In Loving Memory

Peter J. C. Frost

August 30, 1939 - October 18, 2004

Announcements

Peter's Obituary in
the Vancouver Sun

Contribute to Peter's Scholarship Fund

Pictures of Peter*

Pictures from Peter's Tribute

*Thanks to all who contributed pictures to this gallery

Links to Peter's Work

http://www.compassionlab.org/

Sorry, comments have been closed for the moment due to spam. Please contact Ron at cenfetelli"AT"sauder.ubc.ca if you would like post something in the interim.

Posted: 10/19/2004 11:23:53 PM
When I first moved to Vancouver about six years ago, Peter and Nola took me out on the town one night. That evening, they introduced me to the WISE (Welsh-Irish-Scottish-English) Club, where we listened and danced to Celtic music. It was all a new experience to me, and to my surprise, a really hip scene. I felt so welcomed and immediately connected to them. And I remember thinking to myself, “Wow, what a cool couple!” --- Sandra Robinson
Posted: 10/20/2004 12:56:11 AM
Peter was one of those guys who could bridge the transatlantic divide, and just about any divide for that matter. A hippy at heart; a wonderful colleague and pal. I’ll miss him dearly Steve Fineman
Posted: 10/20/2004 6:58:04 AM
On behalf of the Editors and Editorial Board of Academy of Management Learning and Education, we want to thank Peter for his marvelous support in helping to get this journal off to a great start. As a Board member, he was a huge help in founding the journal and inspiring us to do bold and great things! Peter was a significantly positive life force to organizational behavior, OBTS and AMLE, and we will greatly miss him. I have lost a wonderful friend -- Roy Lewicki
Posted: 10/20/2004 7:11:19 AM
Some of my favorite images of Peter are when he was talking about teaching. He loved students and the craft of teaching like no one else I have met in my life. I do know that the last class he taught in August (I believe it was to the part-time MBAs at UBC) that they gave him a standing ovation. I am sure it was an ovation well-deserved. A lot of us are still standing and clapping for such a marvelous spirit and marvelous man. Jane Dutton
Posted: 10/20/2004 8:35:26 AM
I really have too many wonderful memories of Peter to share just one. But in honor of his mentoring ability, I will offer this little story, one that shows his both his supportive and risk-taking nature where his “mentees” are concerned. When I cam to UBC in 1988, I was just finishing my dissertation and anxious about the short clock (5 years) then in place. I remember talking to Peter about this, and he opened his wallet, took out $10 and said "I'll bet you this $10 you get tenure." Naturally, I hemmed and hawed—but, naturally, I also took the bet (at 1-to-1 odds!). He then sealed the $10 in an envelope and put it in his desk. Five years later I walked into his office, we opened the envelope, and I gave him my $10 to join his own. Far too little, I'm sure. Dev Jennings
Posted: 10/20/2004 8:58:09 AM
Peter had the most wonderful ability to connect with people – across cultures, disciplines, ideologies, differences. His contributions to our understanding of organizations, leadership, culture, academic life, wellness, scholarship, teaching, and more are undisputed. But I cherish most the memories of Peter as a magical soul – a man of compassion and grace, humor and intellect, peace and boundless energy, strong values and welcoming spirit who touched lives. Peter lived to the fullest and inspired many, many others to do the same. Somehow, he appeared mysteriously in my own life – through a conversation, email, project, request, piece of his writing – at critical times when I needed the confidence (or the prodding) to take another giant step forward on my own developmental journey. Thank you, Peter. Your spirit lives on in our grateful hearts! Joan Gallos
Posted: 10/20/2004 9:01:33 AM
It is so hard to choose just one good memory of Peter, he was always so supportive, encouraging, and inspiring. A memory that remains close to my heart was from the teaching class that Peter taught us. We were all practicing teaching in front of the group, and I was having trouble controlling my breathing while talking. He gave me some tips and then we took a break in the class. When we all returned, he was playing the song "Just Breathe" on the stereo. He gave me a smile, a thumbs up, and said "I know you can do it." It is something I always think about when I'm teaching my own classes now. He has touched the hearts of all of his students and has taught us things we shall never forget. He was such an incredible and wonderful man. I always knew that he was in my corner, rooting for me. He always made things seem possible, even with just a smile or a touch on the shoulder. Words can not describe how much Peter will be missed. --Laurie Barclay
Posted: 10/20/2004 10:12:57 AM
I will be forever grateful to Peter for giving me the support and strength to be true to my own self. He always encouraged me to do what I thought was important, even if most others did not. He was a beacon of freshness & creativity in teaching & thinking. Peter was the most playful - even mischevious - person I have encountered in the groves of academe. His spirit of compassion, warmth, appreciativeness and humour will be with us forever. I will forever miss hearing him call me "lad." Tom Knight
Posted: 10/20/2004 10:34:14 AM
Peter was the only professor who ever evoked emotion from me within a classroom. His passion for teaching and life came through his topics, and he was mesmerizing. The world, and I, will miss him greatly. ---Karen Zygun
Posted: 10/20/2004 10:37:14 AM
I remember an expression Peter often used while lecturing at the UBC RPED MBA program in 1998- "All my messages and experiances I am giving you all are being buried very deep - you will have the occasion to remember them long into the future when you least expect it. Peter, I do. Warm memories, Mark Newbery - Prince Rupert
Posted: 10/20/2004 10:45:46 AM
Peter and I worked together on my very first edited article for HBR. He was funny and avuncular on the telephone and in email (those little e.e. cummingsish poems catching the precious moment). When I finally met him a few years later, so much that he had exuded over the wires spilled out in living, breathing, glorious color...those twinkling eyes, that mischievousness, all that warmth. From then on I called him "Mahatma" -- great soul. And a great soul he was, and is. He gave much to the world, and to us, and he's smiling at us all now. -- Bronwyn Fryer
Posted: 10/20/2004 11:03:08 AM
On the final day of Meeting the Leadership Challenge, we had to speak before the group about what we had learned during the weeklong session - a surprisingly difficult assignment. I had prepared two written speeches, but threw them out, and in the end spoke without prepared notes. Peter was extremely supportive of this, and mentioned several times how brave he thought I was. What I learned from him: speak from the heart, have confidence in one's ideas, take risks. It changed my life. - Jan Wallace
Posted: 10/20/2004 11:19:52 AM
I picture the glint in Peter’s eyes and the excitement in his whole body as he tells me about something interesting he will be doing, a beautiful place he has seen, or a funny thing he heard about. Peter was one of the most passionate people I have known, excited by so many things, and somehow able to draw others - even the most skeptical – along with him. His way of looking at the world will shape mine for a long time to come. - Sally Maitlis.
Posted: 10/20/2004 11:25:27 AM
Sometime in the mid-late 1970's, Larry Moore and I were having a difficult time with the editors of Administrative Science Quarterly, the premier periodical in our discipline, trying to get them to publish a paper we had written. After more than two years and three revisions, Larry and I were pretty fed up and contemplating sending the paper to another (less prestigious) journal. I asked Peter one day for his advice. He looked at me wisely and asked: "Will it matter to you, 20 years from now, whether you have the paper published in ASQ?" He knew my answer would be, but I said "yes" anyway, and left his office. The paper was finally published by ASQ and now, more than 20 years later, I am grateful for the nudge provided by Peter's wisdom. I am certain Larry shares my view. Craig Pinder, Victoria, B.C.
Posted: 10/20/2004 11:31:46 AM
One time in about 1977-78, Peter picked up his fishing tackle box while standing on a dock beside the boat we were about to get into for a day of trout fishing and freezing to death on Horsefly Lake, along with Merle Ace, Vance Mitchell, Larry Moore and the other usual suspects. As can happen with those dastadly tackle boxes, his flipped open and all his tackle landed in the water beside the boat! We all laughed our heads off, of course, but I was especially grateful because, unwittingly, Peter's little gaffe removed me from the role of goat of the fishing team for a day or two. (I could NEVER catch fish like all the others -- I was the regular jinx.) Anyway, we all chipped in to share our stuff with PJ so he could continue the expedition and earn his supper that night. Craig Pinder, Victoria, B.C.
Posted: 10/20/2004 11:33:51 AM
Behind those sparkling eyes was the wisdom of the ages. Peter had an incredible spiritual quality to him and we will miss him terribly. Mary Ann Von Glinow
Posted: 10/20/2004 11:41:41 AM
Peter was a mensch, pure and simple. Others with similar professional standing might have carried on like 2000-lb. canaries, but I never saw him do so. Instead, he was authentic - open, supportive, and humane, all leavened with humor and joy. I cherish the memories of our interactions. My condolences to his family and other friends. Dvora Yanow
Posted: 10/20/2004 11:41:57 AM
During his visit to UBC in 1976-77 Walter Nord wore the most ridiculous winter hat ever designed. It had ear flaps and was the ugliest thing ever designed as headwear. Peter and I decided one night after dinner at my place to kidnap the hat and hold it for ransom, implicating through wily clues and misdirections our colleagues Ron Taylor and Larry Moore. The booty was to be a bottle of good scotch, delivered late one Friday afternoon at the Main Office on the 4th Floor. Ransom notes were produced from clippings from various magazines and newspapers. Walter threatened to call the RCMP and file a harassment suit. Just to show Walter that we were serious, Peter and I snipped the tab from the inside of the hat and had it delivered to him. No blood was involved. Ron began to issue strange messages as well, never quite sure what was going on but happy to play along. Eventually, the hat was returned. I can't recall whether we ever received the scotch. Craig Pinder, Victoria, B.C.
Posted: 10/20/2004 11:44:10 AM
Whether you spent a little or a lot of time in Peter's company, you always felt inspired. He set the bar high and encouraged many of us (his wide-eyed and eager students) to see the world differently. Rest assured, he impacted us all. -- Andrea Niosi
Posted: 10/20/2004 11:47:56 AM
Peter was truly a gentleman and a gentle spirit. Despite having to deal with a callow and oft-times obstreporous faculty member (okay, me), he was never anything other than supportive and tolerant. But he was no pushover either, and could be as firm as the situation required. Nevertheless, despite ample personal experience with me that would suggest the folly of further collaboration, Peter invited me into his classroom to give a guest lecture on teaching -- a topic at which he excelled, and so I was deeply honored. More recently, he and I had been in email conversations about an article together on risky organizations. Peter was a wise and special person. I will miss him. --- Paul Kedrosky, San Diego CA
Posted: 10/20/2004 12:11:39 PM
I received the sad news yesterday as I was going to teach my doctoral seminar. My students, all new in the Ph.D. program, have never met Peter, thus what to say to get them to know him? I told them that Peter’s generosity knew no boundaries. A bridge between different scholarly orientations, teaching and research, he was also a bridge between time and space, places and generations. His bridging was made out of love for each of us as friends and colleagues, no matter where we came from, no matter which way we thought. His friendship made us better people and better scholars. He gave his time, advice, encouragement, and never asked for anything in return. Hopefully my students learned last night what true greatness in our academic community is all about. Marta B. Calás
Posted: 10/20/2004 12:14:16 PM
Armed with only a webcam (nicknamed 'Cyclops'), a speakerphone and tempermental software, we (the Ann Arbor contingent of the CompassionLab) were lucky enough to link in with Peter and Sally at UBC for our weekly meetings. It was incredible how connected you could feel to people who weren't in the room with you, and how much you could accomplish from 3000 miles away!! Every now and again we would get seriously stuck on what felt like insurmountable issues - how to frame a paper, whether we were saying what we wanted to say in a particular piece, or what is compassion anyway?! - and you could always count on Peter to tell us to "turn this thing on its bloody head!" His spirit and his desire to do meaningful, interesting, heartfelt work - and his perfectly timed and often colorfully phrased pushes for us all to do the same - have shaped how I see myself as a human being and a scholar. I will miss him terribly. - Jacoba Lilius
Posted: 10/20/2004 12:17:32 PM
I had the pleasure and privilege to meet Peter 3 years ago at AOM to start some work on "toxin handlers" with my colleague Martin Martens. Although I didn't have a chance to get to know him as much as other people who write here, he touched me deeply with his warm and generous personality, and will remain an inspiration to me both in my professional and personal life. Marylene Gagne
Posted: 10/20/2004 12:22:56 PM
My enduring memory of Peter is one of literal connection, and reinforced itself every time I saw him: he had the warmest handshake of anyone I had ever met. I didn’t know Peter well, but this spoke volumes. - Nick Turner
Posted: 10/20/2004 12:40:04 PM
It's always made a big impression on me when people who are academic "names" turn out to be very down-to-earth, funny, and unpretentious people. Peter epitomized that for me. I recall with great fondness when my husband tagged along for several OBTCs with me in the early 1990s, knowing too well that academic spouses are often treated as hangers-on without much to contribute. In addition to greeting me and catching up on things, Peter always took the time to greet my husband and have a chat with him too. This graciousness and thoughtfulness on Peter's part was exceptional, and it summarizes for me what an all-around good person he was. Fiona McQuarrie
Posted: 10/20/2004 12:51:47 PM
Peter exemplified the statement "a scholar and a gentleman." He touched many of us deeply. Our world is a better place because of Peter. We will miss him. Carlton Whitehead, Texas Tech University
Posted: 10/20/2004 1:05:26 PM
I first heard of Peter Frost in my first or second year of doctoral work. Lou Pondy would talk of Peter's love of teaching and his gentleness and approachability for students (including doctoral ones). I didn't meet Peter until I started attending OBTC in 1988 and Loyola Marymount. His OBTC presentations were always creative, fun and enlightening. He was such a positive role model for us all. Dale Fitzgibbons
Posted: 10/20/2004 2:05:27 PM
Peter was a great role model not just professionally but personally. While a new doctoral student I met Peter at the Academy of Management and he treated me with incredible kindness and respect. His supportiveness and care for others was rare and wonderful. Jill Purdy
Posted: 10/20/2004 2:12:30 PM
Peter had a profound ability to bring us together, to draw the best from us. His spirit infused everything he wrote, everything he gathered, pretty much everything he touched. Peter thought that the most powerful idea he had ever encountered was 'active listening.' No wonder. He lived it. And we grew because he practiced it in our presence. To honor Peter is to listen attentively to one another....and to listen to our own feelings of loss and love for this wonderful person. --Karl Weick
Posted: 10/20/2004 2:13:50 PM
The outpouring of tribute to Peter only reaffirms my own experience with this generous and loving man My two favorite memories are the time in Singapore when he whispered in my ear, "I'm your anonymous reviewer, and you article was accepted." And when I happened to visit him at UBC on his first day as dean, and snapped a photo of him in a tie. He told me later it was his only picture with a tie, and that he had it framed. Peter, I will miss you!--Ellen Greenberg
Posted: 10/20/2004 2:16:12 PM
Peter, How important you have been to my life...sometimes as silent witness, sometimes as protector, always as wise guide. May you continue your work, with and through me, and the many others whose lives you continue to touch. Nola and the big loving family Peter was so proud of, my love to you all. Maria Humphries, new Zealand.
Posted: 10/20/2004 2:16:37 PM
As a grad student in the late 80s, I remember a conversation with one of my mentors, Linda Smircich, in which the conversation had turned to Peter. She made a comment about the degree to which Peter had helped the voices of others to be heard. In subsequent years, that comment directed me to notice the amount of Peter’s efforts that went into editing volumes which provided publishing opportunities for ideas that were widely unpublishable elsewhere, into chairing seminars where junior scholars (me, on occasion) could stretch a little in the safety of his shadow, into working in the thankless areas of conference organizing and journal editorship, and into individual mentoring. Peter’s legacy is impossible to assess because, in addition to the writings he produced, it includes how much writing that might not have seen the light of day without his nurturing and how many ideas that he encouraged? My total face time with Peter over a decade was not more than a few hours, yet I feel I have lost a friend. He was a significant intellect, but a great soul -- Roy Stager Jacques
Posted: 10/20/2004 3:02:37 PM
I will always remember a quote that Peter used - 'People will forget what you said, and what you did, but will never forget how you made them feel'. He had incredible wisdom, and touched so many during his life. Personally, I am forever grateful for his advice and support throughout my association with Sauder. --- Perry Atwal
Posted: 10/20/2004 3:11:53 PM
I met Peter as a doctoral student: Once at the University of Michigan, and once a couple of years later in a hotel lobby during the Academy of Management meetings. We had only a brief interaction at Michigan but he remembered my name at the Academy and had some warm and kind words to say. Wherever he is now, I do hope that he crosses paths with my 7-year old son Simon who died of a childhood cancer called neuroblastoma just 3 months ago. I'm sure these two fabulous guys would make terrific pals! --- Markus Vodosek, Salt Lake City, Utah
Posted: 10/20/2004 3:15:47 PM
For those of us lucky enough to have known Peter, he will never really leave us, such is the impression he made on us. I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to both work with Peter (through Executive Education at the Sauder School of Business) and to have been one of his students in the MBA. Peter had such an incredible capacity to focus-in on the individual--acknowledging, supporting, inspiring and encouraging. He will be missed, but not forgotten. Karmen Blackwood
Posted: 10/20/2004 3:46:41 PM
It's impossible for me to think of my MBA Core and not think of Peter. He was "the glue"-- that rare type of person who united others with his wisdom, humour, intelligence and empathy. He will be greatly missed. -- Steve McSherry, MBA class of 2004
Posted: 10/20/2004 3:52:27 PM
As a scholar who was new, to what appeared to be, a very conservative business education scene in Canada it was such a pleasure to discover Peter Frost. That was in 1986 and I was thrilled to think that someone of his creativity and generosity of thought was teaching in a Canadian business school. I met Peter shortly after at an AoM meeting and discovered him to be a warm, easy going bloke. Someone you felt you had known for ever. We corresponded from time to time and he always came across as someone who cared. I was so pleased wheh he won the Terry Book Award at the 2003 AoM, it was as if someone had finally recongised creative and critical thinking in management studies: the fact that Walt Nord won the teaching award was icing on the cake. Sadly, there are still too few like Peter. He will be missed throughout the academic community. I have one major regret, it is as my wife, Jean, just pointed out, it is too bad that we didn't get to write these things to him when he was still with us -- Albert J. Mills
Posted: 10/20/2004 4:26:54 PM
There seem to be thousands of ways to describe Peter’s deep impact on the people who worked, lived, and laughed with him. But there also came a metaphor into my mind which is related to one of his favourite movies “Dead Poets Society”. This movie is about a wonderful teacher and how he could distribute inspiration, encouragement, and support to his students. At the end of the movie there is a scene where his students are stepping onto their desks – despite the fact that this is against every official rule – and cite repeatedly “Captain, oh my Captain …”. By doing this they show their teacher that they have learnt their lessons of what matters most in live. This is especially true for Peter – he was a role model in integrity, compassion, acknowledgement, and love of life. Who wouldn’t have stepped onto a desk to support Peter’s ideas of human relationship at work? He encouraged people to challenge themselves and gave them strength to try also unusual ways of researching, teaching, and living. It’s so unbelievable sad that now also Peter is a member of the “Dead Poets Society”. I lost a dear friend and an inspiring research partner. He will always be in my heart. I think we were all privileged to work and live in his sphere. --- Yvette Hofmann
Posted: 10/20/2004 4:47:16 PM
I had the amazing privilege of being a member of the "compassionlab" - a play on words that we used to bridge the university and the work world in order to embrace the study and the practice of compassion. I think that play on words embodies the spirit Peter brought to us - he was a serious scholar and also a human, human, human being. I've never met anyone like him. I remember a time in a scholarly gathering when I spoke up about something--how impertinent for a doctoral student!--and while I was literally surrounded by challengers, Peter just came and stood behind my chair. That action is so symbolic of how he protected people's voice, as others have written, and encouraged people to move outside of the limitations and boundaries that the university sometimes imposes on us. Peter believed in me - sometimes even more than I believed in myself - and I always knew it. Peter gave me courage. And,perhaps what I love more than anything else about my memory of Peter is that he shared one of my very bad habits - working too much without enough breaks. Peter even confided to me that he used to sneak scraps of paper into meditation sessions so that he could jot down notes about work! In discussing how to make life more livable for ourselves, we used to joke about this shared bad habit as our version of a "bar;" and as I will always hear him telling me to "get out of the bar." That was what was so surprising about Peter - that with all his wisdom and experience, he was still fragile and open and flawed; and because of that he reminded all of us that the thing we shared was humanity. Be well - Peter - Oh how we will miss you. --Monica Worline
Posted: 10/20/2004 5:38:24 PM
I posted a longer tribute on the web and will copy it at the end of this. I would be remiss if I did not recall with a great smile the night at the OBTC at Pepperdine when Peter was announged as the first "OB1" of the OB Teaching Society. He came on stage wrapped in a white blanket that covered his head - the spitting image of OB Wan Kenobe from Star Wars. Peter's humanness shone through as it always did!

My posting when I first heard of Peter's passing: Oh, the soul of us all has lost such an important piece. We have all lost. How sad I am. This is a man who exuded kindness and gentleness; a man who occupied such great stature in the discipline yet who could be so humble. I loved Peter as much as I could love any colleague. A beacon in my night has gone out. I love you Peter and you shall live forever in my heart and those of so many others who you touched from your astounding appearance as the original OB1 of the OBTS to the many many doctoral students you mentored (myself included) both at UBC and beyond.

May the many spirits who watched over your life and from whom you transmitted the glow of your smile and the serenity of your friendship keep you safe and bring peace and joy to your native South Africa whom I know you loved so much.

Go forth in peace and serenity
Chris
(Chris Poulson, Claremont, CA - and one who later followed in Peter's shoes as OB1)
Posted: 10/20/2004 6:14:17 PM
When I think of Peter, one of the things that runs through my mind is "rule breaker." When I was new to UBC, he spent a lot of time mentoring me, and encouraging me to find my voice as I navigated my career. (As I write that, I recall that Peter told everyone to find their voice, which is certainly a good piece of advice.) He pointed out that his career path in terms of publishing was fairly nontraditional, and could see that mine might go the same way. He both encouraged me and cautioned me--be aware of the rules and be aware of my voice. It was very good advice. Another piece of advice he gave me happened when my mother was in the last stages of her illness. I was only in my second year at UBC. I wanted to go back to see her, but didn't know what to do about the courses I was teaching. He simply told me to do what I needed to do, and that the division could figure out the rest. He assured me that they'd be able to fix the course and student problem, but they wouldn't be able to fix me, if I didn't do what I needed to do for my mother. Again, great advice, I've never forgotten, and I've passed it along to other colleagues in similar circumstances. Despite his many words of wisdom, Peter was also extremely funny. I remember at a colleague's wedding, with all of us from the division sitting at a long table together, Peter started a bun fight, and soon buns were flying around our table. It was not as awful as it sounds, and it certainly was playful. I still can't believe he did that, but I think with those twinkling eyes of his, he couldn't help himself. Nancy Langton
Posted: 10/20/2004 6:22:03 PM
Over the past decade or so, I spent some weeks each summer at UBC and so got to know Peter fairly well. However, it wasn't until a few summers ago that I found out he was a jazz fan. I told him about the used CD vendor at the Student Union who appeared every Thursday with a bunch of jazz CDs. One Thursday, Peter talked me into buying 3 Holly Cole CDs, telling me that 'she is an acquired taste' AND promising to buy them back from me (in his dialect, it was "buy them back off you") if I didn't like her. Well, I didn't like her, much, but the fact that Peter DID intrigued me, and so I've kept them & am glad I did. Now, when I listen to them & try to figure out what in the heck Peter saw in her, I'll remember all the other striking & unusual things about Peter that made him stand out, and will think back fondly on our time together in Vancouver. Howard Aldrich (UNC-Chapel Hill).
Posted: 10/20/2004 7:28:20 PM
The following message was posted yesterday in the OBTS-L list:

---------------------------- "Transform pain into a constructive force for change."

This was the motto in Peter Frost's website for the "Toxic Emotions at Work" project ( http://www.toxinhandler.com/mission/index.htm).

But it's tough right now not to feel overwhelmed with pain and disbelief as we react to the news of Peter's death. All of us mourn the passing of a friend and mentor, who was our past OBTS executive director and OB1, and who first (and best) defined the OB1 role of "keeper of the magic."

Let us retreat, for a while, into a magic "Jim's Place" where we can all be with Peter. If you walk through the magic door at http://www.toxinhandler.com/mission/author.htm, you can hear Peter tell you first-hand about his life and career, how the cancer diagnosis and related hospital experiences influenced his work on Compassion and the workplace, ultimately leading to his coming together with friends from UBC and the University of Michigan to create the Compassion Lab (http://www.compassionlab.com/).

Look around you... have you ever seen Jim's Place this crowded? Here's Jim himself, for whom we named our yearly OBTC gathering place, and he's giving Peter a big hug. So many of Peter's friends, students, and collaborators are here. They are embarrassing Peter a little bit, by decorating the walls of Jim's Place with mementos of how Peter's work was recognized at the Academy (the 2003 George R. Terry Book Award, the 1998 Distinguished Educator Award, the 1995 election as a Fellow), at OBTS (1993 David L. Bradford Outstanding Educator Award), at UBC (the Edgar F. Kaiser Jr. Chair in OB, and seemingly all the teaching awards one could ever win!).

In a corner of the room, there's a table which seems to send out a brilliant light, covered with books authored or co-authored by Peter: Toxic Emotions at Work, Doing Exemplary Research, Rhythms of Academic Life, Researchers Hooked on Teaching, Publishing in the Organizational Sciences, Organizational Symbolism, Organizational Culture, Reframing Organizational Culture, Talking About Organization Science, Management Live: The Video Book, Managerial Reality, HRM Reality, Management and Organizational Reality. Wow! And these are only the books... What else has he written? At the risk of really upsetting Peter, someone tells you to take a look at his official UBC page ( http://www.sauder.ubc.ca/faculty/directory/faculty/frost.cfm)
and his CV ( http://www.sauder.ubc.ca/faculty/research/docs/frost/cv.pdf).

But everyone in the room agrees that this giant of a man cannot be contained in his official bios. People start sharing personal stories about Peter, and now it's your turn. How has Peter touched your life? The OBTS board is also here, in this magical Jim's Place, and someone is asking you to suggest ways in which we can celebrate Peter's life and carry on in his tradition of caring and thoughtful scholarship. What say you?

Regina Bento (OB-1)
Posted: 10/20/2004 8:07:32 PM
Peter just never stopped giving of himself, as if he just couldn’t resist helping. As most who knew Peter can say, he was always there for me. I was looking through my email stash this evening looking for Peter emails. Over and over again I came across short notes- unsolicited emails expressing encouragement, reassurance, or pats on the back when he sensed I needed them the most. Peter sensed a lot. More than any person I have ever known. In the last email from him he says “once I get in the groove of this chemo we can get together I’d love to see you and be a listening post if you want that…” Classic Peter. Entirely collected and optimistic in the face of this battle, and at the same time, still focused on how he could be of support to someone else. This is such a sad and difficult experience, the kind of experience that Peter would have so greatly helped us through. I believe he is guiding us through this, but I so wish I could see him and talk to him right now. Sandra Robinson
Posted: 10/20/2004 9:24:44 PM
To lead by example is Peter's leadership and how Peter demonstrated his leadership for us. With our deepest sadness and love, we commemorate Peter. The leadership module was the last module before our graduation, and our class decided to sponsor a child's 9 years' education as a meaningful gift to the society and to our graduation as well. Peter joined us as one of the sponsors. There will be a child and 23 UBC IMBA (2002) students in China remembering his name forever, for his kindness and care. While he was fighting against the cancer, Peter used his own story to tell us how to handle toxicity for mental and physical health. With all our respect and care, we will remember Peter for long... Joyce Guo for IMBA 2002 Class.
Posted: 10/20/2004 9:37:55 PM
Even it was the short teaching time which Peter spent with us, his knowledge, his wisdom, his leadership, his charisma and his courage indeed enlightened and inspired us. We will be forever grateful to Peter for leading us to find our true strength inside! And his spirit will be surely guiding us along the way to come. We will miss you! --- Joyce Guo and HongMing YOU, International MBA 2004 (Vancouver-Shanghai)
Posted: 10/20/2004 9:40:38 PM
Peter made wonderful contributions to the individuals and institutions with which he came in contact. Those links and contributions were made and now extend around the world. Peter was also a family man and team player. It is in those contexts that I had my most memorable times with Peter. They were my moments with him that gave me the feeling of a special relationship with him. The wonderful thing is that every individual has the same feeling as a result of their own experiences with Peter. Mine goes back to sharing soccer coaching responsibilities with Peter for a girls' team on which Caitlin and my daughter played and which was participating in an indoor soccer tournament. As you would expect, it was a most productive experience for all; and, no, I do not remember the result. Peter will be sorely missed but his values and contributions will live on. Trevor Heaver
Posted: 10/20/2004 9:49:16 PM
Peter was just and simply the best teacher I ever had. Unfortunately, I was only able to enjoy his teachings for a limited time in Vancouver and for four days in Shanghai. I will never forget when we had a case discussion in Vancouver about Southwest Airlines, Peter came into the classroom dressed as a Pilot throwing bags of Chips into the class, distributing heart-shaped chocolates and just enjoying himself. His passion for teaching and for life were contagious and uplifting. --- Nicole Eggers, Shanghai
Posted: 10/20/2004 11:43:22 PM
While I am taking a non-typical post-MBA career path in order to "leave the world a better place to live" (from his leadership class), Peter has been always the inspiration and encouragement for me. Last year before I was heading back to China to promote my book, which was initially inspired by his teaching, he gave me a warm hug as well as a shell for encouragement. I wore the shell on my necklace whenever I spoke to the public and I was indeed empowered. Early this year, when I brought him a copy of my book, he shared my fulfillment with a hug and told me, "keep in touch and I will be always your support." Just cannot believe that by all sudden we lost the most inspiring and empowering educator whom I have ever met in my life! Yesterday when I gave a speech as a representative of United Way of Lower Mainland, where I am volunteering for its 2004 community campagin, I wore the shell again to salute this wonderful man. I told my audience that what one could possibly leave behind to this world is nothing but the impact he/she has ever made on other people's life. With no doubt, Peter has made his. In the loving memory of him, I and many others continue making ours......Peter, I will deeply miss you. ---Lily Zeng
Posted: 10/20/2004 11:43:30 PM
I was only taught by Peter for one term whilst on exchange from Manchester Business School, England to UBC. However, Peter's Leadership course was the highlight of my entire MBA! How privileged our class were to be taught by an individual that placed the person at the heart of all things. How refreshing to hear such a message on an MBA course! Peter will be sorely missed, but I'll remember both the man and the invaluable lessons he taught for the rest of my days. Mark Roberts, Manchester, England.
Posted: 10/21/2004 12:00:49 AM
Not only did Peter bridge the transatlantic divide but the transpacific divide as well. A truly remarkable man and scholar of enormous compassion and wisdom Peter made many enduring friends within Australia. We shall not see his like again. Bruce and Wendy McCallum, Perth.
Posted: 10/21/2004 12:19:01 AM
Peter, what a treasure and bright star you have been to us. You are truly a beam of light to so many, which will surely continue to glow. Thank you for helping us to learn and live! I applaud you; your presence has been an exquisite gift. Leslie Sekerka
Posted: 10/21/2004 2:39:28 AM
I decided to spend my 2-year sabbatical at UBC working with Peter before I had actually met him in person. His ability to capture people’s attention goes well beyond the personal interaction. When I met him I was blown away by his energy, his enthusiasm, his cheekiness, his ability to pick up the smallest hints between the lines, his eye for the beautiful things in the world and his talent to make me wonder, laugh and cry. I believe that his insatiable interest in human beings and all the good and bad and curious that comes with it, is what made him such an outstanding scholar, teacher, friend and companion. At the same time, thankfully, Peter was no superhuman. He needed to whinge and gossip, overcome his frustration and refuel his batteries like all of us from time to time. For the last two and a half years I had the privilege to be part of Peter’s world and he will continue to be part of mine. I already miss him. Tina Kiefer
Posted: 10/21/2004 4:26:05 AM
You should know that at a party at my home in Sydney, where there were more Professors and Chancellors than is wise, Peter was the only one who could light the candles. Months later my friends remembered him as that kind Canadian Professor that lit the candles. He lit more than candles. I'll miss Peter. John Gray University of Western Sydney
Posted: 10/21/2004 5:10:39 AM
One of the highlights of my experience at UBC was time spent in his lectures, or if I was lucky- having a chat with Peter one on one. A genuine, kind and caring man, who was truly interested in each of us as individuals. Peter, you are a unique and special person, and will be sorely missed. Mark Cordy
Posted: 10/21/2004 5:49:28 AM
Peter was perhaps the warmest, most engaged person I have ever known. Nearly twenty five years ago in the mountains around Alta, Utah, he did much to shape mine and others' careers and lives with endless wisdom and always laughter. Later at the Culture Conference in Vancouver he gave us all a little spruce tree, symbolic, but perhaps a bit hokey for me. I was too short-sighted. I delight that it still grows in the yard. A touch of Peter, a memory of possibility. Stan Deetz
Posted: 10/21/2004 6:00:56 AM
When Peter was on the University of Michigan campus some years ago for a relational practice conference I offered to give him a tour of some of my favorite places on campus. During the time we were together he asked many questions about what I did and concluded that I was a toxin handler. I had not seen myself in this way before and the notion intrigued me because it was indeed one of the aspects of my job that I liked the most. When I asked him if he would autograph the cover of the 1999 HBR that contained his article on toxic handling he wrote something that I have always treasured and that I have framed and hanging in my office: "To Bob, a truly gifted toxic handler and a lovely man of action - Peter" I have often thought that if Peter was able to write something like that to someone he'd only known for a short time, that he must have a huge capacity for giving affirmation and love to those he knew well. -- Bob Holmes
Posted: 10/21/2004 6:12:34 AM
To me, two of Peter's great contributions are his books Doing Exemplary Research (with Ralph Stablein) and Rhythms of Academic Life: Personal Accounts of Careers in Academia (with Susan Taylor). They testify that research and life are human journeys, with exemplary accomplishments, struggles, and turning points, sustained by relationships with other people. It seemed to me that Peter and his collaborators had to be very wise to put that testimony down on paper. I didn't see Peter often and did not know him well, but I didn't need to in order to appreciate his great warmth, kindness and insight. --Catherine Cramton
Posted: 10/21/2004 6:14:03 AM
I was really sorry to hear of the untimely death of Peter Frost. I got to know him when I was offered the Dean's job at UBC and found him to be a thoroughly likeable and friendly individual. Through that exposure, I became an enormous fan of his eclectic and always stimulating work in the field of O.B. For many generations of scholars, his work will be regarded as unique, insightful and always entertaining. Quite apart from the deep personal loss to his family, his loss to the field of Management is considerable. I send my deep condolences and sympathies to his immediate family and to all the colleagues and staff who make up UBC Business School community. Howard Thomas, Warwick Business School.
Posted: 10/21/2004 6:55:48 AM
Oh PJ: I was walking out of the Angus Building yesterday thinking about what words capture the essence of what Peter was and instantly "A Man for all Seasons" came to mind. Substitute the word "People" for Seasons and this is what I recall of Peter. Whether Martha Piper, Dean Dan or Mavis, our custodial person here at Sauder, PJ treated us all with respect and dignity. He deeply cared about others and this caring showed. He was always upbeat and never, ever had I seen him down. He will be missed and it was truly an honour knowing him. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Nola, David, Caitlin and Maeve at this difficult time. Dan and Anne Gardiner.
Posted: 10/21/2004 7:51:50 AM
The world is definitely a better place because of Peter. I remember when I was up for promotion a few years. For most people, its a very secretive process, but not for Peter. He sent me the letter than he wrote with an encouraging note. I saved it and will treasure it even more today. He had that effect on so many people. I will miss you Peter!
Posted: 10/21/2004 8:19:43 AM
As so many others have said, I have so many fond memories of Peter that no one stands out. There are, however, a couple of themes common to many of them. First, almost always, Peter added sound judgments in combination with upbeat support and enthusiasm for any worthwhile endeavor. Second, he often went significantly out of his way to make good things happen for others. In fact, many of the positive things that I have experienced in my professional life grew out of his unsolicited efforts and support on my behalf. In his everyday behavior, he exemplified the highest possible standards of collegiality and friendship. - - Walter Nord
Posted: 10/21/2004 8:24:26 AM
Here was a man that tried to explain to us ambitious, power-driven, eager, and all-knowing egomaniacal MBA students that the true foundation of leadership was in compassion, empathy, and support. He must have been giggling inside when he made us role play and lose our desperately required composure. With much patience and wisdom he got through to me. I count him as one of my most cherished professors. He impacted me termendously. His book is in our 'success library' at lululemon. Peter Frost touched the world. These words and submissions are just the tip of the iceberg of his legacy. Thank you Peter. You have left the world a better place. - Darrell Kopke, MBA 2001
Posted: 10/21/2004 8:27:27 AM
I work for Walter Nord and only met Peter over the phone and through e-mail. However, the warmth and strenght of his personality made it easy to know him. He was quick, charming and a bit of a tease. I don't know how it is possible to miss someone you never saw in person, but I already do. - - Michele Walpole
Posted: 10/21/2004 9:49:38 AM
By any measure he was a special person. What I liked so much about him was his willingness to help a colleague either find the necessary piece of information or talk through an idea or concept. He gave freely of himself to his students and his colleagues and he made my experience at Sauder a rich and rewarding one. David E. Bond
Posted: 10/21/2004 10:02:20 AM
Peter Frost is a man who inspired everyone he came in contact with, as you can see by the many memories shared above. Peter is one of the most caring men I have ever met who offered such kindness to those around him. So many times he reminded me of the importance of connecting with those around us and taking stock of what is really important in life. These are lessons I will never forget. So many times over, thank you. --- Jolene Fehler
Posted: 10/21/2004 10:36:24 AM
A man of peace, now at peace. A man of joy, whose spirit lives on in the many he inspired. A master teacher who shared his craft generously with many others (I am very grateful to be among them). A GOOD man, thoughtful, wise, patient, and loving to all of us. Jill Graham
Posted: 10/21/2004 10:36:24 AM
"What do I love?" "what makes me happy?" "who am I?" Peter, these questions you asked us to bring along with for our post-MBA life I can still remember, and will always carry on my back. Peter, you are the man! MBA 2004 Joe Fan
Posted: 10/21/2004 12:05:32 PM
Although I only knew Peter from the classroom, his inspiration and incredible kindness had a great impact on my life. He knew what was important, and he shared it with all of us. I will continue to be inspired Peter...Jason Dirks
Posted: 10/21/2004 1:00:58 PM
Peter’s office is directly across from mine. I still cannot believe that my neighbour will no longer be coming back. What a special gift to have been surrounded by Peter’s unique awareness and way of approaching life! Merci infiniment, Peter. ~ Janet Gannon ~
Posted: 10/21/2004 1:21:39 PM
How does one man SO inspire??? Peter Frost, thank you for YOU. You will be missed. But even more importantly, YOU WILL BE REMEMBERED. marcie richardson
Posted: 10/21/2004 1:24:53 PM
As many other MBA students, I took a few organization behavior lectures with Peter through the core MBA program in UBC last fall. I would say the wisdom, the inspiration and the passion for life he naturally delivered to the class made me thoroughly enjoy every moment there. I deeply miss such a wonderful professor and such unforgettable learning experience. His spirit will be with us forever. Jane Yang, on exchange in Manchester, UK
Posted: 10/21/2004 1:57:25 PM
Although I did not spend much time with Peter, I felt like I knew him because I know so many people who knew and loved him. Peter was one of those people who you could just tell was a "good person." I think of him as one of the people who is the conscience of our field, reminding us to try to pay attention to the consequences of organizational practices for the individuals who work within them. I always wanted to hear what Peter had to say and to read what he wrote as I knew that I would learn from the experience. Thanks, Peter, for all you have done for us. -- Frances Milliken
Posted: 10/21/2004 2:07:20 PM
Nae iki 'Iao i ka uhiwai; Naha na ‘omaka wai a ka lihilihi;
Naha ka heuwai a ua kahe ka wai;
Naha na ‘omaka wai a ka lihilihi;

Naha ke kanaka, ka hale o he aloha;
Na hala o Kekele;
I lele no ka lupe i ke pola;
Mahalo nui loa, aloha Peter

me ke aloha, Martin L. Martens
Posted: 10/21/2004 2:37:37 PM
Peter's influence at UBC went far beyond the Business School. As just one example, in the late 80s, when we established a small graduate program in Industrial/Organizational Psychology, Peter's inclusion, as an Associate Department Member, was essential in providing legitimacy to the new program. Since then we have graduate PhD students from the I/O program (along with another two who completed MAs). All these students (and a current graduate student in the program as well) took grad courses from Peter, and for the PhD students, Peter played a vital role in their dissertation research and as a doctoral committee member. Peter went further than that, though, and these students (Ross, Linda, and Seonaid) came to regard Peter as a truly wise and insightful mentor who would give freely of himself to make them better scholars. For those of us in Psychology who knew Peter and benefited so much from his wisdom and generosity, his passing is a huge loss. Thank you, Peter. Without you, we couldn't have done it. Ralph Hakstian, Department of Psychology, UBC.
Posted: 10/21/2004 4:47:16 PM
I was fortunate enough to be one of Peter's students and to receive his guidance outside of the classroom. While I didn't know him personally, I still benefit from his insights now. As an inspiring mentor and a generous person, he will be missed. James Staring, London, England
Posted: 10/21/2004 5:13:56 PM
Peter was a mate: we talked about power and other ideas, music, rugby, life; we did presentations together, and to see him do that was to really see a measure of his extraordinary warmth, creativity, indeed, charisma. One day I remember fondly was spent at the Sydney Cricket Ground with about 100 other people and a dog watching a lacklustre Tasmanian side play New South Wales, sharing the dappled light, a few beers and a great time. Wwhen he was last in Sydney, unfortunately I was not, but my colleague Tyrone Pitsis was and Tyrone recorded an interview with Peter about his ideas and his work that you can find on www.ckmanagement.net. It is a wonderful reminder of a wonderful man who, for those who knew him, no reminder is necessary. Some lives are luminous and touch others with their light: Peter was such a man and he will be missed sorely but celebrated mightily wherever mates meet. Stewart Clegg
Posted: 10/21/2004 5:24:39 PM
If anyone wants to know what this world has lost, and what we have gained by meeting Peter, read any of these messages posted here.
Tyrone S. Pitsis
UTS
Posted: 10/21/2004 6:00:22 PM
Beyond all boundaries is Peter’s world of love, meaning, compassion, wisdom and joy. As a former student of his, I have been profoundly impacted by his sense of being, his words of encouragement and his courageous approach to life. May his spirit forever light our lives and may many more people come to share his legacy as an inexhaustible source of strength in life. Wendy Guan, MBA 2003
Posted: 10/21/2004 7:17:16 PM
While having only met Peter a few times, the world of management and the world at large has lost a great thinker and great person. Fortunately, the legacy of his work and the people he has touched will go forward a better place because of him. Barb Ribbens, WIU
Posted: 10/21/2004 7:33:59 PM
Peter, thank you for making me see the gorilla and feeling the rhythm of a drum. Your teachings and words of wisdom have changed who I am. I will miss you and our chats on how we would manage the Canucks.

Some people come into our lives and quickly leave, while others stay awhile leaving footprints on our hearts and we are never the same. Aloha. Sandy Tanaka
Posted: 10/21/2004 8:07:57 PM
Not only one of the coolest prof's around, but certainly one of the wisest and inspiring as well. Peter, in the above picture and in so many other ways, reminded me of his late father, Felix Frost. Felix was also an educator (a principal in South Africa), and in his retirement, a tutor to me, my sister and many other kids in the neighbourhood. A devotion and love for teaching were shared by both father and son, and we fondly remember them for it. We send our love and condolences to the Frost family at this time of grief. Firoz Verjee (Washington, DC) & family (Vancouver).
Posted: 10/21/2004 8:09:35 PM
I first met Peter at the 1991 Organizational Behavior Teaching Conference at Western Washington University in Bellingham. He and Caroline Egri conducted a session on maskmaking and being a Shaman. I visited my family after the conference and everyone in my family saw the mask. From then on, whenever I attended OBTC, they would ask me, "Oh yeah, is that the conference where you make masks?" Peter had a way of doing memorable things, but he did them in such gentle and caring ways, that you didn't think of them as such during the experience. Once a colleague asked me, "Who is your mentor, who would you most like to emulate?" I immediately thought of Peter, even though our personal contact had not been extensive. I saw him again in San Diego when Steve Sommer invited him to a "recently tenured faculty consortium." Peter talked about his experience as a toxin handling dean. His experience led me to rethink my aspirations for administration and rededicate myself to being a solid member of the faculty. So far, I have not regretted that choice. I regret that Peter was unable to join us at OBTC this year, or for the Western Academy meeting next spring. As I read through the comments, I see many of the friends and colleagues I have come to respect in my academic career. Although I am deeply saddened by Peter's death, my heart is warmed to see that his life touched you as it did me. If I can have a small percentage of the positive effect Peter had during his career, I will have lived a successful life.

Jim Spee, University of Redlands, Redlands, CA. Program Chair, WAM 2005; Local Arrangements Coordinator, OBTC 2004
Posted: 10/21/2004 8:10:40 PM
I remember being in one of Peter's PhD classes, when a professor barged into the room (mistaking it for his classroom), and without seeing Peter standing at the far side, shouted at the students to get out because he had a class starting. When the professor realized that he had walked into the wrong room and had spoken to us inappropriately, his face flushed with embarrassment. Instead of just making a polite comment, Peter announced to us in full detail the award the professor had just received. It was a lesson in grace, because Peter's grace came when it was needed most by someone, and it came without regard to the person's earlier blunder. Of the many lessons Peter taught me during my graduate years at UBC, I remember most clearly the times when he gave people back the right to be human. Thank you Peter. Seonaid Farrell
Posted: 10/21/2004 8:37:32 PM
I asked Peter to join my supervisory committee not because of his expertise, but because of the heart connection I felt with him. At one meeting, when discussing how formally academic my Interdisciplinary dissertation would need to be, he smiled and said, "I'd be happy with a long poem that touched me or that I could imagine touching someone else." Later, after I returned from solitude and was struggling to transform the experience into a dissertation, he said, "The only thing that will stop you is your own inner demons. Never mind what you think the University expects, write from your heart." What a gift... Bob Kull
Posted: 10/21/2004 9:22:17 PM
Tonite, by chance, was the night I had assigned two of Peter's HBR articles to my MBA Management Seminar. It gave me the chance to talk to them about the man behind the printed name. We closed the class by projecting the "Pictures of Peter" (above); a celebration of the humanness of the man behind "the Toxic Handler." It was such a pleasure to be able to share Peter with another generation of students. Chris Poulson.
Posted: 10/22/2004 7:02:57 AM
I met Peter at OBTC when I was a new academic about 15 years ago. We crossed paths briefly several times since, and he always greeted the people he knew, including me, as though we were his oldest and dearest friends. And so now, so many of us feel we have lost one of our oldest and dearest friends, even if we crossed paths with Peter for only moments at a time. Peter was, as everyone has said below, a scholar, a gentleman, a mench, a fine soul, a welcoming mentor, a passionate teacher, a dedicated scholar, a hip guy, a prankster, a wonderful family-man, a bridge-builder, and a pathfinder in the field of compassionate research and practice. I remember Peter with gratitude. He (and his twinkling eyes and warm smile) will be dearly missed. Paula Caproni
Posted: 10/22/2004 7:39:41 AM
To my mind, Peter was the spiritual leader of the Academy of Management. He was inspiring and his work -- and legacy -- were and are very creative, inspiring and transformative for many members of the Academy from around the world. It was a great privilege to know him. Jean Bartunek
Posted: 10/22/2004 8:34:55 AM
I learned two things from Peter: be kind and nurturing in your relationships but be critical towards dominant paradigms. During my five years at UBC where I started my post-PhD career, he was always very supportive and kind to me. Over the years to follow, I became aware of his deeply held values that drove not only his personal life but also his professional work. He would be among the top five people I have ever met in terms of personal integrity. Although I did not see him very often after my move to Toronto, my lasting memory of him is a chance meeting at the San Francisco airport. Out of a crowd he emerged from nowhere, beaming at me. In the few minutes we spent together while rushing to our respective connecting flights, he made me glow from the inside. This was the quintessential Peter: kind, disarming, and generous with his compliments. He made the world a better place. I shall remember him, always!
Anil Verma, Toronto
Posted: 10/22/2004 10:28:00 AM
Peter was a warm and gentle teacher who successfully inspired us to be a good teacher. His emphasis on student centered learnning influenced me a lot. I would like to express my sincere thanks to him. I miss him very much. - Dongmin Kim
Posted: 10/22/2004 11:22:57 AM
For me, Peter was a tremendously energizing colleague. He was like a steam engine. He had so much contagious energy. I can still see him running up the stairs to track down someone who could get us a liquor bar into our reception at the AoM last year in Seattle. He would give himself away so effortlessly. He was so strong and so youthful. And he was funny. He would say things like "If we lose this one, I will shave off my beard and eat it". I had the greatest time listening to him in our speaker series discussions when he would carefully unpack an idea and inspire everyone. He was like a sculptor, unpeeling layers upon layers of sediment to reveal the true contours of a subject. Sometimes I thought that there was so much glistening sunshine in him, so much positive energy. The room would lighten up when Peter was there. I will miss Peter. I am thankful that our paths crossed and that I could share with him a little of this precious presence that we call 'life'. Martin Schulz
Posted: 10/22/2004 12:40:11 PM
Peter was the most genuinely authentic person I have ever known and he regularly inspired those whose lives he touched to authentic living as well. He inspired me to the highest level of creative joy in my work. He was also there at those moments when I was most down, knowing exactly when I needed a smile, a kind word or a hug. I grieve for all of us that he is no longer with us. Yet he spread his passion and kindness a hundredfold through all of us. Even in death he inspires me as I read all of these stories. I am so glad he touched my life. ...Charlene Zietsma
Posted: 10/22/2004 1:25:51 PM
Of all the achievements of a lifetime, perhaps the greatest is the ability to touch people deeply and move them to realize their potential. Peter was one of those people for me. When I think of great teaching, his is the voice I hear -- remembering both the wisdom of his words and the inspiration of his example. It is a gift that I will carry with me all of my life, and one whose reach I feel well beyond the classroom. What a dear and gifted man. It was a pleasure to know you, Peter, and a rare honor to benefit from your guidance. Thank you so very much, and farewell. -- Robin Ritchie, London, ON
Posted: 10/22/2004 2:45:22 PM
In the year 2000, I was completing my MBA degree and the final thing I had to complete prior to graduation was a thesis. My husband, Martin Martens, who was then a PhD candidate at UBC, told Peter that I had an interest in studying workplace toxicity. To my great surprise and delight, Peter offered to supervise the thesis and he invited me to do some research on the Toxin Handler measures. This past Monday, when Peter passed away, he was very much our thoughts. I was helping Martin with one of his research projects, in an organization that has gone so far as to formalize the role of toxin handlers, and even give them training and support. All sparked by an open-minded HR manager in that organization who had read Peter's interview in the Globe and Mail in the year 2000. Martin and I had remarked to each other that Peter would love to hear of the demonstrations of compassion in this workplace. Peter's studies will live on for many years...in the minds and practices of compassionate professionals.

Claire Hilscher, Montreal QC
Posted: 10/22/2004 4:32:39 PM
Peter had a beautiful voice. It's a part of him that I actually knew quite well. Every time we compassionlabbers connected with him it was often all there was. His voice over a speaker phone. And yet with every word, every thoughtful question, every patient response, every brilliant observation, every well-timed expletive, every laugh, he drew me in. It was like he could crawl through the phone wires to be right there in the room with us for every conversation. I could hear when he was smiling. I could feel supportive pats on my back. I could see looks of genuine concern on his face. I could sense his total engagement with us. I knew wholeheartedly that when Peter was in the room love was in the room. And I knew this just from listening to his voice. I'm still listening to you, Peter. -- Jason Kanov
Posted: 10/23/2004 4:00:24 AM
I am sorry to hear this bad news from UBC. It is a big shock for me. It is no doubt that his leaving is the big loss for UBC faculty and also for MBA students. Now my brain always screen the time with Peter. He treated everyone as his students, friends, family and treated everyone gently. I just remeber that I met him at Vacounver and asked him to sign his book for some classmates. He agreed it without hesitate. Now his book will be the best thing for our class to remeber him. I will miss him deeply, my best professor.---Peter Wang. International MBA (Shanghai)
Posted: 10/23/2004 3:31:49 PM
Peter, what a treasure and bright star you have been...a beam of light to so many, which will surely continue to glow. Thank you for sharing your spark, that special zest for living, when in your company. I applaud you Peter! Your presence in my journey was an exquisite gift. --Leslie Sekerka
Posted: 10/24/2004 4:52:35 AM
Peter served as an editor for Organization Science in the mid 90s. Yoash Wiener and I submitted a theoretical piece on organizational misbehavior (OMB) which had been rejected by AMR for being "too critical of the mainstream of OB." Peter brilliantly directed us through a review process which resulted in a paper and a unique foreward by Peter himself about the importance and timeliness of our treatment of OMB. Now that books and chapters are published on employee misbehavior as a mainstream topic, we all must remember Peter's inspiration and foresight. -- Yoav Vardi
Posted: 10/24/2004 10:24:40 AM
Just before Peter left us to go to a better place in heaven, his words from a Congratulations card to us, after the arrival of our first grandson, touched all our hearts. His words of advice & wisdom will never be forgotten.

(To Irene & Family: “How exciting to have the arrival of a new son & grandson. We hope he brings you all much joy. These precious moments of today, so treasured and so few, are filled with many special joys for your daughter’s little boy and you. May each day bring your family hours of happiness together, making memories that you’ll share today and that you’ll keep forever.”)

(To Allyson & Christopher: “Before you even know it, your new baby has learned to crawl, to walk and talk, to jump and run, while growing strong and tall. A day and then a year, and time has flown so fast. Those sweet and tender baby years are treasures of the past.”)

Peter, our Lord knew all along that it was time to take you home. The gates of heaven will open wide, and he will say “Come on inside.” You’re looking from Heaven smiling down, thinking to yourself, “Why these sadness & frowns? Joy will come in the morning and weeping will not endure. Grieve not, do not speak of me with tears, laugh and talk of me as if I were beside you.”

Once in Peter was greatly action, ambition, toughness and talent, and in many ways inspiring and funny, and a great leader to us all. He was a very special person, nurtured by his kindness and concern, always there to lend a helping hand for all. Peter’s laughter would light up his face, so quick with a joke, anytime, anyplace.

We will miss you, Peter --- You may be gone forever, but not forgotten!

**Irene & Daniel Khoo**
**Allyson, Christopher & Memphis Steffensen**
Posted: 10/24/2004 11:39:26 AM
I met Peter when he first came to Canada, he, Nola, Paul and Caitlin. They were exiles, having left their native country because of social policies they could not tolerate. Peter was on his way to a successful management career in South Africa. He gave that up to come here with two suitcases for each member of the family. That huge decision foretold Peter's daring and imagination. He went on to forge a remarkable academic career, that spanned an incredible range of topics, from doing research, to academic life, to difficult workplaces. Among Canadian academics, his international reputation was exceptional. He never stopped innovating, often by incorporating experiences that the rest of us found mundane or even irritating into an elegant new paradigm. He will be missed by so many, none more, I am sure, than his grandchildren, of whom he was so proud and devoted. We are all diminished by his untimely passing. Mark Thompson
Posted: 10/24/2004 4:12:55 PM
Peter strongly believed that emotions tend to be contagious. This is why his lectures always started with soft, but lively music in the background. From the moment students stepped into his classroom, we were overfilled by a feeling of hope, compassion and self-esteem. It is hard not to experience emotional pain over the loss of such an incredible person, but if we learned something from Peter was to handle emotions intelligently. The heart and the mind are not opposites. Peter’s work will always be a proof of this. I consider myself very fortunate to have been touched and inspired by such a congruent human being. I say so because the only thing Peter asked us students to do was to make a difference (one thing that Peter unquestionably was the best at). Thank you Peter for teaching us so much. – Alex Ralph
Posted: 10/24/2004 6:04:55 PM
I was touched by Peter’s strength and kindness on an academic and personal level. Peter convinced me that being 'tough' is not the way to success. Success is attainable through strength, but strength can be manifested in many forms. These include showing vulnerability and empathy at the right moments. Peter could speak to it BECAUSE he is truly resilient. In fact, his resilience will always be a very powerful illustration of this message that he frequently reiterated for us: "To be a leader, you got to walk the talk". I try, Peter, I really do!

I have learned a great deal from this incredible man through his OB classes - especially his most celebrated "Leadership" class, and from his caring attitude towards me when I most needed. Thank you, Peter, I will remember your kindness... Julie Barré, MBA class of 2005
Posted: 10/24/2004 8:12:54 PM
From the time Peter came into a writing class of mine over twenty years ago I have known him and kept track him in words and deeds. The eccentric act of a UBC Commerce Prof. taking a creative writing course and at the same time his being as balanced as an equilibrist, above so many things in human behaviour and business that could be disastrous or lead to disaster, meant he carried a long pole with a lightness of mind and foot. Something to watch, a man who could dance with the opposites. For my wife, Angela and I, the way he treated Basil--the Airdale with the air-head and outrageous temperament, who our Staffordshire adored--told all. The Irish have an expression of fondness for a favourite son. They get called the father's or the mother's "fair-haired boy." Peter is UBC's fair-headed man. The way he was and the way he is in what he wrote guides over the fine electric wire between the Scilla & Charybidis of the outrageous and the outstanding, and shows us how to get the better of the two. Any bit of business I had to do with Peter made me feel better. Alas, I didn't do enough of those little bits of feeling better with him. A beer or glass of Paarl in the big bar, then, Peter.

George McWhirter
Posted: 10/24/2004 11:22:31 PM
I remember my first meeting with Peter. I felt surprising peaceful as though I was in the presence of an enlightened human being. I learned things from Peter that I never new I needed to learn. I remember how impressed I was that someone in academia was writing about compassion. I remember how he connected with students and executives - we would get lost in his every word. He was never too far from himself, from his heart, and from his god. Above all, we have lost a friend. I hope to see you on the other side - Daniel Skarlicki
Posted: 10/24/2004 11:32:55 PM
Peter is someone from whom I learned a lot about leadership, about the human side of business and about life. I will always remember the day he announced during our final leadership class in the Spring of 1997 that he was diagnosed with cancer. It was such a shock for me and it made me realize how life is so precious. I was glad that he recovered from his first cancer outcome and I am very sad he didn’t make it through this time. The last time I talked to Peter was when he was riding his bike on SW Marine Drive and we crossed paths while I was riding my bike too. We had a short but enjoyable talk then. I will always remember Peter for his happiness, his human approach and his work and life ethics. He has been and will always be a great source of inspiration for me. Philippe Raymond, MBA 1998
Posted: 10/25/2004 4:22:00 AM
I was blessed to have Peter's inspiration along the journey of my PhD. I look back on how he changed my life, not just academically but personally. That one man with so much to give so many could continue to give without limits. I will always remember his smile, his voice, his compassion....always. John Feenan (PhD UWA), Sydney.
Posted: 10/25/2004 4:24:17 AM
Peter always encouraged me to “get out of boxes” and to consider academic life as a challenging yet playful journey in which one should seek to explore a graceful unison between ideals and emotions, research and teaching, and scientific thinking and artistic creativity. He will be my inspiration to remember, and never ignore, how this journey goes hand in hand with who we are and what we really want to do in this life. My deep condolences go out to his family and all the friends sharing this sorrow. Farewell Peter, I will miss you! Hakan Ozcelik
Posted: 10/25/2004 6:24:35 AM
I remember the day in Fall of 1998, when Peter stood in front of the class, firm and dignified, and told he had cancer. He was lecturing on leadership. All I can remember was thinking to myself, this was a man I would follow. He was always in front with his wit, insights and logic; most of all, with his humanity. I have no doubt he is at a place where he is attempting to "report from the front line". He was a lasting influence on all of whom he thouched. I will miss him. Bertan Atalay, MBA 1999. Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Posted: 10/25/2004 8:13:42 AM
On a day when Peter wanted things light, I thought I'd add an anecdote from grad school days back at Minnesota. Fred Crandall made the mistake of indicating "casual dress" on the invitation to a party at the end of March to celebrate passing his PhD exams. Peter showed up in swim trunks; Jerry Newman showed up in a ratty, torn bathrobe. As the party got rolling, they and other co-conspirators (I had been out of town and was not amongst them) proceeded to fill the bathroom tub. Their plan was greatly facilitated by a non-conspirator who alerted Fred to the fact that water was running in his bathtub. When he went to check, he was assisted into the tub fully clothed. The next such celebration was for Jerry Newman and took place at an apartment party room adjacent to a pool. Jerry was recovering from surgery and his wife insisted we not toss him in the pool, so we sprayed him from many angles with silly string. Before that evening was out, the honoring of those who pass exams was extended retroactively to Peter and to me—we both ended up in the pool. Words are simply inadequate to explain what Peter's friendship has meant to me over the years since. My horizons are so much broader and my world so much richer for having known him. His many gifts to me, like his gifts to others, are the kind that will keep on giving. Linda Krefting
Posted: 10/25/2004 8:19:29 AM
I worked with Peter on his book Toxic Emotions at Work. Never in my professional and personal life have I met anyone as kind and generous as Peter. I will miss his humor, his outlook on life, and his many encouraging e-mails. He was a joy to work with and will be greatly missed. Julie Devoll
Posted: 10/25/2004 9:17:42 AM
Such a shock, but one that triggers so many wonderful memories: Peter’s early years at UBC, where he so quickly influenced all of us who taught org. behavior and org. theory through his fresh vision for what these fields mean, and the incredibly personalized way he connected, on a first-name basis, with 65-student classes. The fun we had researching person/thing orientation 25 years ago—Peter the consummate “person specialist” of all time! That late spring (but fairly wintry) fishing trip to Horsefly Lake. The leadership seminars we co-taught for years, so well received by participants but so special a treat for me, to witness Peter’s leadership-in-action and such perceptiveness, articulateness, creative energy, and capacity to say just the right words at just the right moments, to create just the right meanings. I’m in awe to this day not only of his teaching abilities—from his heart and soul, so maybe inimitable—but of his humanity, his capacity for empathy and caring, his incomparable ways of conveying these to so many and for modeling what it means to be a person in this world of others. Peter’s impact on so much that I see and do lives on, a deeply personal legacy. ---Thad Barnowe
Posted: 10/25/2004 9:30:59 AM
The sad news was hard for me to believe. The few chats I had with Peter since he was diagnosed for the first time and the outing and sharing of his illness at the AoM meeting in San Diego gave me the impression that he was one of those people who could influence their physical well being with their spirit, energy and will power. His enthusiasm and positive energy will stay with me! - Sonja Sackmann
Posted: 10/25/2004 9:45:34 AM
Be well, Peter. Your gift for seeing the best in people, and helping them see it, will be sorely missed. David Patient, UBC.
Posted: 10/25/2004 11:05:01 AM
He was a true scholar. Martin G. Evans, Emeritus, Rotman School.
Posted: 10/25/2004 2:33:02 PM
Peter had a unique ability to really "see" any person he was talking with. This could be intimidating until you realized that he looked with love and generosity for the best in everyone. Of his many, many gifts, his humanity and love for those around him will forever be an example to us. Amy Wrzesniewski
Posted: 10/25/2004 3:38:49 PM
Dr. Peter Frost was one of the most memorable professors I was fortunate enough to have during my tenure as an MBA candidate at UBC. While I am grateful for the many hard skills I learned throughout my studies in the Faculty of Commerce, I find ever more frequently that Dr. Frost's lessons in leadership and team management provide me the most essential direction during difficult moments in management. The science of business is really quite simple. The artistry and skill required to coach and coax a team to become champions in their field requires a real gift and understanding for people. I believe Dr. Frost had that gift. And I think he did a tremendous job in sharing that gift with others, especially his students. Most of all, he knew the importance of ceremony and celebration. Life and work can be extremely demanding at times. It's a genuine shame when we don't take a moment to stop, soak it all in, and smile along the way. -- Christopher Stairs, MBA '96
Posted: 10/25/2004 4:13:07 PM
Being across the waters in Australia, and having so very recently had Peter and Nola visit and work with us, it was with complete disbelief that I was told of Peter's death. He touched the lives of many colleagues here, and became a close and special friend to me. The capacity to "see and know" the way Peter did is to me the embodiment of Daniel Goleman's Emotional Intelligence, mixed in generous proportions with all of Gardiner's intelligences. Peter always spoke with great affection about his family and his Canadian colleagues. I am not able to fully express my sense of loss - Peter was an anchor to whom I could 'talk', mostly electronically, and to develop clarity and purpose. With a heavy heart I bid farewell to a remarkable human. Sally Lord, UTS
Posted: 10/25/2004 10:07:55 PM
Commerce 320, 1984 Autumn (I think!) - Throwing Tupperware and hitting my group-mate with it - a small paper about organizational dynamics in orchestras, wherein I slagged Jazz musicians (which was duly and drily noted) - later, meeting on a plane to Calgary/Banff, Peter to the Management side of the campus and me to Arts Administration and my thinking "oh, those lucky management-types!"... Peter was the head of the OBIR 'option' for the B.Comm degree I barely made it through - not just the administrative head, but also the spiritual. Although we don't have "major professors" for Bachelor degrees, that's how I've always cited him. The (newest) book has been a great comfort and inspiration in dealing with the challenges of working in bureaucracy... For the families of relatives and the families of friends, I'm sharing in this great loss. Walter Quan (Victoria, BC)
Posted: 10/25/2004 11:35:03 PM
I want to pretend it isn’t true, the loss of Peter, and turn back time to the mid 70’s when Thad and I first met the unforgettable Frost family in Vancouver, B.C.

Among our happiest memories of Thad’s being on the UBC faculty are evenings with Nola and Peter. We’d take in a movie like “The Gods Must Be Crazy,” or have dinner at some marvelous, ethnic restaurant the Frosts had discovered. We could always count on Peter and Nola to whet our intellectual appetites as well, tantalizing us with snippets of ideas gleaned from their current reading, events in the nation or community, or even from “Monty Python’s Flying Circus!”

An invitation to the Frost home meant spending time with friends who treated us like beloved family members. It was cathartic to swipe stories about growing kids or rambunctious pets – who could forget Basil the dog swallowing Nola’s sewing supplies! Even after moving to Washington state, we were enfolded in Frost signature hospitality on return visits to Vancouver – home-cooked meals, lively wit and soul-warming bonhomie.

Too many years have slipped by since those days, but the memories of times past are embers that still keep their glow. Nothing can dampen or extinguish them, and we huddle in their warmth as we mourn the passing of one of the finest men we have ever known.

Dear Frosts, although we could not join you at the Longhouse for Peter’s service, we link our spirits with all who gathered together and lovingly shelter his memory in their hearts. We can’t bear to say “goodbye,” but we will say “fare thee well, Peter.” Joan Barnowe, Tacoma, Washington
Posted: 10/26/2004 12:19:00 AM
I attended the Tribute to honour Peter's life today and it was beautiful. I was in awe of a man who was so passionate about everything in his life - his family, friends, colleagues, work and hobbies. Once again, I was inspired by you Peter. You no longer live in the world I do and yet, somehow you still manage to touch my life. Although you will be deeply missed, you will live on in my heart and in the hearts of many forever.
Posted: 10/27/2004 2:22:22 AM
I’ve learned in life that the most important people are those who quietly change who we are without us realizing they are doing so. Peter was one of those, to work with him in Brazil and in Vancouver was a continuous learning process.

One of the special moments I´ve had with Peter was when we made the decision to run a whole day of classes to a group of 120 Brazilian executives using videoconference. Peter had no time to come to Brazil, but we had to have him teaching to this group. And it worked. Six hours of videoconference and thousands of miles of distance between Vancouver and Rio did not change anything on the lessons and the emotions that the group, including us from Fundação Dom Cabral, received from Peter. It was great! Carlos Arruda, Brazil
Posted: 10/27/2004 1:22:01 PM
This has been a very difficult few months for my family, ending in a very tragic loss. In the pain of all of this, it is heartening to hear and see how my father has touched the lives of so many people. Our already rich family memory of Peter has grown over the last week with the stories we are hearing from all over the world and the outpuring of love and sadness. Now we have an even bigger Peter to carry in our hearts. To me he was a loving and involved father and a close friend. A soccer coach, a mentor, a listening ear. A powerful influence and a guide in living life as my own person. Taking risks, thinking big, having fun, and valuing and building strong human relationships. No disease can touch that. He shared his wisdom through his openness and example right through the hardest times with this illness. We spent a lot of time together as a family these past few months and further strengthened our connections as we supported him and each other. A real gift despite the storm.

On Peter's last Sunday, I ran out of gas and missed the ferry, making my usual hour long treck from Bowen Island where I live, into a three hour journey. As I was contemplating the meaning of life and death and all that was unfolding for us I became unusually aware of this contemplating part of myself, one strand of the enery and essence that is me, and I recognized my father so clearly - safe, alive and thriving. I felt a sudden wave of hope. I quickly searched myself and found all kinds of treasures that are him. Then I saw that lovely extroverted and creative energy that floods from my daughter Aine - Pete! And that cheeky twinkle in the eyes of my son Finn - Pete again. And my brother's smile, and my sister's focus. Al Peter. All continuing to fill the world with his beautiful energy.

And so it seems he is still here in many ways - in his children and his grandchildren, and in the parts of each of us that he encouraged and inspired.

Of course I would give anything to have him back. But now each time I feel those gifts arise in myself, I think warmly of my father - Peter Frost - and I celebrate him and share them in his name. I invite you to do the same.
Caitlin M. Frost
Posted: 10/27/2004 3:47:37 PM
I did not meet Peter Frost nor did I ever converse with him. On Oct. 18, I had sent a message inquiring about his research involving Positive Organizational Scholarship. A colleague informed me of his passing and I've since been reading the tributes to, and stories of, his life and his affect on everyone he came in contact with. I'm truly honoured to have captured a glimpse of this amazing man. How wonderful that someone you have never met can become an unknowing mentor. Thank you for igniting the fire within and I will endeavour to follow the path you have created. ~Zoe MacLeod
Posted: 10/28/2004 4:16:22 AM
It is so strange--I hardly knew peter. I never worked with him and only got to see him talk a couple of times--the first time was when he did a 'group-dynamics' activity during a WAM conference several years ago. There was something indeed 'magical', transforming in listening to him and after the first time I totally fell for him. He immediatelly appeared to me as a role model of the type of academic I'd like to be. He gave me an appetite to combine the rigorous and meaningful...and I wish I had more of a chance to get to know him. Thanks Peter, for being meaningful. Jacob Eisenberg, Dublin.
Posted: 10/28/2004 11:12:04 AM
Being a B.Comm. grad from 1981 in the organizational behavior option, I suppose it was in 1977 or 1978 that I first had Peter as a Prof. I think it was also at that time that Peter was the first recipient of the Talking Stick award that I think was voted on by the students.In those days Peter was part of the cool "young" profs in the OB department that included Dave Mcphillips, Graig Pinder, Larry, and a couple others that really got us thinking that business involved way more that just numbers and that people were as, if not, more important in running a company. This was really leading edge thinking at that time and something we now just take for granted. I suppose that what I remember most about Peter was how he really enjoyed and in fact loved his job as a prof. Peter really inspired you to learn and keep an open mind to new concepts and ideas. He had such a wonderful way with people and will be truly missed. Tony Letvinchuk B.Comm. 1981
Posted: 10/28/2004 10:09:49 PM
In summer, 1989, when I was co-editing "Reframing Organizational Culture" with Peter, Meryl Louis, Craig Lundberg and Joanne Martin my son, Kent, was killed in an auto accident. Peter and members of his family were the first visitors to our home to comfort and support us in our bereavement. The next summer, as we co-editors met to finalize the book, Peter announced that he and the others wished to dedicate it to my son. My family and I will never forget these acts of compassion. Peter was not only a student of compassion--he practiced it continuously in his work and his life. - Larry Moore
Posted: 10/29/2004 7:46:59 AM
I will always remember Peter for teaching the human side to business, as part of the MBA program I took part in. While taking his leadership course, he showed the class a video on how situations could be viewed from different perspectives. Peter had a unique talent to be able to look at the world in a way that made others realize that there are indeed many ways to see things. Peter was a leader, and was able to impart those skills to others through his teaching. To honour his memory, I hope to put into practice all that I learned from him. Deb Turkovich, MBA ’98 – Prague, Czech Republic
Posted: 10/29/2004 8:12:13 AM
I was one of those "silent" students that did not contribute as much as some others in the classroom. Peter had the biggest influence on me of all the profs. I have taken his teachings to heart and have applied them to the staff I have had at various companies. Through his teachings, I became a huge believer in the power of the principles of OB. Bcomm 90 John Leishman Chief Executive Geek - The Geek Patrol -Calgary
Posted: 10/29/2004 3:51:15 PM
Having attended Peter's memorial service earlier this week, I am still moved by his tremendous connection to humanity. I was blessed with the opportunity of having had Peter as a teacher and mentor. One of my earliest memories of him is sitting in class watching him--completely engaged, completely loving what he was doing and drawing every single person in the class to do so, too--it was wild!! Thank you for your gifts Peter--you taught us to love what we do and to be of service to others in our work. As I teach my own courses--there's always a bit of your influence--a little craziness, a little fun, and a lot of love. With prayers for you and your family, Leila Rahemtulla (nee Ram) B Comm '86
Posted: 11/1/2004 1:59:34 PM
Peter Frost was one of the true visionaries and free-thinkers I encountered during my 5 undergraduate years at UBC. His was one of my great teaching experiences overall. I'll remember him. Paul Lechtzier, Toronto
Posted: 11/2/2004 5:29:40 PM
Words cannot accurately state the respect I have for Peter. During my MBA, Peter was always the one who gave everyone else presence in a room, yet he always stood out as the one you wanted to lead. Many of the leadeship seminars I have taken since the MBA, are always held up in context with Peter's teachings. Peter was the inspiration I needed to look at business from the human perspective. I have since described myself in interviews and elsewhere as a humanist, thanks to Peter Frost. I am sure a special place for you has been reserved Peter...thanks. Dana Cooper, MBA 1998
Posted: 11/3/2004 8:45:52 AM
I walked into the MBA (1999) classroom one morning very low in spirit. I was a middle aged woman with an Arts background, a needy young daughter and a disintegrating marriage. That day Peter was playing my all time favourite jazz album- John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman. I vowed not to let the incredible arrogance and obtuseness of the finance/economics wonks get to me any longer. I would make it through the MBA programme, I would go on to do useful work in business. Peter was inspirational as a teacher and particularly supportive of the women members of our class. I was very sad at his passing. Denny Raincock, Toronto
Posted: 11/6/2004 1:28:48 PM
Today we worked all day on coding data that Peter collected with us at Jackson hospital in Jackson, Michigan. The stories are brimming with compassion, deep regard, pain and humanity at its best. We so wish Peter were with us coding these data as he loved the stories from the billing department and his wisdom and deep connectedness to life would unlock new ways of seeing. We miss him terribly. The CompassionLab
Posted: 11/7/2004 3:27:10 PM
Peter taught by example. At the culture conference in the 1980’s at UBC, he took a discordant morass of researchers and used a “talking stick” passed from hand to hand, to force us to listen quietly to one person at a time – just what wouldn’t have happened without his interventions. He used his position in the field, internationally, to draw attention to the work of people just starting out, teaching those he mentored how to mentor, leaving a trail of people helping people. As a co-author, he could take a beginning idea and make it flow into maturity. He could take a cynical or downbeat paper and make it end in a burst of insight, sometimes even optimism. He never refused to look at hard problems, but he’d constantly be looking for solutions and ways through difficulties. When he died, he was doing, with the compassion lab, luminescent work that grew from his illnesses and will ease the pain of others for years to come. Reading what others have written about Peter in this memorial web page, I feel links with people I’ve never met. It helps somehow. Joanne Martin, Stanford, California
Posted: 11/27/2004 3:39:46 AM
Teachers' teacher, that's what Peter was for us when, as Phd students, we prepared for taking a teaching career and Peter taught us this course on Teaching Methodology. There are many fond memories of him from that course interaction, but some I remember more vividly. Like role playing exercises in his course, how he had come to his office in Angus Bldg. straight from the airport at 8 pm and handed me over my term paper which he had graded during the flight, the final class in which we had photo sessions, and messages on the T-shirts which he had brought, and so on. It was his ability to provide a critique of another person's point of view, while still not sounding critical, which one could hope to emulate in his life. I pray to God that his soul rests in peace. -- Sanjeev, PhD UBC '98
Posted: 11/28/2004 11:31:22 AM
Peter was a guest speaker at Fielding Graduate Institute during one of our research sessions held in Vancouver In April 2001. I felt blessed that I had the opportunity to meet him and immediately converse withim about the toxic handler and my dissertation topic. We stayed in touch over the years. He was my external reader and gave me such sound and significant advise that I will always carry with me. We hoped to do some work together one of these days.....and we most certainly will in spirit. What a wonderful soul and brilliant man, and I had the opportunity to work with him. He touched my life. --- Evelyn Gullett
Posted: 12/3/2004 4:53:38 AM
It was a great pleasure and an honor to be Peter's student, even just for one week. I'll never forget what a learned . God bless his soul. My love to his family. Sergio Basilio (12/3/04 São Paulo-Brazil)
Posted: 12/5/2004 3:10:31 AM
When this amazing professor and person stepped in our classroom at Sauder in the summer of 2003, we Brazilians from the FDC-UBC EMBA, were astonished by his presence. He had the courage and the patience to guide as through his life experience and became soon after his class a friend of all of us. A great professor and a great man. We are going to miss him a lot. ---- André Barros - Belo Horizonte, BRAZIL
Posted: 12/8/2004 8:45:34 AM
Two weeks ago I spent the weekend in Vancouver. On a rainy Sunday morning my partner and I went out to UBC hoping to spend a few moments in the Memorial Garden at the Asian Center. It was closed for the winter but we went into the grounds of the Asian Center and I sat "with Peter" while my partner arranged some colorful leaves and arranged them around a tea candle she set on a rock. How close Peter was for those few moments. Those are moments I shall carry always. Chris Poulson
Posted: 12/8/2004 10:14:16 PM

There are so many kind, inspiring, funny and endearing messages posted here about my beloved Peter. I would like to thank all those who enriched Peter's life and who have share their experiences of him with us.

I would like to share a poem that expresses my feelings at the loss of my soul mate.

This body is not me
I am not limited by this body
I am life without boundaries
I have never been born,
and I have never died.

Look at the ocean and the sky filled with stars,
manifestations from my wonderous true mind.

Since before time, I have been free
Birth and death are only doors through which we pass,
sacred thresholds on our journey.
Birth and death are a game of hide and seek.

So laugh with me,
hold my hand,
let us say good-bye,
say good-bye to meet again soon.

We meet today.
We will meet again tomorrow.
We will meet at the source every moment.
We meet each other in all forms of life.

Thich Nhat Hanh. ---- Nola Frost

Posted: 1/4/2005 12:36:15 PM
I just returned home for the holidays and heard the news of Professor Frost's passing and I am deeply saddened. As an IRM graduate from 1990, I was blessed to be in Peter Frost's OB class. I remember the daily quotes he wrote on the board before each class and the energy and spirit he brought each day. It is sad that the world has lost such a great person and I know that his memory will live in on the lives he has touched! All the best to his family. -- Kim Venetz
Posted: 1/12/2005 4:32:20 PM
It is with great sadness that I just recently heard of the passing of Peter. We loved Peter, as a professor, and a friend to all students. He once said to all of us who had gone back to Sedgewick, to study after the grad ceremonies, for our exams School of Chartered Accountancy,"...you must celebrate each milestone of your lives..." I shall never forget that he said that, as I have spent a greater part of my career remembering his many quotations and recommendations. Truly, a man that I wanted to speak to after graduation-it's been over 20 years since my undergrad years. I still remember him....Now, I wished I had gone to chat with him...I am truly sorry for everyone's loss. The world will miss you.---- Pearl R. Wilson
Posted: 1/15/2005 2:59:48 PM
I live in Los Angeles and just received my issue of "Viewpoints" with its tribute to Peter. I have been moved to tears thinking of him. While I was completing my MBA, my mum was dying of cancer. During this difficult time in my life, Peter was inordinately kind to me. I have a vivid memory of him hugging me in the hallway on a particularily hard day, my tears soaking his shirt. Of the many memories of my MBA experience, the strongest include Peter and his incredible compassion and joy. He was a remarkable man and I will never forget the kindness and love he showed me.
Carmel Boerner MBA ''91
Posted: 2/21/2005 8:46:01 AM
I just read the sad news through the alumni magazine Viewpoints. I knew Peter since I took the PhD Teaching Seminar a few years ago. I was terrified of teaching at that point and considered teaching a necessary evil to pursue my academic life. Peter's Seminar and the many conversations we've had since then in his office and at the hallways of Henry Angus changed all that. While we've only exchanged the occasional emails since I moved to New York to pursue my beloved academic life, his words and ready smile has touched me greatly and will always stay with me. -- Nanda Kumar, Recent PhD Graduate from UBC
Posted: 2/21/2005 9:47:51 AM
Peter exemplified all that's noble in academia and opened my eyes to the many possibilities this life affords us. -- Nanda Kumar
Posted: 2/22/2005 9:02:43 PM
"Leadership is courage" he would say to us. So we took courage in his Leadership class. You could tell by the tangibles - the opened shirt, the necklace, earring, music, blackboard quotes - that here was a guy who did it His way. Whatever was gonna happen, it would be easy, fun and interesting. He had one of the lightest touches with people that I've ever seen. His gestures and manner were natural, relaxed, open and inviting. Within 2 minutes of his first class I new I could relax and breathe easy. This Prof was actually gonna teach me something.

One story: Our group was about to do a presentation on forest fighters who were killed in action to illustrate communication lessons learned. We wanted to immerse the class into the subjective experience of a forest fire to better understand the disorientation, immediate threat and pressure to decide matters of life and death. With the help of the faculty's generous media expert the group created a big screen video clip to place the viewer in the midst of an actual forest fire. We showed up early to class in order to set up equipment for the presentation. Peter was early too and I approached him in such a way that he knew 'something was up'. I explained to him the plan for a mock fire during the presentation with the video and the lights out...but there was something else...we needed to clear with him. "What is it?", he said. "It's a bit of a risk", I said. "That's what I teach", he said. "We want to use a smoke machine", I said. He paused, but only for a moment, then "Will it set off the fire alarm?". "I don't think so, but I don't know so", I replied. Peter looked me in the eye and a slow, slight transformation eased acrosshis face. We understood each other. It was...magic-time. "Go for it", he said. And we did.
-- Bill Pocock (MBA 2000), Toronto.
Posted: 3/15/2005 9:39:00 PM
The irony of life.... I remember leaving vmails and sending emails to Peter Frost..late last year....hoping to be able to work with him. For here was one person whose ideas seemed to resonate with what i wanted to do. And now he is no more. Jaissy
Posted: 4/25/2005 10:11:43 PM
I came across Peters obituary in the Academy Newsletter that came recently in the mail. His obituary hit my like a rock. No, I am not one of these priviliged individuals who did either research with Peter or they were once one of his many students.... or even both. Neither am I one of his close friends. Nonetheless, I always got a nice hello and we had a few minutes to chat when our paths crossed. We met the first time at an OBTC conference in Calgary a few years back and had some time to sit and discuss issues regarding work, life and much more, of course.

Going over the pictures on this Website brought me down memory lane and made me much more aware of having to enjoy life today as Peter always seemed to do so well. I will miss meeting him at conferences - the wise man who he was. He was an extremely nice, polite and thoughtful person in his interactions with nearly everybody he met. Who can claim the same about herself or himself?

As they say over here in some corners of Europe, à bientôt Peter ==> Urs E. Gattiker
Posted: 5/7/2005 7:37:23 AM
I was shocked and saddened to hear about the passing of Peter Frost. It felt like an emotional body blow and it made me think about life and lessons learned. And it also made me think of the friends and profs along the way whose integrity and energy helped me shape and sharpen the lens I use to see the world, and to appreciate What and Why I value.

Peter was like the Peter Gabriel or Alistair Cooke of UBC - one of the finest professors and a scholar and friend to many. He had the courage to live in a proactively compassionate manner, and embodied Napoleon's maxim that "a leader is a merchant of hope".

When I read the obituary, I was struck with ideas from Robert Frost and Monty Python that reminded me of him and his class. I believe Peter had the courage to take the road less traveled, to lead by example, and to confront injustices and suffering wherever he could. And in doing so, he made a huge difference.

And like the characters in the MP skit "the race for people with no sense of direction", Peter walked on some bold, unusual and memorable paths. But more than this, Peter seemed to walk through life with no shoes. I say this not out of disrespect, but because he sought to connect directly with others. He did so in a deliberate, benevolent manner that communicated shared values, earned respect and fostered friendships. He sought to make a direct contact, and in doing so, he left a deep and unique impression.

I wonder how different life would be for each of us, individually and collectively, if we chose to follow his path and to walk without shoes. We might slow down, share, reflect, communicate and learn. We might pick our paths more carefully and humanely. In doing so, we might become more generous in spirit so we could celebrate the journey with others. We might learn to lead and to love with a big more energy, with a bit more courage, with a bit less ego. Perhaps we should all take our shoes off once in awhile. In doing so, in a non-toxic office environment and with open hearts, we could become Barefoot Executives.

As a final note, I found something online that reminds me of what it was like to be in his presence or in his classroom. It is a quote by Gandhi explaining the meaning of Namaste to his curious friend Albert Einstein. Gandhi stated that while he was performing the greeting ritual, that he was silently saying “I honor the place in you where the entire universe resides. I honor the place in you of light, love, truth peace, and wisdom. I honor the place in you where, when you are in that place, and I am in that place, there's only one of us.”

In Peter’s classroom, and in his life, we were treated in the spirit of Namaste. Thanks for sharing your space, time, heart and wisdom with us Peter. You personified or demonstrated that leadership is a discipline and a mindset. Maybe some day, with effort and courage, I (and each of us) can make it as a barefoot executive.

GAR – MBA 2000
Posted: 6/16/2005 4:50:21 AM
I have been blessed to have had a chance to pay tribute to Peter in two different professional meetings this year, and I can think of few people I have known who evoke more positive energy, pleasant memories, pure admiration, and even a sense of awe than Peter. Honorary events such as those associated with Peter's life are rare, but then Peter was such a rare human being. The volume of tributes posted on this website is a small indication of the profound impact Peter had on so many lives in so many ways. The world is certainly a better place for having hosted Peter Frost. We will all miss him, but we are better because of him.
Kim Cameron, University of Michigan
Posted: 7/26/2005 8:27:26 PM
I am getting ready to attend the annual conference of business school faculty that Peter would usually attend each August. It is hard to imagine that conference without him, and we will all be holding our individual and collective tributes to Peter's accomplishments and his gifts to the field of Organizational Behavior. As I was imagining presenting at the conference without Peter's face in the room, I suddenly remembered that several years ago in my very first ever presentation at this conference, Peter supported the bold idea of ending with a poem that I had pulled together from the words of our interview participants. I was so nervous, but Peter and Jane made it possible that my debut in academe could be as a scholar and as a poet -- allowing me to be myself in a way I probably wouldn't have been daring enough to be on my own. The memory made me cry, and then made me smile, and then helped me to see that I can be bold enough to talk about my ideas in a way that would make Peter proud, and in that small way, he goes on living through me.
Monica Worline
Posted: 9/14/2005 8:35:02 PM
Boy, would Peter have enjoyed watching the Aussies get trounced in The Ashes this summer... It's been almost a year, and I still find myself reaching for the phone to call to celebrate. Chris Corrigan
Posted: 10/17/2005 7:13:30 PM
It is almost a year -- in fact one day short of a year, and Peter's spirit is still alive. We are working hard to continue on with his deep interest in compassion and workplaces. We continue to be inspired by his love of and legacy around teaching. We sometimes crack jokes as we continue his work, knowing that his laugh would light us all up. Sure miss him. Jane Dutton
Posted: 11/11/2005 2:41:30 PM
We learned today of the passing of Peter Drucker, which made me think of Peter Frost. Two very different personalities, but both with tremendous impact on how we think and how we feel about our work.
Jim Spee
Redlands, California, USA
Posted: 1/3/2006 11:23:07 AM
I met Peter when i was a graduate student at Stanford. From the moment i met him, he was a source of inspiration and encouragement. He helped me and so many others find our voice. He was the midwife of my most important work, helping me articulate and then publish those ideas. Always interested in my work and in me, always caring, and always wise. Thank you Peter.
Posted: 2/10/2006 12:43:34 AM
I was cleaning my office desk the other day and a hard back green book fell onto the table from my book case. It was Peter's Toxic Emotions and it opened to the page he signed for me, with a question, on his very last visit to Sydney. Peter, my answer is "Always!" Lest we forget.
Posted: 3/21/2006 5:45:47 AM
In June of 1998 I met Peter at a joint HBC/UBC two week intensive management seminar. At that time I was struggling with my career and where it was going. In one of Peter's classes we were doing a series of tests to define our managment styles. Out of the whole class I was the lone "green" in a sea of "reds". Peter explained my style and helped me see the directions I could take. I wanted to tell him he was right. In 2000 I left HBC and now teach full time at the post secondary level. I think of him often and hope that I will inspire my students the way he inspired me. I love teaching -thankyou Peter for seeing my potential and for encouraging me to take a chance and follow my heart. Norma Ouellette
Posted: 8/17/2006 8:10:35 PM
Just yesterday, the Academy of Management meetings for the year ended, and all of us academics went back to our home universities. The meeting is a time for gathering with all of our colleagues and connecting once again. This year, the feeling of missing Peter there was so strong. I am sure I am just one of many, many people who think of him very often. Seeing him at meetings, having a warm hug, and having a genuine, kind and connected conversation was such a gift. I miss him very much.
Posted: 10/18/2006 10:33:57 PM
Two years on and Peter is still so much in our thoughts, writing, and daily conversations. Sally Maitlis
Posted: 12/11/2006 10:52:17 PM
I used to be an investment banker in Sydney, making lots of money and making myself miserable. Once I took the train from work in Sydney to Bondi Junction where I was living; and I arrived home to catch an unexpected call from Peter! Peter was calling to invite me to be a doctoral student at the University of British Columbia! As fate would have it, I ignored the first three words and wound up in the wrong place. Rest assured, Peter, that all is not lost: Fortunately, I have recently united with someone who carries your spirit and a sense of the endless mischief that we could have shared. mathew hayward
Posted: 1/14/2007 5:11:55 PM
I am a student attending Royal Roads University and have just finished reading Peter's book, Toxic Emotions at Work. I am touch by his brilliance, insight and quality of writing that bring his words to life. I hope his writings about his reflection about health workplace relationships strike a cord with others as they have me. Thank you.

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