Naryan Wong

I’ve collaborated with globally recognized corporations, leading non-profits, and community-based organizations, working alongside grassroots leaders to drive impactful initiatives.

One client leads a national network working to eliminate food insecurity. I was initially brought in to help them measure and visualize their network health, supporting a paradigmatic shift in how network members might collaborate in new ways.

My team at Cultivating Leadership worked with the client to map the relationships between members, revealing previously unseen patterns: super connectors, hot spots of collaboration, and drivers of connection. We convened groups of network leaders to meet and make sense of the patterns together, helping the client to understand the kind of ‘network mindset’ that was already creating the kind of network future they wanted.

We shared these insights (and related practices) more broadly – at their annual conference and working with other leaders in their network to spread these collaborative mindsets and support a deeper cultural shift. The client’s context has only grown more challenging, but the experience of meeting the challenge together, and with more ‘complexity friendly’ strategies has lead to greater adaptability and joy in the work.

I’ve explored and integrated the techniques and practices from many different schools and communities. My network spans mindfulness, coaching, therapeutic practices, dialogue practices, rationality, effective altruism, systems innovation, technology/start-ups, art & nature pedagogy and more. I’ve had the opportunity to learn from powerful teachers and still participate in communities of practice, continuing to develop practices that take years to mature.

With my client work, I have the opportunity to apply these perspectives and tools in service to complex challenges. I’ve found the new approaches can often unlock creativity and flow in previously stuck situations.

I am a colleague, resident network mapper, and one of the ‘gardeners of sustainability’.

I help clients to understand complex systems – within themselves, their teams & organizations, and their environment. This often includes delivering developmental training programs, supporting leaders to make sense of greater complexity, systems mapping workshops, workplace culture reviews, and more traditional consulting-style assessments.

For clients who are interested in deeper transformation work, I recommend multi-day offsites or retreats.

I aim to bring the client’s desired future into the present working relationship. If a client wants to create a ‘human workplace’, I want us to experience a human relationship – to help ground the work we’re doing in our own lived experience. If we’re designing a leadership development program for new leaders, I will weave in the same principles we’ll teach into our design process.

While my work can be quite independent and self directed, my favourite client engagements are ones where we work together to create the kinds of outcomes we’re looking for. I like to leave an organization more capable of sustaining the work beyond the engagement, and have found that working together helps build these capabilities.

A lot of what I do ‘for fun’ resembles what I do ‘for work’. I love hosting gatherings with intentionality – whether it’s to relax and recharge, to connect and build community, or to enjoy good food and warm friends. I love the outdoors, my summers aren’t complete without a canoe or kayak trip in the Ontario wilderness. I often play the role of DJ or photographer at events, enjoying the process of creating a memorable experience (or documenting the memories!).

I live in Toronto with my partner, and feel a strong sense of connection to this region. I am interested in building resilient local community that lives in harmony with the bioregion that supports us.

I prefer to work with teams that are excited to weave learning and working together.