Hank Prins

Background

About Hank Prins

I am teaching at Trinity Western University in the Global Department out of the Richmond B.C. campus. Having been in a place of leadership of varying types throughout my career, now being able to share my experiences, knowledge and perspectives on what a great leader does is for me very gratifying. Married since 1977 to my High School sweetheart along with raising three children and now enjoying 4 grandchildren is my greatest blessing. My parents were immigrants from Holland coming to Canada in the 1950s and they not only successfully raised six highly motivated and industrious children but were prosperous as they operated a small business in Calgary, Alberta. Growing up in that environment gave me the tools to have the courage to own and operate small businesses together with my family from the 1980s until 2014. We took a sabbatical from 1994 - 1997 when we as a family went to Kenya, Africa to work as Dorm Parents at Rift Valley Academy. This experience opened my eyes to the phenomenon of the cross-cultural skills needed to survive the many pitfalls and difficulties that occur when one moves from a familiar culture into a new foreign culture. Coming back to Canada gave me an awareness and sensitivity to the challenges faced by those who grew up outside of the Canadian culture like my parents did and all that they did to transition into the Canadian culture. This awareness became useful as we continued to own businesses and hire staff. I became more and more fascinated with how important the role of a leader influences the lives of those being led, so much so that I enrolled at Trinity Western University in the Masters of Arts in Leadership program. After three years of study, I achieved a Master's Degree and transitioned from running a business to serving as a pastor in a church for five years. This gave me time to deepen my faith in God, understand more about how I had been uniquely wired as an individual and experienced leadership from an entirely different perspective than running a business. Having a Master's Degree opens the door to teaching at the university level and so in January 2019, I began another new path as an adjunct professor at Trinity Western University in the Global Department. Teaching has given me my voice to share knowledge with the next generation of leaders. It is with this voice I wish to share my understanding of the Canadian workplace culture and how those entering the vast opportunities Canada has to offer can be as successful as my parents in their acculturation into the Canadian experience.