SMART work


Te World Trade Centre Winnipeg provides a trade network that spans the globe


By Joan Cohen A


licence to operate a World Trade Centre? Not a hard thing to get maybe if you’ve got the right cre-


dentials. But is there enough going on in Winnipeg that people would use a World Trade Centre? Would it be sustainable? Te Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce,


which came up with a proposal a couple of years ago to establish a World Trade Centre in Winnipeg, believed the answer was “yes” to such questions. It joined forces with a then six-year-old ANIM, a highly effective, bilingual trade agency in St. Boniface as its enthusiastic partner in gaining a World Trade Centre licence in Winnipeg. “We took ANIM and we morphed it into


the WTC,” says Mariette Mulaire, presi- dent and CEO of the World Trade Centre Winnipeg. “So all of a sudden, we’ve got a family.” Tere are 338 WTCs around the world,


and three other active ones in Canada: Halifax, Montreal and Edmonton. Each is required to deal on a priority basis with queries and requests coming in from another “family member.” Requests may deal with where to find a distributor, or a good contact in the Brazil mining indus- try, or (as Manitoba was recently asked) how to get one’s hands on a huge supply of cheap lakefish. If the answer isn’t forth- coming, headquarters steps in. A private operation, the WTC Asso-


ciation was established shortly after the Second World War, with a mission to work for “Peace through Trade.” As trade soared across the planet, the words changed, and “Prosperity through Trade” became the working motto. “Te idea became that we’ve got all this


world; everybody’s got their strengths, and we should make it easy for people to say: ‘Look, I’ve got a product. I’d like it manufactured over there’; or ‘I want this clientele in that area.’ At last, with the World Trade Centres, business has somewhere to go for help,” says Mulaire. Every WTC functions in a unique envi-


ronment, with its own set of institutions and associations operating in the trade field. So trade centres don’t necessarily


Mariette Mulaire, president and CEO of the World Trade Centre Winnipeg.


focus their resources on many different areas. “We have to find our niche and make sure we don’t duplicate,” Mulaire says. And they’ve found it in ways that have excited the business community. “Our role is more the small and medium businesses,” Mulaire explains. “Small,


because we provide a lot of basic infor- mation. Medium because they usually are wanting to go from where they are to a higher level. Te big companies work more with government and have their own trade specialists.” “Our niche is absolutely to drill down


rather than just serve everybody. We want to do more and go deeper,” Mulaire continues. For example, typically people go to trade shows, have good meetings and good conferences, and go home. But there’s no follow-up, where the dis- cussants might pursue a joint business opportunity. “So that’s our job,” says Mulaire. Te approach is already making waves


here. “Tings are going great,” says Win- nipeg Chamber of Commerce president Dave Angus. “Everything comes down to relationships, and the magic they bring with them is in establishing these rela- tionships.” On the WTC agenda is an all-Manitoba


conference, where local business peo- ple will sign up for meetings with other business people: “pre-dating,” with the ultimate goal of finding clients or forming partnerships of various types. WTC offic- ers will show up later on each business person’s doorstep to ask how they can help follow-up. “Yes, we’ll talk to all of them,” Mulaire


stresses. “Our niche really is to make sure that what we’re doing is for them. We can’t be in every market. So it’s really a matter of listening to a company. How can we help them? And then turning around and working with them.” Watch for a bit of a focus on not so


much China but the European Union and the forthcoming Canada-Europe trade agreement, which will open up a market of 500 million souls for businesses here. “As a market,” Mulaire confides, “we’re nothing for the Europeans. We become interesting when they realize we are so well-connected to the States, and we can also offer our own market.” “In Canada, they are comfortable with


our way of doing business, our way of thinking.” A treaty is probably two years away with the European Union. Today, the World Trade Centre Win-


nipeg has a year’s work under its belt, and Winnipeg is enjoying the benefits of an enviable trade network that spans the planet. “Tey’ve really identified what the value of a trade centre can be in this city,” says Angus.


Can you take the heat of criticism? No one likes it, but learning how to handle criticism at work is part of the job By Josie Howard


stress and anxiety for many people. But if you can’t seem to handle the heat, it does have the potential to derail your career. Learning how to handle criticism from


S


co-workers and your boss is an important part of success. No one is perfect and you can improve your work, and yourself, by taking criticism properly. Deconstructive criticism


Tere are two types of criticism: de-


constructive and constructive. Te first is the negative type of criticism. It usually comes in the form of a personal attack. For instance, your boss might say, “Tis report is terrible. I can’t believe how stupid you are! How did you get this wrong?” Tis type of criticism can be very hard


to handle. Let your boss or co-worker vent for a second. Sometimes people just want to get the frustration out. Don’t get defensive. Tis is easier said than done, but hold your tongue and don’t interrupt. Once they’ve said what they have to say, you can calmly state your case. A good way to avoid getting defensive is


to ask questions. What mistakes did you make? How can you improve the report? What can you do differently next time? Tis will turn the criticism from being deconstructive to constructive. Reflect on what they’ve said and their


March 2014


ooner or later, we’ll all receive nega- tive feedback on our work. Criticism is never easy to hear and it can cause


answers. If their criticism isn’t justified, ignore it. If you come to the realization that there’s room for improvement, apply what you’ve learned to your work. Constructive criticism


Constructive criticism is the positive


type of criticism that’s about making you better. Tis type of criticism is trying to make you look good, your work better, and to take you to the next level in your job. For example, your boss might say,


“Tanks for the report. I can tell you put a lot of work into it. Might I make a few suggestions? Would you be able to clarify this point and add more detail here? Can you double check these numbers, too? I’m not sure they’re accurate.” Part of success is learning how to im-


prove and how to incorporate other peo- ple’s suggestions. Te first step to taking this type of criticism valiantly is listening. Show you’re actively listening by nodding to their suggestions, keeping eye contact and paraphrasing what they’ve said. Once again, don’t get defensive and


keep calm. Wait for them to finish before jumping in. If you don’t think you can keep your cool, then wait for what they’ve said to settle in and set up a follow-up meeting. Remember to ask questions with this


type of criticism, too. Ask how you can avoid the mistake next time, or how to make something better. Always thank them for their help and input. Let the suggestions sink in before ignor- ing them. If you’re unsure if the criticism


www.smartcareers.ca


is justified, consult with some colleagues. Have they noticed these mistakes in your work? Was the criticism merited? Tis isn’t about gossiping, but making sure you’re on the right track. Keep it professional. Now, make improvements. Apply what


you’ve learned and improve your work. Don’t hold grudges either. Chances are the person means well and they aren’t trying


to bring you down with their suggestions. Tis is a learning experience, after all, to make you better. Dealing with criticism properly is an


important part of advancing in your ca- reer. Controlling your reaction can turn a potentially negative situation into a positive one. Nobody’s perfect, so keep your head cool and your attitude positive.


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