|  Farewell and Tribute to Michael Chender
It is with deep feelings of sadness and loss that I inform you that Michael Chender, co-founder of Authentic Leadership in Action (ALIA), died at home in Halifax, Nova Scotia, surrounded by family on Tuesday evening, July 2, 2019. Michael was an entrepreneur, businessman, innovator, father, and dedicated meditation practitioner and teacher. He was a visionary--always looking for new ways to express his understanding and inspiration. I remember meeting with him at the Trident coffee shop in Boulder in the early 2000s shortly after he came back from a meditation retreat. He had a vision for a secular leadership institute that would provide training in mindfulness and Shambhala principles and practices to international leaders and wanted to start building a team. His special commitment was to provide "tools for creating enlightened society" for leaders in Nova Scotia, however, the institute would be open to anyone who wanted to participate. Naturally, I said "Yes" and, together with a team in Halifax, got to work creating the first Summer Institute. Michael and the team were fearless in reaching out to well-known, respected leaders in the field including Peter Senge, Meg Wheatley and Otto Scharmer and seeking their help and guidance in getting the project off the ground. For 12 years we held annual gatherings in Nova Scotia, Europe and other venues in North America. Michael gave the opening keynote address and he and the team continued to expand ALIA's reach and influence. However, Michael was not just interested in vision—he wanted to see leaders integrate mindfulness in practical ways and he developed and taught a program called "Wise Action" that provided a 5 step process for courageously joining "heaven" and "earth" in everyday life. What was it like to work with Michael? Although he appreciated, everyone's input he was not interested in collaboration for its own sake. He saw the value of hierarchy as a way to get things done. After a particularly arduous meeting with an ALIA planning team one year he coined the phrase "idiot collaboration" to articulate his frustration with people's tendency to hide behind consensus rather than being decisive and brave. He was a stickler for authenticity and could sniff out anyone who was posturing or playing a role and to challenge them—usually with humor. He developed strong, enduring friendships with many of our collaborators and was widely respected by presenters and participants alike. In 2014 ALIA joined Naorpa University where it continues under the auspices of the Authentic Leadership Center. Although its form has changed somewhat, the initial vision of offering authentic leadership development and "tools for creating enlightened society" still lives on. I will miss Michael's commitment to integrity and clarity and his artful use of humor to provoke insight and inspiration.
 With Appreciation,
Susan Skjei
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