Category: Leadership

  • Why would anyone follow me?

    Why would anyone follow me?

    One of my clients recently had a big wobble in one of our coaching sessions. She’d been thinking about role models in the sector and wondering what she could learn from them. As we talked, I could feel the mood changing. These inspirational leaders, who at the start of our chat felt like peers and…

  • How to succeed by failing

    How to succeed by failing

    We’ve all been there. A really crucial event at work has gone wrong – and it’s your fault! It’s over and you’re home now, bracing yourself for all the criticism and fallout from your mistakes. Your stomach’s fluttering, your mind’s buzzing with regret and with those ‘staircase thoughts’ – the sort that only come when…

  • Six reasons you won’t be needing a coach any time soon

    Six reasons you won’t be needing a coach any time soon

    I’m a mentor and coach for non-profit leaders. And I’m about to list six incredibly good reasons why you might not need to work with one. Am I mad? Well, maybe. I’m thoroughly convinced of the power of coaching and what it can do for purposeful leaders, but…. It isn’t right for everyone, all of…

  • Dare To Lead

    Dare To Lead

    A non-profit coaching client asked me recently to recommend the very best book I knew on charity leadership. She’s starting a new role and keen to get in some helpful reading. I think she was surprised by what I said. Instead of a classic leadership tome like Good to Great by Jim Collins (which is…

  • Have no passport. Will travel.

    Have no passport. Will travel.

    I’m a secondary school governor as well as a coach and trainer. One of my clients volunteers for another fabulous charity. Another leader is a Director in a social enterprise. A third mentors young people. Through experiences like these, senior leaders in our sector are enhancing their ability to shine in their roles. What about…

  • Leaders Who Brunch

    Leaders Who Brunch

    So, at last, it’s happening. Leaders Who Brunch is opening its doors.  I’ve been dreaming about setting up this group for, literally, years because I know how much it’s needed. And finally, here it is. Leaders Who Brunch is a short, regular, morning meet-up for non-profit leaders just like you – when we’ll get together…

  • Could motivation be the missing ingredient?

    Could motivation be the missing ingredient?

    Sometimes it’s tough to motivate the people you manage, isn’t it? You know why it’s important that a project is completed in a timely way, but not everyone gets it. Others can be sluggish and unfocused. You sometimes feel it would be easier to just do it yourself. I know how difficult it is. This was the problem that a non-profit…

  • Game, Set & Match – Six Ways Non-profit Leaders Are Like Tennis Stars

    Game, Set & Match – Six Ways Non-profit Leaders Are Like Tennis Stars

    At this time of year, my office (a laptop and a phone, basically) shifts to where I can hear the lovely summer sound of racket on ball, polite clapping and excited roars. Yep, it’s Wimbledon! My absolute favourite time of the year. Tennis analogies fill my brain. Tennis terms scatter about my copy. I just…

  • Is it ever ok to have a meltdown at work?

    Is it ever ok to have a meltdown at work?

    So, you had to disappear into your office last week, shut the door before anyone clocked you and have a big cry. I know how you feel! It’s rough being a leader when everyone expects you to deliver the goods, however you’re feeling. It may be that the buck simply stops with you, and sometimes…

  • Three Ways To Create Breathing Space

    Three Ways To Create Breathing Space

    Are you super busy? I bet you are! Most of my nonprofit coaching clients are too. Each day brings new demands, crises and challenges which need to be dealt with. I know for many of them, it’s a struggle to peek above the parapet, breathe and see the bigger picture. Thinking clearly and strategically, such…