Written by Zain Ibrahim
Telfer accounting graduate James Yersh (BCom ‘96) is returning to his alma mater as the newest member of Telfer’s Strategic Leadership Cabinet.
Today, James serves as president of PointClickCare, a leading healthcare technology company specializing in senior living facility software, where he drives strategic growth and innovation across the entire customer experience. His perspective has been shaped by many years of holding senior roles across finance, administration, and go-to-market functions in technology companies such as Mitel, eSentire, KORE Wireless, BlackBerry, Cognos Incorporated, and Deloitte.
With his guidance and insight, James is sure to leave a lasting mark on Telfer, guiding the next generation of leaders and empowering them to build a better Canada. As a Telfer BCom student, I had the opportunity to sit down with James and discuss his leadership journey and the lessons he learned along the way.
Zain: For business students preparing to enter an increasingly complex and fast-changing world, what leadership skills or mindsets do you think are most important to develop now?
James: There are some things we can control in today’s business world and many that we can’t, anywhere from the political environment to technology. My advice is to build a strong foundation with your studies and work experience; but at the same time, don't be afraid to put yourself out there and take on new challenges.
As you do that, it's important to develop the necessary skills to lead people through significant change. Change management will continue to be a big part of what we do as leaders. If you think of the impact of artificial intelligence, which will change how we work, interact, get educated, or even do basic things like web searches—that will require a huge amount of change management. We are creatures of habit and change is often uncomfortable, but change is also necessary to continue moving forward.
Zain: Telfer’s vision focuses on building a greener, healthier, happier, wealthier, and more prosperous Canada for all. Which of these pillars resonates most strongly with you, and how has it influenced your leadership or professional journey?
James: All of these pillars resonate with me, but healthier and happier stand out the most. When people are happy—because they feel rewarded by what they do and are connected to a purpose—it becomes easier for them to be healthy. If you get those two right, the wealthier and greener outcomes are, hopefully, by-products of that.
The healthier aspect especially resonates with me, given that I work for a healthcare company. At PointClickCare, we’re mission-driven, and everything we do has the patient in mind. That has really shifted my focus from just being a businessperson to being a human. Sometimes you hear the phrase “it's not life or death” but, in our case, it actually is. If our software isn’t there, or if it isn’t working, somebody might not be able to get their medication, set up their next procedure, or call their doctor when they need to.
While financial and business results matter, being a human comes first. That is an important piece of why I'm excited to join this board—to be able to provide a different perspective.
Zain: Outside of your professional life, what helps you recharge and maintain perspective as a leader?
James: Keeping a healthy lifestyle, through exercise and sports, is essential for me, especially since I travel a lot. In the wintertime, I'm a downhill skier. It's a great family activity. My kids are older now, so any quality time I can get with them is a priority and it also allows my wife and I to have some quiet time alone–which is a premium while you’re raising kids! My family keeps me sane.
In the summertime, I'm a golfer, and I love being outdoors—hiking and staying active. Like most people from northern Ontario, I grew up playing hockey, and it taught me time management early on, learning how to balance priorities between sports, work, and my other responsibilities.
From a leadership perspective, exercise allows me to clear my mind. Starting a busy day with a workout helps me to reset, sweat it out, and drop any baggage I have. It sets you up to be better positioned to cognitively contribute earlier.
“While financial and business results matter, being a human comes first. That is an important piece of why I'm excited to join this board—to be able to provide a different perspective.”
—James Yersh, President, PointClickCare
Zain: Looking ahead, what gives you the most optimism about the future of business in Canada?
James: Recently, I think we've done all the right things to play a leadership role as a country in evolving our technologies. We now have a Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation, so there is a strong national focus on taking the right steps towards driving innovation and keeping Canada on the map. Universities have also been critical contributors in making sure that the next generation of the workforce shows up with the necessary skills to support that mandate.
Those skills do not exist in the workforce today. I didn't learn AI in school, and I needed to be self-taught. However, if the curriculum makes students the experts, then it’s incumbent on me, as a leader, to harvest that knowledge and bring it to the rest of the company—helping them apply it to solve business problems either for us as a company or for our customers. We're going to rely on today’s students to be the future AI experts. I'm confident that with a focus on emerging trends and innovation, we will continue to drive this country forward.
Zain Ibrahim is a third-year marketing student at the Telfer School of Management. As part of her co-op program, she serves as communications and special projects assistant with the Engagement and Development teams at Telfer.
