John Cooper: a triple threat as manager, author and teacher

by Francis

Many will find it hard to successfully manage more than one profession because of the perseverance and diverse skills set it entails. John Cooper,however, has multiple balls in the air. Cooper has made a mark for himself as a manager, author and a teacher.

Just don’t ask him to pick a favourite: “It’s unfair to choose one. Actually, I equally enjoy them all. Every profession allows the practitioner to engage with other people and that broadens the horizon.”

Cooper is the Senior Manager of Correspondence and Editorial Services Unit at the Ministry of Transportation, where he has led his unit to two straight Spotlight Awards, the top OPS honour for extraordinary achievements in communications. He has authored six books on everything from black history to corporate communications. And if that wasn’t enough, he also frequently lectures at Centennial College

His latest novel "The Greyhound," revolves around a 15-year-old boy, Danny, who struggles to come to terms with a move to a new town and a father recovering from alcoholism. Danny takes refuge in judo and finds new hope in a former champion Greyhound named Long Shot.

Cooper’s books have drawn positive comments from many quarters. The soft-spoken author can take pride in the fact that one of his books---Crisis Communications---adopted as part of the curriculum in colleges and universities across Canada.

His other books include: “Season of Rage: Hugh Burnett and the Struggle for Civil Rights,”; “Rapid Ray: The Story of Ray Lewis; Shadow Running,” and “My name’s not George.” Cooper believes younger readers can understand complex things as long as they are explained in a way that captures their interest.

“You want to be entertaining but be reasonably clear at the same time,” says Cooper. Cooper is a complete family man. He makes sure that his professional life doesn’t affect his family life in anyways. Cooper spends quality time with his children and offers them regular guidance. When it comes to his family, responsibility and accountability is something he attaches a lot of importance to.

Cooper has taught in the college system since 1999 and finds teaching at Centennial College an excellent breeding ground for ideas.

“You are contributing to something that helps in all-round development of a student. It also gives birth to brand new ideas and I am learning all the time. This type of engagement is very essential,” Cooper noted.

“Teachers learn from students as well. We have to live up to their expectations. An effective teacher goes into the class and says he is there to learn. Your teaching evolves all the time. Learning is a two-way process and it’s all about accepting the differences,” Cooper says.

Cooper is quick to add that in-class discussion builds a healthy learning environment. In the same vein he notes that a harsh remark can kill the spirit of a student.

Cooper is a certified level three soccer coach. “Always go in pursuit of excellence. Whether you are putting the ball in the net or not,” Cooper offers his advice to players.

Cooper coached teams in house league soccer, and his other favourite sports, include: baseball and football.

He began his writing career as a reporter before joining the provincial government as a speechwriter. He also served as media relations specialist in the Ontario government, and later as a freelance writer.

He is the principal of Tymelco Communications and has organized media training, writing workshops and lectures for organizations, including Amnesty International and the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA).

Cooper is hugely popular among people who have worked for him and is considered one of the better managers in the ministry. Asked to comment on what makes a good leader at workplace, Cooper says employees should be treated with respect, and to be an effective manager one should tap into the employees’ skills.

“As a manager, my job is to maximize the skills of my staff. You should recognize the strengths your employees bring to the organization and use them effectively.”

Cooper believes dedication and commitment are paramount to carve out a niche in one’s career. That holds true in all three cases for Cooper.

For further information on Cooper’s books and his profile visit: http://tymelco.ca

Editor’s note: The above piece is published in the e-newsletter of MTO, and has been reproduced with the permission of Mr. Cooper.

                                        Sandip with his dance partner Jesse

Choreographer Sandip enthralls Sarkozy, Clinton

Toronto, Aug 20: He captivated French President Nicolas Sarkozy and former US president Bill Clinton with his scintillating dance performance. Meet Bollywood choreographer Sandip Soparrkar.

Sandip is among a handful of Indian Bollywood artistes who have taken their craft to the global stage. Sandip has teamed up with Nicole Kidman, Penelope Cruz and Britney Spears, among others.

Sandip is a certified teacher of Latin American and Standard Ballroom Dances up to Championship level. He added a new feather to his cap when he hogged limelight at the World Economic Forum in Davos, along with his dance partner Jesse Randhawa.

In an interview with this writer, Sandip quipped: “It was a really a proud moment in that ours was the only dance event at the closing ceremony, and it was lauded by Bill Clinton and French President Nicolas Sarkozy. The dance theme was "Save the Tiger" and we were totally overjoyed at the kind of response we got from the audience and the dignitaries.”

Sandip was quick to add that Clinton praised him saying that it was the best dance theme he had ever seen. For his part, Sarkozy was also unequivocal in his praise of Sandip. Sandip added that the dance theme was conceived by WEF Committee.

Sandip graduated from Ballroom Dance Teachers Training School in Bonn, Germany before establishing dance studios in many Indian cities. Sandip stood fourth in the Imperial Society of Teachers examination.

Sandip drew kudos from the Queen of England and the Prince of Wales for promoting Ballroom and  Latin American dance culture in India. Sandip taught Waltz and Cha Cha Cha moves to pop diva Madonna and Guy Ritchie.

Additionally, he taught pop divas  Shakira and Beyonce samba moves during their visit to India. Not only that, the ruler and prime minister of a Gulf state mastered the ropes of ballroom dancing from Sandip. A rare feat indeed. His other achievements include:

·    Choreographed Britney Spear’s music video "Womaniser" from her album "Circus"

·    Nominated for the prestigious "American Choreography Award 2009" in the  music  video choreography category

·    Choreographed Director Rob Marshall’s Hollywood  film "Nine" starring Penelope Cruz, Daniel Day Lewis, Nicole Kidman, Judi Dench  and Sophia Loren.

·     Broadway musical  "Bruce Lee’s journey to the West"

Speaking about his upcoming Bollywood projects, he said he is presently choreographing three movies, including: "Raftar," "Cyclone," and "Jhoom Zindagi Jhoom."

He, however, refused to be drawn into the details.“These films are keeping me pre-occupied and I have some other projects going on that I cannot discuss right now,” he noted.

“I went international because my dance forms have global appeal, and dancing is my life,” Sandip concluded.

For more information about Sandip visit: sandipsoparrkar.net.