load that was out of control, lead me to graduate research that uncovered the role that passion, culture, recovery, and connection play in sustaining performance. The research, while rooted in elite sport, has application across many contexts. There are two big takeaways from that research that led me to the Human Assignment. One being that there is no such thing as work-life balance, but with awareness and deliberate actions, an effective work-life blend is possible. The other big takeaway was the discovery that we tend see those around us as one dimensional. What we do not realize is that there are several dimensions to the people we interact with everyday. When we learn to see people multidimensionally we can really see them, and when we really see them, we are better able to understand them and connect with them. When this happens, we are not only able to help them be at their best, but we celebrate the holistic human within them.