Be The Change

Category: Third sector

  • It’s all about people

    Reading the new Third Sector/nfpSynergy State of the Sector report on a crowded rush-hour tube recently, I was struck by the answers to the question ‘what makes for an effective charity?’ Not surprisingly, ‘quality of work and/or services’ comes out top. This is after all what we are all here for. But ‘ability to attract,…

  • How to be happy

    Happiness Expert Dan Gilbert says it all in this inspirational and funny talk from the TED* archives. Originally recorded in 2004, it still has plenty to say about how we can think ourselves happy. Happy Christmas!   *www.TED.com is a not-for-profit organisation devoted to spreading Great Ideas.

  • Coaching – trick or treat?

    There are absolutely no tricks in coaching. In fact, when you get your third sector staff coached, you’ll experience a bag-load of treats. Here are just five of the reasons my current clients are committed to coaching their staff:  It encourages people to take responsibility for their own learning and actions  Coaching improves individuals’ performance…

  • The power of your thoughts

    A few weeks ago on holiday in Greece, I found myself suspended in mid-air at the top of a cliff – freaking out! My hands were shaking. My legs felt like water. There was no way I was going to abseil down this 70-foot cliff, my absolute intention a few moments before. Now, I was…

  • What is a good work-life balance?

    My third sector clients often seek help with restoring their ‘work-life balance’. They’re mostly very committed. They have heavy work loads, put in long hours and take work home – often. But what are they really asking for? What do they mean by a better work-life balance? Most people would say that a good work-life…

  • Coaching marathon – how it went

    Wow! What a week. That was some marathon! My Learning at Work week was absolutely buzzing as I coached dozens of committed and hard-working third sector staff in my marathon ‘speed coaching’ sessions.  It’s amazing what you can achieve in 25 – 40 minutes if both coach and client are focused – which I can…

  • Learning at work day – my coaching marathon

    It’s National Learning at Work day on 19 May and I’ve had a bit of a brainwave about how to celebrate this special day of learning and development. For a whole week I’m offering as many one-to-one coaching sessions to as many third sector staff as we can squeeze in – absolutely free! Mad, I…

  • The A-Z of a great meeting (Part 2)

    N is for Non-verbal clues. Show your colleagues you’re listening by using non-verbal messages such as nodding. But not nodding off. O is for Outcome or Objective – be absolutely clear what success will be before you go into the meeting. P is for Planning and Practice. Know what you want to say and practice…

  • The A-Z of a great meeting (Part 1)

    Recently, several of my coaching clients have been telling me of their frustration with meetings in their organisations. Too many. Too long. Not relevant. Not condusive to speaking up. No clarity about next steps. So, I’ve been thinking about the whole issue of how to create a successful meeting culture and how to get your…

  • Help! I’m too corporate for my team

    My last blog Help! My manager is too corporate for my team resonated with quite a few of you working in the third sector. This post takes the perspective of a recruit from the corporate sector. Joining the sector from elsewhere can be a bewildering experience, so here are my four golden rules for avoiding…