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With her diverse team of experts, Co-founder and CEO of Archipel Research and Consulting Inc., Sabre Pictou Lee is harnessing them to help organizations change for the better.
A highly acclaimed Indigenous speaker, trainer, liaison and researcher, Sabre’s company has supported the Canada Council for the Arts, Assembly of First Nations and Global Centre for Pluralism (to name a few).
Today, Sabre shares why anti-colonial ways and concepts aren’t radical, how she built her business from the ground up, and the frameworks you can apply to make yours more inclusive.
[5:26] Sabre’s imposter syndrome was colored by early experiences with racism in Northern Ontario
[6:32] “I was a really troublesome kid,” from one high school to the next
[6:40] Rugby: The athletic channel for her challenging experiences
[7:00] The coach that got her to Concordia University
[8:00] Concordia’s First People Studies program ignited Sabre’s passion
[8:45] Going from a “difficult” student to a 4.0 GPA
[10:00] On the absence of Indigenous values in research: “They were conducting research that was about us without us.”
[11:05] The founding of Archipel Research & Consulting
[12:40] Here’s how Archipel Research & Consulting does client work differently
[13:00] Work rooted in principles intersectionality, consensus decision-making, and Etuaptmumk (two-eyed seeing)
[14:00] Removing “hierarchical schemes” through talking circles
[15:12] Here’s what you need for effective decision-making through consensus-building
[17:03] The Indigenous principles that guide Sabre’s work
[18:50] Challenging the “box”
[20:00] Why Archipel’s office closes at 2pm on Fridays
[25:13] What are colonial ways of working?
[26:25] Prioritizing economic benefit over individual wellbeing
[27:20] Anti-colonial ideas are not “radical”
[30:51] This is what professional gatekeeping looks like
[32:22] Commit your resources internally (please)
[34:22] Remove barriers to skills development
[37:33] Commitments Sabre has made to herself
[38:10] Care for yourself like a formula one race car
[40:18] Learning new ways to cope with anxiety
This podcast is available in blog format. If reading is your thing:
Invest Ottawa and the Power of Why Podcast teamed up to produce this special series in celebration of International Women’s Week and the women leading in Ottawa.
Naomi Haile
An intrapreneur, consultant, and interviewer.
Naomi Haile is curious about people, their paths and what drives them. In 2017, she launched the Power of Why Podcast. Her guests have taken the non-linear path in business, venture capital and other creative professions to share their story. Each episode explores people’s philosophy on life and work.
As we all navigate our lives and careers, Naomi hopes that everyone she connects with – guests and listeners – can shape products, companies, and communities of impact.
Naomi is a consultant at QuakeLab. She is starting graduate school at Columbia University.