Transformational Leadership At CNO

THE CLIENT

College of Nurses of Ontario

About:

As the largest health regulator in Canada, the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) has been a leader in public protection for more than 60 years through the promotion of safe nursing practices.

The Goal:

Under the guidance of CEO Silvie Crawford, CNO is transforming its leadership approach to be an effective and trusted organization.

Fuelled by significant employment growth, their internal L&D team recognized the need for external support to introduce the new decision-making model that will equip leaders for complex challenges.

CNO partnered with us to co-create six virtual workshops that would empower its leadership team and supervisors to create psychological safety, foster trust, strengthen problem-solving skills, and embed systems thinking to ensure decisions had a broader organizational impact.

Why Business Casual?

  • “We chose Business Casual because of their ability to challenge our thinking and take us beyond what we initially asked for.”

    “They didn’t just deliver a one-size-fits-all solution—they truly partnered with us. Their approach was thoughtful, collaborative, flexible, and they were always open to feedback and iteration. What stood out most was their commitment to our success. They pushed us to think critically about our leadership and team dynamics, and the results have been transformative. Business Casual didn’t just meet our expectations—they exceeded them.”

The Solution 

 

We partnered with CNO’s internal L&D team to co-create a workshop series that fit within their existing strategy. Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all approach, we worked closely with their team to design and facilitate sessions that addressed their unique needs and long-term goals.

Based on the cornerstone of creating psychological safety, the six virtual workshops were crafted to build trust, enhance decision-making, and introduce systems thinking in a way that felt natural for their organization.

By collaborating as strategic partners, we ensured that the workshops didn’t just deliver value in the moment but also aligned with their ongoing leadership development initiatives, reinforcing what they were already working toward while introducing fresh perspectives.

“Less time spent on learning terms and ideas, and more time doing practical learning. In a sense, it was almost a 'sneaky' way to get breakout teams to think about how to include all the elements. Better than hearing a 'lecture.’”

Workshop Participant

Key Elements

Psychological Safety

  • We developed an interactive framework that allowed leaders to actively assess team dynamics and engage in open, vulnerable discussions—critical for building trust and driving behaviour change. Rather than simply presenting concepts, we focused on fostering real-time reflection and dialogue to cement the principles of psychological safety.

Innovative Problem Solving

  • Through hands-on, experiential activities, we introduced problem-solving methods that challenged leaders to navigate complex, multidisciplinary issues. These exercises pushed teams to think critically, identify root causes, and consider diverse perspectives before making decisions. Learning through action ensured that these skills were applied immediately and meaningfully.

Systems Failure

  • Leaders were shown how to apply systems thinking, not through passive instruction, but through engaging, real-world scenarios that required them to assess the broader organizational impacts of their decisions. This approach encouraged leaders to see the bigger picture and understand the ripple effects of their actions in a practical, applied way.

The Results

“The facilitators are great!“

“Content is clear and purposeful, and Cat and Sara present well. Break-out sessions are great - I really like there are numerous people in them. Helps to build relationships and hear different perspectives.”

-Workshop Participant

  • 32%

    There was a 32% increase in participants' knowledge of psychological safety, with nearly half (48%) of participants rating their understanding at the highest level after the workshop, compared to just 15% before.

  • 77%

    77% of participants rated themselves as either 'Confident' or 'Very Confident', highlighting a substantial improvement in both understanding and readiness to apply Cynefin concepts in their teams.

  • 45%

    There was a 45% increase in participants' preparedness to apply systems thinking, with nearly half (45%) of participants rating their ability to utilize systems thinking at the highest level after the workshop.

The Takeaways

"Business Casual created a space that was not only comfortable and inviting but also social and challenging, which allowed our leaders to tackle tough, thorny ideas to drive meaningful behaviour change.

The way they scaffolded content enabled people to self-assess, reflect, and engage in vulnerable conversations that many of our leaders now want to extend to their entire teams. Their approach to experiential activities in a multidisciplinary group, shed light on organizational dynamics we hadn’t considered before. The hybrid/virtual setting was handled exceptionally well, fostering social learning and building relationships that are crucial to driving change.

The two of you are thoughtful, critical thinkers who are deeply invested in organizational success. You create a professional yet collaborative learning environment that is engaging from start to finish—and you make the process fun, maybe even a little casual."

-Albert Huynh, Learning & Development Manager

Want to learn more about how we can co-create a solution for you?

Let’s hop on a 30-minute call to figure out how we can support your team’s growth and performance.