Ontario Power Generation’s Blueprint for Leading Through Change

Ontario Power Generation (OPG), one of Canada’s leading clean energy producers, faced a critical challenge: how do you lead through massive change without compromising safety or performance in a complex, unionized, and highly regulated environment?

The answer wasn’t more oversight. It was a shift in mindset—from command-and-control to facilitation and ownership.

The Wake-Up Call

OPG’s leadership gaps were slowing decisions, creating communication breakdowns, and threatening alignment across levels. Senior leaders were in the weeds. Frontline managers operated in silos. Safety protocols were being followed, but not owned. Leadership wasn’t broken—but it wasn’t scaling.

The realization: change wouldn’t stick without a common language and leadership framework that could cut through hierarchy, function, and complexity.

Enter Facilitative Leadership™

OPG adopted Facilitative Leadership™ (FL) to drive real, cultural change. It wasn’t just a training—it became a new way of leading.

What changed:

• Senior Leader Buy-In: Execs went first, signaling this wasn’t optional or theoretical.
• Scale with Relevance: Over 1,200 leaders trained, including customized one-day sessions for frontline managers.
• Embedded, Not Bolted On: FL practices were integrated into performance reviews, onboarding, and day-to-day operations.

The Shift in Action

“Intrusive” Leadership = Safer Teams
Leaders were taught to lean in, not step back—observing frontline work, asking tough (but respectful) questions, and surfacing risks early. It created a culture where safety wasn’t compliance—it was pride.

Decision-Making Without Bottlenecks
Instead of decisions crawling up and down the chain, leaders clarified roles and pushed ownership downward. The result? Faster, better decisions and a focus on strategic priorities.

Clarity Drives Accountability
Leaders practiced articulating a compelling vision and connecting it to team priorities. With goals clearly defined and communicated, teams stepped up.

Sustainability by Design
This wasn’t a “check-the-box” rollout. FL was hardwired into how leaders are assessed, coached, and promoted. That’s what made it stick.

The Impact

• Higher Engagement: Leaders communicated with intention. Teams responded with energy.
• Faster Decisions: Less escalation, more empowerment.
• Improved Safety Culture: Proactive leadership led to earlier intervention—and fewer incidents.

Lessons You Can Steal

• Structure beats personality. A shared framework made leadership consistent, even in complex orgs.
• Safety and accountability are cultural, not procedural. OPG built both through curiosity and clarity.
• Scale starts with buy-in at the top—and relevance at the bottom. Execs modeled the way, and the frontline got tools they could actually use.

Want to build leaders who drive alignment, safety, and ownership—every day? Explore how Facilitative Leadership™ can work inside your organization.