Chief Connection Officer & Founder of Collective Culture + Communication | Certified PROSCI Change Practitioner helping leaders turn "toxic into teamwork" through the power of collective thinking and the Collective Culture Compass™
On a quiet afternoon walk, Amanda Bates witnessed a murmuration of starlings—thousands of birds moving in a fluid, synchronized dance across the sky. To many, it was simply a beautiful moment in nature; to Amanda, it was a profound metaphor for organizational health. She realized that while leadership may set the tone, the “dance” of a company’s culture is a collective act, sustained by the small, everyday actions of every individual in the flock.
As the Founder and Chief Connection Officer of COLLECTIVE Culture + Communication Inc., Amanda has spent over 25 years helping organizations move from “values on a wall” to lived experiences. Her approach is rooted in a simple but radical philosophy: organizations must talk with their people, not at them. By blending high-level strategy with deep human empathy, she transforms chaotic workplaces into cohesive communities where both the business and the humans within it can thrive.
Resilience and the Power of the Pivot
Amanda’s journey toward becoming a “Chief Connection Officer” began with a lesson in resilience far earlier than most. Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, her world was upended at age three when her father, a civil engineer, tragically died in a plane crash. Watching her mother raise three young children alone provided Amanda with a front-row seat to the true meaning of strength.
“She exudes the true meaning of resilience and generosity and the power of laughter. If she was having a sad day, she would turn on ABBA and we would all dance in the kitchen. I still do that,” Amanda reflects. This early exposure to the necessity of support systems shaped her professional conviction that safe workplaces must be clear, connected, and collaborative.
Her career has been defined by a “forward, never-straight” trajectory. After exploring Southeast Asia and the UK, she attended the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT), drawn to its hands-on approach to marketing and communications. Her first internship at the Waterfront Centre Hotel in Vancouver placed her at the center of a global media frenzy when Prince Charles and his sons stayed at the hotel for their first holiday following the death of Princess Diana. It was a trial by fire in high-stakes communication, teaching her early on how to navigate complex narratives with grace.
Bridging Silos and Building Belief
Amanda’s professional rise took her through the halls of Western Canada’s most recognizable companies, including Shaw Communications and UFA Co-operative. She honed her expertise in internal communications during a pivotal era of mergers and acquisitions at Business Objects and SAP. Traveling the world, she became a specialist in blending disparate corporate cultures and finding the “best of each team” to create a unified path forward.
Her ability to connect with people at all levels of an organization became her trademark. Whether leading guest experiences for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games or navigating large-scale transformations, Amanda remained a professional with an innate skill for finding the positive.
Industry catalyst Hilton Barbour describes her impact succinctly: “Amanda is the type of person that organizations kill to have on their team. Not only is she whip-smart but she is the type of person who knows how to connect, inspire, cajole and bind people together at scale”. For Amanda, this wasn’t just about “comms”—it was about the steadfast belief that culture creates a winning organization.
Navigating the Future with the Collective Culture Compass™
In 2017, Amanda launched COLLECTIVE Culture + Communication to help leaders align their internal and external narratives. Recognizing through hundreds of employee roundtables that 70% of issues could be improved with better communication, she moved beyond the traditional “one-to-many” approach to create actionable change.
Today, her work is anchored by the Collective Culture Compass™, a proprietary process that uses an integrated AI/Human approach to map organizational culture. This tool helps companies—from tech firms to hospitals and schools—understand exactly where they are and provides a roadmap to where they need to be. By applying a communication lens to operational issues, Amanda helps teams “co-solve” and “co-create,” turning toxic environments into hubs of teamwork.
Her current focus extends to the human side of AI, advising leadership teams on how to leverage emerging technologies without losing human connectedness. “My feeling is that happier humans at work are happier humans at home. They are better partners, parents, community members and people,” she asserts.
One Wild and Precious Life
Amanda’s leadership philosophy is heavily influenced by her two Gen Z sons, whom she encourages to embrace curiosity and seek the truth in an era of misinformation. She believes that trust is the foundation of everything and that the best leaders are those who are willing to search for different perspectives.
As she looks toward the future—including new advisory and board opportunities—Amanda remains guided by a favorite quote from poet Mary Oliver: “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”. For Amanda, the answer is clear: to continue creating magic through collaboration and to ensure that every organization she touches becomes a place where people feel seen, heard, and empowered to join the dance.
Editorial Note
Amanda Bates’ journey reminds us that culture is not a static statement on a wall, but a living, breathing collective effort. Whether you are navigating a corporate merger or seeking to revitalize your team’s spirit, Amanda’s “forward, never-straight” approach offers a roadmap for leading with heart, clarity, and purpose. How will you contribute to your organization’s murmuration today?
