Barry and Epic Engage
Unite and Engage, indeed and in deed… that is my fierce focus forward. On LinkedIN, you will see my profile as… “Educator, Speaker, Coach, Writer, Creator advancing the forces of Character, Purpose and Unity for Leadership; with Educators, Entrepreneurs and Emerging Leaders forging a better world and future. Humans Together Strong.” I am The Unity Guy, and Epic Engage is The Character Leadership Company. My Just Cause and Mission is helping individuals and organizations move forward together stronger at home, school, work, business, play and community.
CMHA had the pleasure of inviting Barry to a staff development day. In one word AWESOME! Barry was very energetic, interactive, and effective. The experience allowed us to see how, while we are all very different in our personalities and skill sets, we all have the potential to contribute positively both professionally and personally.
CHARACTER EDUCATION GUY
The study, practice and advancement of Character is central to my work and Service. I am a lifelong student of such, since childhood. Indeed, my imagination and play and work and study have centered around same.
From 1987 through 2001, I served as an Instructor/Coach with Dale Carnegie Training®… still genuinely recommending the program to this day.
In 2001, I was certified as a Ruhi Facilitator… exploring matters of spirit, and Character.
In 2002, I had the honor of joining the ranks as Facilitator (and then Master Facilitator) for the Virtues Project™; a globally engaging movement for Character Leadership and community capacity building.
In 2004, I became a Certified Facilitator for Personality Dimensions® and its work in temperament and personality assessment; angles on Character.
And … in 2012, I studied and wrote on Character and Temperament in my book Human Being Being Human©.
Before and since, I have taught business leadership with a definitive belief in the words of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr in saying…
“The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education.”
… and have continued my studies, practice and advancement on Character, including Stoic thought. So, I am a lifelong student of the work around character, education and leadership. Certainly, over these last 30 years, armed with that passion, I have taught college level business courses. I am a teacher. I believe that education is truly the oldest and most noble of professions and am adamant about advancing the power of character, capacity and creativity based education to unleash potential.
CommUNITY and PURPOSE GUY
That said, I would humbly suggest that I have been and am a commUNITY and Purpose Guy, in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors.
Work with the Departments of Labour and Rural. Agricultural and Northern Development and Canada Employment and Immigration bore that out in my early career. Then with Atlantic Canada Plus and working at CNA as a community college business educator, I continued with a career in community and economic development that now spans the federal and provincial public service, the private sector and the community sector.
Professor Rolf Hattenauer, the Educator who changed my Life (that is another story, often shared in sessions) taught me not only the importance of Character but Purpose and Integrity… and meaning.
To that end, I also believe in finding our best “fit” over fitting in. I have been a long time student and practitioner of the work of What Color is Your Parachute? by Richard Bolles; since 1982. It is substantive work around exploring vocation, calling and Purpose in practical and powerful ways.
As both a speaker and business educator… with 44 years and counting of experience, education and Enthusiasm… I have delivered on Purpose, education, and leadership as vehicles for community, economic and business development… to countless youth and adults across North America.
My work continues with Purpose, and with TUGtv. More on that, later.
CREATIVE NERD GUY
With all of that in mind, on a personal note… I am a singer, rocker, boxer, archer, cartoonist, and dancer… yup. Indeed, I bring that love of these art forms to my work with EPIC Engage™… cartooning, singing and dancing… they all require creativity, harmony and rhythm… and the freedom to let it go; key ingredients in creating epic engagement.
I am a Baha’i, guided deeply by the drive that we all matter and that that is the starting point for all great things…. reaching out to the Human Radio.
These days, I enjoy a beautiful, modest, little home I call “The Cottage” in Mount Pearl, NL, Canada with memories of my #bestlittledogintheworld Panda… teaching, speaking, coaching, mentoring, singing, dancing, cartooning, boxing, walking, and following my Shinedown, NFL, Star Trek Discovery, (and Picard, and all Star Trek (most of all, Strange New Worlds, geeking out here lol) and Stargate, Supernatural and great and epic super hero and sci-fi fantasy movies (I am a big time Marvel freak).
As a Boomer born into the courageous Idealism of the 60s, I see myself as a 900 pound gorilla spirit who has the backs of those who will constructively change the world, lol. And that said.
I love my work and Service.
I love my music. By the way, one of my fave songs by my all time fave band is Atlas Falls. Check it out.
I love my boxing. I love creating. I love what I do, and do what I love. And, I have a wondrous, cool circle of most trusted friends and family. I affectionately call them my personal “Camelot”.
It is a good life, and I am grateful.
BOTTOM LINE
I humbly offer my resume of life and work. Consider, 40 years in leadership training and development, 25 years in business education and coaching, 20,000+ contact hours in speaking, training and facilitating, 1500+ clients coached, and delivering to audiences as large as 4,000. I have indeed presented and performed in front of over 200,000 people of all ages and backgrounds, as a Master Facilitator with the Virtues Project™, a Facilitator with Personality Dimension®, and speaker and coach. As such and as a Vocalist and Rocker, Author and Writer, Dancer, and Cartoonist, I live my work. I love my work. If I or our team can be of service… CONTACT BARRY TODAY
