This document provides information on various topics related to communication. It includes articles on body language, the dangers of email communication, communication styles and preferences, how to be a better listener, using communication tools effectively at work, and learning something new every day. It also includes a quiz and an article describing a day in a particular job.

1. INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Body Language 1
From the Editor's Desk-
The Dangers of Email
Communication 2
Communication Styles/
Preferences 4
How to Be a Better Listener 5
Using Communication Tools
Effectively At Work 6
Learn Something New Every
Day 7
TOPSpot QUIZ 8
“A Day in the Job of…” 9
Handling Difficult
Conversations 11
ADM Sam Erry On The Topic of
Communication 13
TOMORROW’S OPS TODAY
Government of Ontario
Volume 8, Issue 1 | April 2015

2. OPS
Body Language
By Harneeta Bhalla
As New York Times award winning author Peter
Ducker observes, “Language is a more recent
technology. Your body language, your eyes,
your energy will come through to your audience
before you even start speaking.”
Communication is verbal and non-verbal.
Crossed arms, wrinkled brows, leaning back or
leaning forward are physical displays that
communicate the messages we want to convey
and even the ones we
don’t. Body language,
if used effectively, not
only reinforces
communication, but
also shapes the way
we are perceived at
work. Interestingly
enough, body
language almost
always occurs
unconsciously. So, it’s
essential to recognize its importance and use it
accordingly.
Harvard Business School professor and social
psychologist Amy Cuddy talks about how tiny
changes in body language can radically change
job performance and career in her TEDtalk Your
Body Language Shapes Who You Are. She
states that, “Certain ‘power poses’ immediately
change your body chemistry” and can either
help or hurt the way you others perceive you
and affect job performance.
Harvard Business School research shows that
holding your body in a “high-power” pose, like
leaning back with hands behind the head, for as
little as two minutes stimulates higher levels of
testosterone (the hormone linked to power)
and lowers levels of cortisol (a stress hormone.)
Who would have thought the height at which
you hold your coffee mug while interacting with
someone at work can also signify something?
Apparently it does. Barriers can obstruct
collaboration. Holding your cup in a way that
appears to be a deliberate attempt to block
your body or distance you from others is a sign
of creating a barrier to the communication.
Have you known a colleague who raised her/ his
voice to exert
authority? In actuality,
speech therapists
recommend keeping
your voice down in
order to sound
authoritative.
Body language has
different meanings in
different cultures. The
interpretation of body
language is dependent on the situation, culture,
relationship we have with those we’re
interacting with and sometimes gender. There
is not one gesture that has the same meaning
all over the world.
Keep these things in mind and embark on a
body language awareness journey, and
remember - don’t let the coffee mug obstruct
your face!
Harneeta Bhalla is a project manager with Common
Application Services at TBS, and while she enjoys her
role, she also stays connected with the writer in her,
which is the role in which she started her career.
1

3. OPS
From the Editor’s Desk-
The Dangers of
Email
Communication
By Samantha Glave
Have you ever been upset after reading an
email? Not because you didn’t like its content,
but because you didn’t appreciate the “tone” of
the sender? Many people think that one of the
limitations of email communication is its
inability to convey
emotion. Recent theory
and research suggest
otherwise. Your emails do
indeed convey emotion;
whether you intend to or
not. The difficulty with this
medium is that it is more
likely to result in inaccurate
interpretations and can
damage workplace
relationships.
During face-to-face
communication, the
speaker uses feedback
from their audience to
gauge comprehension. If
you are speaking to
someone, and they are
looking at you with a blank
stare, you know that
somewhere along the way, you have lost them,
and they probably have no idea what it is that
you’re talking about. Most people at this point
modify their message and explain what they are
saying in a different way in order to achieve
understanding. Then, there are people who will
continue to ramble on —making you question if
your presence in the conversation is even
required. They’re obviously not paying
attention to you (or else they would have
noticed the distant look in your eyes.) The
point being, you are alerted to your failure to
communicate your message successfully based
on their response.
With email, the sender won’t know if there
were errors in sending their intended message
unless the recipient asks for clarification, which
does not always happen. For example, when
someone uses an abbreviation, and you have no
idea what it stands for. You don’t want to ask
the sender for an
explanation because you
don’t want to come
across as being ignorant
for not knowing the
meaning. It’s obviously
common knowledge that
everyone is privy to or
else they would not have
used it so confidently in
their email, right? No.
Sometimes, people use
acronyms/initialisms that
are not frequently used.
Some people even make
up their own.
In her article, “Carrying
Too Heavy A Load? The
Communication and
Miscommunication of
Emotion by Email,” Kristin Byron discusses some
of the consequences of email communication,
Continued on next pg.
2

4. OPS
Continued from previous pg.
the neutrality effect and the negativity effect.
The neutrality effect is the finding that email
recipients perceive emails intended to convey
positive emotion as more emotionally neutral
than the sender intended. This being the case,
email is not the best tool to use to share good
news. Managers, when you want to
congratulate your staff, opt for face-to-face.
Byron warns that working relationships can be
stunted if positive emotions are not
communicated via email.
Readers perceive emails as more intensely
negative than intended by the sender. Byron
calls this the
negativity effect.
When this occurs,
receivers are
more likely to
perceive emails as
conveying anger
and other
negative
emotions, such as
annoyance or
hostility.
Employees who
mistakenly
perceive an email as expressing negative
emotion may retaliate with an angry response,
which escalates and damages the workplace
relationship. The author also states that emails
received from high-status senders (e.g.,
supervisors, managers, CEOs) are more
susceptible to this effect.
So, what can be done to offset the lack of cues
and feedback inherent to email? Byron suggests
verbalizing emotion, as people tend to reliably
interpret verbal emotional content. For
example, “I am relieved that we addressed the
situation” or, “I would be so grateful if you
returned the stapler I lent to you a few weeks
ago.” In an effort to avoid miscommunications,
one company went as far as to require its
employees to append the following message to
all their email communications:
“This email may display a telegraphic style that
gives the false impression of curtness or
insensitivity.”
As the recipient of an email, you can save
yourself a lot of anger, stress and confusion by
simply asking for clarification. Before getting
upset and plotting your revenge, state your
interpretation of the email to the sender. Ask
them for clarification.
This will give them a
chance to correct your
misinterpretation. Or,
it will confirm to you
that they are indeed
deserving of your
wrath. Either way- it’s
a win-win situation!
3

5. OPS
Communication
Styles/Preferences
By Bella Desa
The need to communicate is a basic human
need- it’s as important as breathing. People
need to reach out and connect with others.
They need to be understood and to understand.
People communicate using words, gestures and
body language. Communication may be direct,
indirect, spoken or written.
Clear and direct communication is effective,
healthy and avoids misunderstandings.
Indirect or unclear communication using
insinuations or sarcasm leaves people feeling
confused, upset or angry.
Communication styles have been categorized as
assertive, aggressive, passive or passive
aggressive.
Assertive communication is the most effective
way to communicate. Express yourself directly
and honestly using “I” statements to convey
your feelings and what was said or done to
trigger those feelings. Explain why you feel the
way you do. Politely state what you need from
others to deal with those feelings. For example,
“I am disappointed about not meeting our
deadline this week. We need to earn our
manager’s trust, so I would appreciate
discussing what can be done to ensure meeting
future deadlines.”
Aggressive communication entails expressing
honest thoughts, feelings and beliefs using
“you” statements. This may have the
unintended consequence of making you sound
superior, accusing, condescending or
domineering.
Passive communication means failing to express
feelings honestly or in an apologetic, timid
manner that may be ignored or disregarded by
others thus violating your rights.
Passive aggressive communication is when you
express your needs and feelings in an unclear,
confusing manner and could include sarcasm,
ridicule, false praise and insinuations.
The best way to communicate with other adults
is to treat them as capable and express your
feelings without disrespecting them. It is also
important to respect and consider their
opinions. People should be granted the ability
to refuse requests without feeling guilty or
selfish.
Continued on next pg.
4

6. OPS
Continued from previous pg.
TIPS
Always communicate in a gentle, kind and non-
confrontational manner, and be patient and
respectful.
 Postpone discussions with people who
are upset or under the influence of a
substance; communication is more
effective in a clear state of mind.
 Avoid using labels since they carry a
heavy stigma.
 Tailor your communication style to your
audience (e.g., age, avoid the use of
jargon)
Bella Desa is a Program Assistant with the
Construction Health & Safety Program with the
Ministry of Labour in the Mississauga Office.
How to Be a Better
Listener
By Carla Marshall
Communication is essential in our day to day
lives. It’s a skill required for every single job.
When most people think of communication,
they forget about the ability to listen. Often,
this skill is overlooked, and we focus more on
writing and speaking clearly. Conversely,
listening has been argued by some
communication experts to be the most vital
communication skill. Unfortunately, there are
many barriers that exist which prevent us from
developing this essential skill. So, how can we
be better listeners? Here are a few tips we can
all benefit from:
Stay engaged - Remove distractions such as
your phone, radio, e-mails, computer and any
other environmental factors that may take
away from giving your colleague your undivided
attention.
Ask open-ended questions – Research has
shown that the best listeners regularly ask
thoughtful questions.
Don’t interrupt – Instead, wait three seconds to
reply after the speaker is finished talking.
Interruptions can lead to frustrations and can
limit full understanding of the message.
Use body language – Smiles, nods and eye
contact go a long way. These gestures can not
only help you pay attention to what’s being said
but also show the other person that you are
listening.
Concentrate – Focus on what is being said by
repeating what the speaker is saying inside your
head.
Listening takes determination and
concentration. It’s a hard skill to develop in
today’s fast-paced world with its many
interruptions. Nevertheless, good listening not
only improves productivity at work but also
decreases misunderstandings and conflicts.
Continued on next pg.
5

7. OPS
Continued from previouspg.
This, of course, can only lead to healthier
workplace relationships.
Post these tips to your computer or set random
reminders in your calendar to remind yourself
of these tips to help become a better listener.
As the Greek philosopher Epictetus said, “We
have two ears and one mouth so that we can
listen twice as much as we speak.”
Using
Communication
Tools Effectively
At Work
By Justin Joy
In today’s world, we have more ways of
communicating with each other than ever
before. Unfortunately, we sometimes fail to
use the most effective option. There’s a time
and a place for everything. This saying applies
to communication at work. Below are different
communication methods that are available to
us and a consideration of the merits of each.
Email
Email has become the dominant
communication tool within organizations.
However, with the volume of messages that can
clutter an inbox, there’s a danger that a reader
might skim through an email and rush to hit
delete before fully understanding its contents.
An important issue or message may be
concealed within a long email trail, so a best
practice would be to speak directly with the
recipient after sending an email. This can help
ensure that key information is not overlooked.
Instant Messaging (IM)
This is the newest mode of communication
within the OPS, but the Microsoft Lync icon
often sits unused on many desktops because of
the informality of instant messaging. However,
it’s this informality that makes this mode of
communication appealing and, within the
proper context, effective. One manager said she
liked receiving an IM because if she were in the
middle of a task she could respond to it when
she was free without being interrupted.
Telephone
Picking up the telephone to speak with
someone is an effective “off the record” form of
communication; two people can share ideas
and quickly come to an understanding by
speaking their minds. If documentation is
required, a follow-up email can confirm what
was discussed in the conversation.
Face-to-Face
Do you often send emails to colleagues who sit
a few desks away from you? Stop to think
about whether an email or getting up to chat
with them would be more effective. Remember
to not overlook the social benefits of having a
personal conversation. Spending a few minutes
Continued on pg. 12
6

8. OPS
Learn Something New Every Day
By Samantha Glave
Did you know that…?
The World Wide Web is only 26 years
old? It was invented in March of 1989 by
Tim Berners-Lee, a British computer
scientist?
The Internet and the World Wide Web
are not the same things, although they
are often used interchangeably. The
internet is a global, interconnected
network of computing devices that
supports various
interactions and
communications
between its devices.
The World Wide Web is
a subset of these
interactions. It is a
collection of linked text
documents and other
resources that are usually accessed by
web browsers, from web servers.
The 7-38-55 Rule has been sorely
misinterpreted! This is the rule that
states that verbal communication
accounts for only 7% of the impact of
your overall communication, while 55%
comes from body language and 38%
from tonality. UCLA psychology
professor Albert Mehrabian clarified
that these figures are not applicable
unless the person communicating is
talking about their feelings and
attitudes.
The meaning of gestures is not
universal. “Keep your hands to yourself”
is a lesson that we should still keep in
mind when travelling to other parts of
the world!
For example,
Shaking your head
from side to side – In
the U.S., this means
“no.” In Bulgaria, the
same gesture means
“yes” and moving the
head up and down translates to
“no”!
The “thumbs up” sign – In
America this gesture signifies
agreement and that things are “a-
okay.” Yet, it is considered rude in
Australia, Iran and some other
Muslim countries.
7

9. 9
OPS
TOPSpot QUIZ
By Lavenya Rajendra
Complete the quiz to enter your name in the draw to win a $5 coffee card!
E-mail your answers to TOPS@ontario.ca before April 10, 2015.
1 Which of the following is true of Question Period in the Legislative
Assembly of Ontario?
A) It provides members with the opportunity to ask questions of ministers
B) It is televised in French and English
C) It lasts exactly 60 min
D) All of the above
2The growth of the internet and its use has revolutionized the public’s
demands for information that was once exclusively government-held. In which
year did the Government of Ontario join the Open Data movement?
3 Name three requirements under the Accessibility for Ontarians
Disabilities Act’s Information and Communications standard.
4 The word Ontario comes from the Iroquois word kanadario meaning
_________ water.
A) Calm B) Clean C) Sparkling D) Fresh
The winner of the previous TOPSpot quiz is Wendy Hart, MCSS Congratulations!
8

10. OPS
“A Day in
the Job
of…”
By Yannie Wong
Fatima Agostinho is the
Team Lead, Travel and
Events in the
Communications Branch at
the Ministry of Economic
Development, Employment
and Infrastructure and the
Ministry of Research and
Innovation (MEDEI/MRI). She
has been in her current role
for nine years and is
responsible for managing out
of province travel plans for
all ministry staff and political
leaders.
What does a typical
day in your role
look like?
Fatima begins her workday
by checking and prioritizing
her e-mails, as situations and
projects are constantly
changing. She consults
various international news
and media outlets to
discover what is happening
on a global level, in
particular, matters and alerts
that may impact travel.
Fatima also troubleshoots for
staff on travel issues and
requests. She acts as a one-
window resource for all
travel-related questions.
Some of her other job duties
include: producing the
ministry’s quarterly travel
plans, providing guidance on
the OPS Travel Directive,
monitoring travel approvals
and coordinating mission
proposals, logistics and
itineraries for Ministers’
travel missions. Her role has
also evolved, and she
provides resources for other
ministries, including offering
assistance and guidance
regarding staff travel.
What do you like
most about your
job?
Fatima’s favourite aspect of
her job is the variety of work
she comes across, as events
constantly change. She also
enjoys seeing projects come
to fruition, particularly being
involved in their
development. For example, it
is rewarding for her to turn a
simple one-sentence request
for a Minister’s travel into an
entire mission and to take
part in all elements deriving
from the mission
management process.
Are there any
challenges in your
job?
Fatima’s position is fast and
furious on account of many
changes, deadlines and
decisions! She has learned to
react quickly and promptly to
any issues that arise.
What are some
interesting projects
that you have
worked on recently?
Fatima recently worked on
Premier Wynne’s Mission to
China in October 2014. It was
her first international
mission as Premier. She
visited several cities in China
with Ministers Duguid and
Chan, as well as two trade
delegations. Fatima’s role in
the mission was to
coordinate briefing
materials, travel logistics and
daily itineraries. It was an
exciting project to be a part
of. It involved individuals
from a variety of ministries
across the OPS and was a
great demonstration of how
teamwork can result in
projects coming together
successfully.
Continued on next pg.
Fatima Agostinho
9

11. OPS
Continued from previous pg.
What would
surprise readers
about your role?
Not many people realize the
amount of international
travel that is involved.
MEDEI/MRI is a unique
ministry in that staff and
Ministers often travel
outside of Ontario to support
the ministry’s mandates,
particularly to promote
investment and trade to help
create jobs in Ontario.
MEDEI/MRI staff travel
globally to many different
regions to target various
sectors and industries. This
includes Asia, Australia,
South America, the Middle
East, Europe and Ontario’s
number one trading partner–
the United States.
Why is
communication
important?
Fatima believes that
communication highlights
the importance of being
clear and concise. It is
essential in effectively
gathering information
required to respond to
deadlines in a timely manner
in order to meet demands.
What makes a good
communicator?
From Fatima’s perspective,
a good communicator is
open to listening, engages
people on their opinions and
encourages discussion.
Having a positive attitude is
also important, as optimism
can be contagious and helps
to create constructive
outcomes. Lastly, Fatima
notes that it is important to
include all appropriate
players in communication
processes. Every person has
something unique to
contribute, which is essential
for driving success.
Use a few words to
best describe your
job.
“Organized,” “nimble” and
“building relationships.”
What do you enjoy
doing outside of
work?
Outside of her role as a
Team Lead of the Travel and
Events Unit, Fatima enjoys
baking and cooking and
participating in various
outdoor activities. On the
weekends, you can find her
hiking, snowshoeing and
visiting farmer’s markets.
Yannie is a Communications
Intern under the Ontario
Internship Program, who is
currently in the Communications
Branch at the MEDEI/MRI. She
enjoys working on a variety of
projects and aspires to continue
in a communications/public
relations role. Outside of the
OPS, she enjoys practicing hot
yoga, trying new recipes and
travelling.
9
10

12. OPS
Handling Difficult
Conversations-
By Kerry Delaney
Have you ever found yourself in a situation
where you had to confront a colleague about an
uncomfortable subject? We all have, and it’s
never easy. Sometimes the situation is minor –
your nearest cubicle neighbour is a loud eater,
and it’s making you crazy. Other times, it’s
something a little more serious, and you feel it’s
affecting your performance. How do you handle
it? Should you say something? What do you
say? When do you say it? Do you need to get
your manager involved?
Obviously, a situation where you need to
consider management intervention is an
escalation that we all hope to avoid, so handling
the situation yourself should always be the first
step. Here are some tips that might help you
approach these difficult conversations,
regardless of the situation.
Don’t let it fester:
In a professional environment, you’re expected
to behave professionally. One of the worst
things you can do is to bottle your emotions up.
Tensions have many small ways of revealing
themselves, and if you’re the one who is upset,
you may not even realize you’re projecting
anything. Save yourself the heartache and an
ongoing feeling of frustration or anger, and
open the lines of communication.
Stay calm:
At times, it’s difficult to keep your cool when
you’re feeling frustrated. However, in the
workplace it’s critical to stay calm. If you’ve
made the decision to confront a colleague
about something upsetting, be sure to
remember that if you lose your temper it can
look bad on you.
Plan your approach:
You can never predict what the other person is
going to say, but it’s important that you’re
prepared to communicate your side clearly.
Making notes can help keep you grounded and
on topic. This will also help you feel prepared
and hopefully more relaxed.
Be prepared to listen:
It’s important to remember that there are two
sides to every story, and even though you think
Continued on next pg.
11

13. OPS
Continued from previous pg.
you know what’s going on, just remember that
you probably don’t. Try and see the situation as
an opportunity to practice your listening skills.
An opportunity to truly listen, which is an
important part of open communication.
Don’t go on the attack:
Show that you care about what your colleague
is saying and that you’re prepared to try and
work out solutions that will make everyone
happy. If your objective is to win, you may want
to consider that you’re not approaching the
situation realistically or with the best
intentions. In a professional (or personal)
environment, everyone will feel better knowing
that a difficult situation was handled
respectfully.
Give and take:
If your conversation is going to include you
asking for accommodation of some sort from
your colleague, you should also be prepared to
make an offer of your own. Not only will this
help to keep the peace, but it will show your
colleague that you recognize that you are part
of a team and that you care about everyone’s
needs.
Be discrete:
Remember that you’re about to talk to
someone about something sensitive. Keeping
tensions down is critical. Try to find a place to
talk privately. If this is not possible in your
workplace, maybe you can suggest going for
coffee. Don’t talk too fast or too loudly. Even if
your colleague begins to get emotional, keeping
yourself calm can often help your conversation
partner to keep it together. At the very least,
they will appreciate your efforts to keep things
private.
Good luck with these tips, and remember they
can be applied to both your professional and
personal lives.
Using Communication Tools Effectively at
Work
Continued from pg. 6
talking about weekend plans can be a
welcomed break in an otherwise hectic work
day.
“The medium is the message,” said Marshall
McLuhan. After identifying your key message,
take some to think about how it can best be
communicated. This exercise can determine
whether your audience will hear your message
or if you’ll only be shouting into the wind.
Justin Joy is a Research Assistant in the
Communications Branch at the Ministry of the
Environment and Climate Change.
12

14. OPS
ADM Sam Erry On
The Topic of
Communication
By Sarah Hui
You hear about it from hiring employers.
Industry leaders often stress its importance.
And it was very clear
from my discussion with
Sam Erry, the Assistant
Deputy Minister (ADM)
of the Corporate Policy,
Agency Governance and
Open Government
Division in the Treasury
Board Secretariat, that if
you want to succeed in
the Ontario Public
Service (OPS), you need
this one thing: strong
communication skills.
Communication is the
process of exchanging
data, information, ideas,
thoughts, and emotions.
Effective communication
plays an important role
in any organization. ADM Erry believes that
communication is more important than ever
with the rise of social media and digital
communication. He has noticed a
metamorphosis in language as individuals have
started to place an emphasis on immediate
responses and feedback; he has also noted a
number of issues that have arisen as a result.
One such issue is that the shortening of
messages through the use of acronyms,
abbreviations or emoticons can result in
miscommunication or misunderstanding. For
example, ADM Erry mentioned that when “LOL”
is received, is the sender actually laughing out
loud, are they smirking or are they responding
just for the sake of responding? Although
sending a message is a quicker way to
correspond, he highly values the in-person
meeting as it allows for relationship building
and non-verbal communication. Non-verbal
communication
includes body
language, facial
expressions and
other visual
cues. It is
extremely
important as it
can show the
mood of the
person, their
level of interest
and their
immediate
reaction to the
topic being
discussed.
In thinking about
communication
within the OPS,
there are a few primary communication
products in our work environment, which
include briefing notes, Cabinet submissions, e-
mails and decks. For ADM Erry, the key to
creating a strong communication product is to
connect all the points and create a story.
Continued on next pg.
13

15. OPS
Continued from previous pg.
It also needs to be succinct, coherent and
inclusive. ADM Erry expanded upon the idea of
inclusive communication and how it relates to
the OPS. Our work environment is multi-
generational and extremely diverse. Thus, we
need to show respect and be inclusive in the
way we communicate.
However, he has noticed
that the manner in which
we communicate with
our colleagues and
friends/family have at
times intertwined,
resulting in more casual
language and manners.
He emphasized the
importance of differentiating how we
communicate within the two environments and
of keeping a high level of professionalism in
communicating at the office.
ADM Erry emphasized that when it comes to
effective communication, you need to have the
ability to speak in public, in addition to strong
writing skills. Public speaking allows an
individual to share their ideas through story-
telling and inspire others and set out a vision for
the future by connecting with the audience.
Furthermore, audiences are able to gain a
better perspective on an issue or subject.
In closing, I appreciate the opportunity to have
interviewed ADM Erry. I have learned that
though modern technologies allow us to
communicate more quickly and efficiently,
there is still great value in communicating in
person and establishing relationships.
Sarah Hui is a Senior Program Advisor in the
Investment Funding and Coordination Branch in
MEDEI/MRI/ENERGY. She received her Honours B. Sc.
in Economics (Quantitative Methods) at the
University of Toronto and M.A. in Economic Policy at
McMaster University and is currently pursuing her
Chartered Professional Accountant designation. She
is the VP of the Rotaract Club of Toronto, an
international service organization sponsored by
Rotary International.
“…the manner in which we
communicate with our colleagues
and friends/family have at times
intertwined…”
14

16. OPS
Calling all selfie superstars, camera nerds and Insta-famous
photographers.
TOPSPOT WANTS YOU!
Your photos could be published in a future TOPSpot issue. Selected photos will
also be made available on the OPS Photo Library (photo permission must be
signed). New and experienced photographers are welcome.
Interested? Email TOPS@ontario.ca. We’ll send you more information about the
theme for the next TOPSpot issue. All work will be credited.
15

17. OPS
Editor-in-Chief:
Samantha Glave
Design and Layout:
Samantha Glave
Lavenya Rajendra
Writers:
Kerry Delaney
Bella Desa
Harneeta Bhalla
Sarah Hui
Justin Joy
Carla Marshall
Yannie Wong
Nicole Wray
Editors:
Jo-Ann Hutchison
Valerie Menezes
Allyson Windham
Kate Tiessen
Liam MacManus
Lavenya Rajendra
Photo Credits:
pg. 1 David Castillo Dominici at FreeDigitalPhotos.net; pg.2 Phaitoon at FreeDigitalPhotos.net; pg.3 Stuart Miles at
FreeDigitalPhotos.net; pg.4 (Top) stockimages at FreeDigitalPhotos.net and (Bottom) imagerymajestic at FreeDigitalPhotos.net;
pg.5 photostock at FreeDigitalPhotos.net; pg.6 cooldesign at FreeDigitalPhotos.net; pg.7 artur84 at FreeDigitalPhotos.net; pg.8
Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net; pg.11 t0zz at FreeDigitalPhotos.net; pg. 12 Ambro at FreeDigitalPhotos.net; pg.13 Marin at
FreeDigitalPhotos.net; pg.15 (Top) Image #4305 from the Cabinet PhotoLibrary,(bottom L)
http://www.freeimages.com/photo/1000480 (bottom R) Image 9446 from the Cabinet PhotoLibrary
All other images courtesy of the writer or are part of the public domain
TOPS Profile
Tomorrow's Ontario Public Service (TOPS) was created by new professionals from across the
Ontario Public Service, with the aim of providing networking, mentoring and learning
opportunities. It has over 4,500 members from across the province—and is growing every
day. TOPS is led by an Executive Team composed of volunteers from several ministries.
Seventeen of these members are on the Provincial Executive and about a hundred volunteers
are active at any given time. Its mission is to foster an inclusive culture of engagement,
learning, leadership and professional development in the OPS.
TOPSpot is brought to you by the TOPS Communications and Marketing Committee.