Thread by @joewardpr

There are counter-examples of most things in life. But one of the areas of concern I see repeatedly in #CapeBreton is the downgraded probability of success that is necessary to apply to our biggest hail mary strategies based on failure to perform on some basic core competencies.

We have a sense of a competency-drain. This isn't to say there aren't brilliant, competent people who live here. I know several of them just within my small circle of colleagues, each with their own area of brilliance. But we can't defy economics.

Markets seek out and compensate, in a competitive manner, the best talent they can find. Stronger markets with more resources and more opportunity naturally can make a better offer to all candidates. Thus, they can drain talent from weaker markets. And we're a weaker market.

The effects of this drain would be slower and less observable on markets that were more closely aligned. But even within this province, comparing the CBRM to the HRM shows a big gap on multiple economic factors. The HRM has a stronger market. It can (and does) usurp our talent.

If they are successful at recruiting away (draining us, organically) of some of our top talent, naturally this means that our average competency within our market declines.

When you lose your A-Team candidates, you're left with a B-Team and worse.

And that B-Team has to deal with the bigger problem set imposed by a disadvantaged market, while simultaneously competing with a stronger market that continues to grow stronger.

There are ways to slow the drain, and it's largely based on trying to win in the areas where the stronger markets aren't focused or actually have a gap they can't fill (differentiation). The B-Team is left to figure that out.

While we still need to set big targets, what we absolutely have to do is start demonstrating some core competencies concurrently.

One outstanding example of a big win recently is the boost in enrollment at CBU of International students. So, in that case, a big win that wasn't so certain materialized. Bravo! But we missed on core competency.

We brought all these great young students here and hadn't fully thought of housing or streamlined that process. Here's the thing. It's isn't hard to find cheap real estate here, and it isn't hard to put up student residences quickly. So get with it, and show that core competency.

To further the point, we're expecting a #CBRM Council who, by a majority don't know if they are elected officials or personnel, to negotiate with one of China's largest contractors and their government competently?

Let's just say I don't think it's a good idea to send a person who can't figure out how tic tac toe works to take on Big Blue or Garry Kasparov at chess.

There's no grand takeaway to be had here. But, I suppose, one recommendation could be a persistent quest to find out who our actual A-Team players are and get them into the right roles and stop letting B and C and D-Team players pretend they can hang.

There's no problem with being a sub-tic-tac-toe player at some task. It just means that until their competency is elevated, they need to work at sub-tic-tac-toe tasks.

I'm evidently not being polite. Economics isn't polite. Naturally, very few will take offence anyway. Clearly, everyone who reads this will quickly self-identify as an A-Team player. ;)

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