Shows
NGO Soul + Strategy093. Feminist Leadership in Action: A Conversation with Jayanta BoraSummary: What does it really mean to lead through a feminist lens? In this episode of NGO Soul + Strategy, I sit down with Jayanta Bora, a seasoned People & Culture expert who has helped shape leadership practices across major NGOs. Drawing from his own matrilinear upbringing and decades of experience, Jayanta explores feminist leadership not as a gendered concept but as a deliberate, power-aware leadership practice rooted in justice and equity.Jayanta's Bio:Over 30 years of experience in People & Culture, OD, OB, and HR in the nonprofit sector.Former Executive Director o...
2025-08-1159 minNGO Soul + Strategy092. How Culture Is Reality: Rethinking NGO Safeguarding with Andrew HenckIn this episode, I speak with Andrew Henck, a scholar-practitioner whose recent PhD research offers a nuanced take on organizational culture in humanitarian NGOs. Together, we explore how culture goes far beyond shared values—it is a lens through which organizations make sense of their reality. They also examine what this means for safeguarding, accountability, and leadership in NGOs, especially amid increasing scrutiny and systemic change.Guest’s BioLecturer at Glasgow Caledonian UniversityPhD in Leadership Studies, University of San DiegoFormer People & Culture leader with World Vision in Papua New GuineaCoach, consultant, and certified LEGO...
2025-07-1454 minNGO Soul + Strategy091. “$10M Landed in Our Account”—What Nonprofits Must Know About Transformational Gifts and Sudden Growth with Michael RandelWhat happens when your nonprofit receives a transformational gift—seemingly out of the blue? In this episode, change management expert Michael Randel joins Tosca Bruno-van Vijfeijken to explore what nonprofits can learn from the MacKenzie Scott giving wave. Together, they discuss how to prepare for sudden funding growth, what risks to avoid, and how to communicate wisely during a time of high visibility and high stakes.Guest BioFounder and Principal of Randel Consulting AssociatesLong-standing consultant in nonprofit change management and scalingResearcher on philanthropic giving and leadership dynamicsRegular advisor to mission-driven organizations facing major tr...
2025-06-0949 minNGO Soul + Strategy090. Technology, Land Rights, and Leadership: A Conversation with Amy Coughenour Betancourt, CEO of CadastaShow NotesSummaryLand rights are at the heart of building a sustainable and equitable future. Yet securing these rights—especially for marginalized communities—remains a profound global challenge.In this episode of NGO Soul + Strategy, I sit down with Amy Coughenour Betancourt, President and CEO of Cadasta, a global social innovation organization dedicated to advancing affordable, accessible land rights documentation.Drawing on her leadership at the intersection of technology, social innovation, and global nonprofit management, Amy and I explore the unique opportunities and challenges Cadasta faces as a...
2025-05-121h 02NGO Soul + Strategy089: "I AM A CHANGE MAN”: How Arnold Dix Applied An Iconoclastic Leadership Approach at the International Tunnelling AssociationSummaryThe International Tunnelling Association (ITA) plays a critical role in global infrastructure, ensuring clean water, sewage systems, and transport for millions while contributing to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). But behind the technical achievements lies a deeper challenge—modernizing an industry traditionally dominated by European, American, and Australian professionals.In this episode of NGO Soul + Strategy, I sit down with Arnold Dix, President of ITA, to discuss his iconoclastic leadership approach in making tunneling a more diverse and inclusive profession. Arnold has actively pushed for greater representation of women, people of co...
2025-04-1456 minNGO Soul + Strategy088. When You Have to Wind Down Your Nonprofit: How to do It Well, with Amy Miller-TaylorSummaryWhat does it take to lead an organization through a responsible and strategic closure? In this episode, I speak with Amy Miller-Taylor, former Executive Director of Global Integrity, about her experience navigating the complex decision to wind down an organization while ensuring its legacy, people, and resources were safeguarded. We explore the financial and strategic challenges that led to this decision, the leadership lessons Amy learned, and how organizations can approach closure as an intentional and thoughtful process rather than a last resort.Amy's BioFormer Executive Director of...
2025-03-1046 minNGO Soul + Strategy087. Coaching Leaders Through An African Lens: Nankhonde Kasonde-Van Den BroekWestern coaching models weren’t built for African leaders. So Nankhonde Kasonde, a Zambian international development as well as a leadership development specialist and certified coach, created something that was.Nankhonde's Bio:Nankhonde Kasonde is a Zambian international development specialist, certified leadership coach, and the founder of Zanga, an African leadership assessment and HR analytics company.As a leadership coach, Nankhonde recognized that African leaders need a coaching framework rooted in African national, regional, and continental values—rather than Western models that do not align with the cultural realities of hi...
2025-02-1052 min
#12minconvosTosca Bruno-van Vijfeijken: The Art of Leading Change: Unmasking the Politics and Psychology of Transformation /Ep 3231Tosca Bruno-van Vijfeijken has worked with (inter)national nonprofits and philanthropy organizations for 30 years, as a speaker, consultant, coach, team coach, facilitator and author. Her work focuses on leadership development, team coaching, change management, governance and organizational health and culture. While her practitioner background mainly was grounded in the international development sector (World Bank, United Nations, think tanks and global North- and global South-founded nonprofits), her research, senior leadership development as well as change management work has recently broadened to include US nonprofit and philanthropic organizations. She is co-author of the book ‘Between Power and Irrelevance: the Future of Transn...
2025-02-0313 minNGO Soul + Strategy086: The Modern Development Leader, How to Manage Change and All That: Torrey and Tosca in Conversation Part 2Summary:What are the attributes of the modern humanitarian and development leader? Why modern? In what ways? How does one become one?Torrey’s Bio:As a certified coach with twelve years’ experience in international development Torrey Peace facilitates rising and established leaders in the humanitarian and development world to become the leaders they admire, or “people centered leaders.” She has taught and coached over 400 supervisors globally from the UN, INGO and civil society to become more inclusive and caring leaders that make a greater impact while also...
2025-01-2730 minNGO Soul + Strategy085: The Modern Development Leader, How to Manage Change and All That: Torrey and Tosca in Conversation Part 1Summary:This is part one of a two-part conversation between two podcast hosts: Torrey Peace and myself. Torrey’s podcast is The Modern Humanitarian and Development Leader. Torrey and I tackle two broad topics: in this first part of our conversation, Torrey interviews me:How do people in development agencies experience organizational change? What is the psychology of organizational change that a development leader needs to be aware of? How can experiencing organizational change affect staff motivation? How, as leaders, do we tackle any reactance as well as resistance to cha...
2025-01-1331 minNGO Soul + Strategy083: African Solutions for African Problems: Consulting Strategies with Faye Ekong @ RavelWorksSummaryHow does an African management consulting company that expressly sets itself up to offer African solutions to African problems communicate its identity? What are some key differences in organizational development needs and cultural norms between development agencies in the Global South and Global North?How can concepts like Ubuntu and Ujama inform leadership models in ways that resonate across African contexts?In this NGO Soul + Strategy podcast episode, I interview Faye Ekong, Managing Director and co-founder of RavelWorks Africa, about designing management consulting solutions rooted in African paradigms a...
2024-12-0454 minNGO Soul + Strategy082: Human Emotions in a Poly-Crisis: How To Get To More Effective NGO Campaigning with Diya Deb @ MindWorksSummaryHow can nonprofit organizations leverage human emotions to enhance the impact of their campaigns?What can NGOs learn from cognitive science to create more effective, empathetic communication strategies during a time of poly-crisis?How can organizations shift from traditional advocacy approaches to more agile, psychology-driven methods for mobilizing communities?In this NGO Soul+Strategy podcast episode, I interview Diya Deb, Executive Director at MindWorks Lab, about harnessing the power of cognitive science to transform nonprofit campaigning in today's challenging landscape.Diya's Bio:...
2024-11-2259 minNGO Soul + Strategy081. Leadership Lessons From African Cultures, With Albert MomoSummaryWhat are the key principles of African leadership that nonprofit leaders globally could benefit from adopting?How does the African concept of Ubuntu translate into practical leadership strategies for nonprofit organizations?How does African leadership balance individual and collective success, and how might nonprofit teams benefit from seeking the same balance?In this NGO Soul+Strategy podcast episode, I interview Albert Anoubon Momo, axecutive, author, and board member, about leadership lessons we can all learn from African cultures.
2024-11-1554 minNGO Soul + Strategy080. Avoid These Leadership Mistakes When Managing Organizational Change With Michael RandelSummaryIs it that people resist change? That they fear change? Or rather that people fear loss?As a change management consultant, what is the most difficult or frustrating while supporting clients with change management efforts?What is one word most alive right now in the world of change management support?In this NGO Soul+Strategy podcast episode, I interview Michael Randel, Founder of Randel Consulting Associates, on mastering the ever-complex world of organizational change management.Michael's Bio...
2024-10-0950 minNGO Soul + Strategy079. Leadership in Africa Redefined With Taaka Awori of Busara AfricaSummaryWhat does it Busara's tagline mean: 'transformational leadership, from the inside out'?To what extent are there truly different global south-normed leadership models?Does personality still play an important role as well, in addition to national or regional cultural differences in leadership approaches?In this NGO Soul+Strategy podcast episode, I interview Taaka Awori, Founder & CEO of Busara Africa, a leadership development services company, on redefining leadership in Africa. Taaka's Bio:Founder and CEO of B...
2024-09-2342 minNGO Soul + Strategy078. Which INGO Roles Are Still Legitimate, Relevant, and Needed (and Which No Longer): Dylan Mathews @ Peace DirectSummaryHow should INGOs discern what roles are still relevant, legitimate, and needed, at this moment in civil society history? And which roles they therefore should *stop* playing?Is there more here, over and beyond stopping service delivery? (Which on its own is quite the shift)In this NGO Soul+Strategy podcast episode, I interview Dylan Mathews, Chief Executive Officer at Peace Direct. Peace Direct has been quite vocal, and has acted as a thought leader on this...
2024-09-1049 minNGO Soul + Strategy077. Let’s Work Through This: Conflict Mediation in Social Sector Organizations With Nathalie ThompsonSummaryConflict management and mediation are skills that come up frequently as a weak area in many of our social sector organizations. And these days, more than ever conflict is on the rise within our organizations. So how can we work through our conflicts more skillfully and effectively?Nathalie has answers for us. She's a trainer conflict mediator (as well as a Corentus, Inc. team coach) who helps teams and organizations develop better conflict management capabilities. And she's a valued colleague in a broader team I am a...
2024-07-0142 minNGO Soul + Strategy073. From a Hub and Spoke to a Horizontal Network Model: Anu Kumar @ IpasSummaryWhat are the main benefits of a network structure, where power, authority, and leadership are dispersed and shared across regions, from an effectiveness perspective? What are the most important enabling habits, practices and behaviors that go with that, as a change leader?And what are the most valuable network-related frameworks, concepts, resources, and tools at work in moving towards this structure?In this NGO Soul+Strategy podcast episode, I interview Anu Kumar, President and CEO at Ipas, on the why, the w...
2024-03-3155 minNGO Soul + Strategy072. When Nonprofits Deal With Internal Strife: Conflict Mediation to the Rescue With Daniel GenbergSummaryConflict within our organizations: we often don't really want to face them, but they are very much there. The result? Plenty of passive aggression to go around. What are the implications of such forms of conflict avoidance?In other NGOs on the other hand -- especially in the last few years it seems -- internal strife has come out into the open - sometimes spilling into the media in an unwanted fashion.On another note: is interest-based problem-solving still a helpful approach to conflict management skill building, or n...
2024-03-1547 minNGO Soul + Strategy071. Onward With Reimagining INGO Models: Charles Kojo Vandyck @ RINGO/WACSISummaryWhat are some structural things that are wrong in development aid and in civil society?Which mindsets most need to be decolonized when it comes to the relationship between global South civil society organizations (CSOs) and INGOs?Global North-founded INGOs need to be reimagined. How, in turn, do global South-founded NGOs have to change to take over many roles that INGOs currently still fulfill? And how do they need to recalibrate their power relationships with INGOs?In this NGO Soul+Strategy podcast episode, I interview ...
2024-02-2254 minNGO Soul + Strategy070. Mastering a graceful AND effective leadership exodus: Ignacio SaizSummaryLeadership transitions are tricky -- and potentially risky -- moments in a nonprofit's life. What are the most common pitfalls or aspects that get overlooked when nonprofits -- and outgoing leaders themselves -- tackle such leadership transitions?What key strategies and tactics are essential to ensure a smooth leadership transition and maintain organizational stability?What are the habits, practices, and behaviors that are most aligned with a successful exit of an Executive Director?In this NGO Soul+Strategy podcast episode...
2024-02-0746 minNGO Soul + Strategy069. Navigating Organizational Politics: A Team Coach’s Guide - with Alexander Caillet @ CorentusSummaryWhat should I imagine, practically, when a team coach starts to support my team?What does a well-known team coach find the most rewarding about working with nonprofit teams?Can a team coach detect any differences in team behaviors or tendencies between their for-profit and nonprofit clients? In this NGO Soul+Strategy podcast episode, I interview Alexander Caillet, CEO and co-founder of Corentus, Inc., on all of the above questions, including how to navigate team behaviors when it comes to org...
2024-01-2455 minNGO Soul + Strategy067. DEI trends in US development agencies, by the numbers – Shiro Gnanaselvam @ Social ImpactSummaryWhat is the state of DEI in US-founded international development organisations (both for-profit and nonprofit), and how has this state changed since 2021? What has been the action, as compared to the professed intentions for action? In this NGO Soul+Strategy podcast episode, I interview Shiro Gnanaselvam, President and CEO at Social Impact, on DEI (Diversity, equity, and inclusion) trends in US Development agencies. Shiro’s Bio:CEO of Social Impact, a US-based mid-size consulting company that of...
2024-01-121h 02NGO Soul + Strategy067. Life after leadership: Sam Worthington, former President and CEO @ InterActionSummaryWhat is life after leadership like?What happens to you as a person when you leave a high-powered, highly visible role in civil society?What happens with your sense of identity? Does this also perhaps touch on ego as well?What offers new meaning and purpose, when we live our life-after-leadership?In this NGO Soul+Strategy podcast episode, I interview Sam Worthington, former President and CEO at InterAction, who stepped down from a position with much positional as well as...
2023-12-0849 minNGO Soul + Strategy066. How to navigate the big scaling quandary: Amy Ragsdale @ Spring ImpactSummaryWhat is scaling? And how is it different from growing?What’s the role of partner strategies or multiplier strategies in scaling?What are the implications of scaling in an era of decolonizing aid, localizing development, and shifting roles of nonprofits and NGOs, shifting power, authority and decision rights?In this NGO Soul+Strategy podcast episode, I interview Amy Ragsdale, Director at Spring Impact, a consulting, coaching and training agency specializing in scaling strategiesfor mission-focused organizations, on...
2023-11-2747 minNGO Soul + Strategy065. How you should transition into a new role as a leader: Adama Coulibaly @ OxfamSummaryWhat are the vital steps a senior leader have to take as they step into a new leadership role? What to do and what to expect when you are transitioning into that new role?And, separately, to what extent are African leadership models and frameworks different from global North ones? Most importantly, what could global North imprinted leadership models learn from African ones? In this NGO Soul+Strategy podcast episode, I interview Adama Coulibaly, Global Programs Director at Oxfam, on both the...
2023-11-1352 minNGO Soul + Strategy064. Positive power for organizational integrity: Bhavika Patel + Alex Cole-HamiltonSummaryWhat should we think of when we consider organization integrity issues?How do you distinguish between positive and negative forms of power?How do we nurture power for organizational integrity? These are the fairly complex questions that we address in the podcast today.In this NGO Soul+Strategy episode, I interview Bhavika Patel, Senior Adviser for Equalities and Inclusion at Oxfam Great Britain, and Alex Cole-Hamilton, independent consultant and one of the founders of the Power and Integrity Initiative, on th...
2023-10-2948 minNGO Soul + Strategy063. Decolonizing think tanks, policy research organizations and consulting agencies: Ajoy DattaSummaryHow can the feelings of people who work in organizations both facilitate and suppress change?What makes people attach reputation and credibility to another person? And how does this relate to diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, and these may work out in practice?What's the problem with think tanks from the perspective of a decolonization goal, and what has been the problem historically?In this NGO Soul+Strategy podcast episode, I interview Ajoy Datta, consultant, policy researcher, and coach, on decolonizing think tanks, policy r...
2023-10-0658 minNGO Soul + Strategy062. Nonprofit operations CAN be a driver of transformation: Kim Kucinskas @ HumentumSummaryHow should we think about the ‘collective journey to equitable development’ of Northern-founded NGOs, national NGOs and their funders?What obstacles stand in the way of continuing on that journey? Why does Humentum argue that NGO operating models need to enable ERA (Equitable, Resilient, and Accountable) development, and how does that need to come about?In this NGO Soul+Strategy podcast episode, I interview Kim Kucinskas, Director for Community Strategy at Humentum, on nonprofit operations as a driver of transformation.
2023-09-2450 minNGO Soul + Strategy061. Between high profile civic disobedience and building broad public support: A youth activistSummaryHow does a climate change activist movement such as Extinction Rebellion (XR) chose among strategies and tactics on the spectrum between more 'radical' actions such as civic agitation, (nonviolent) disobedience, high-profile stunts that may lead to arrests and more 'mainstream' actions that may (or may not?) help them build a more broad public base?How does Extinction Rebellion (XR) see the distinction between insider and outsider strategies in climate change activism?Is it necessarily the case that 'radical 'activism by nature is cyclical, i.e. that it cannot...
2023-07-2136 minNGO Soul + Strategy060. Should climate activists pivot their campaigning strategies from agitation to broadening public support? Aseem PrakashSummaryEnvironmental activism, environmental justice and equity concerns: what, if anything, is challenging about holding all of these three concerns at the same time?Can a better integration or balance be achieved between these 3 concerns?To what extent is radical activism cyclical in nature because it is hard to keep activists motivated for peak public mobilization moments?In this NGO Soul+Strategy podcast episode, I interview Aseem Prakash, Professor of Political Science and Founding Director at the Center on Environmental Politics at the University of...
2023-07-2142 minNGO Soul + Strategy059. Potential and peril when NGOs aspire to use a network structure: Doris Bäsler, formerly @ OxfamSummaryWhat are the strengths of a confederated nonprofit organizational structure and what are its inherent weaknesses and limitations?What is a ‘diversified network’ type of organizational structure?To what extent does having a confederated organizational structure, as well as the aspiration to be a diversified network, Impact the nature, legitimacy, adaptability, and quality of decision-making?In this NGO Soul+Strategy podcast episode, I interview Doris Bäsler, formerly Oxfam, on the potential and peril when NGOs...
2023-06-2448 minNGO Soul + Strategy058. Can civil society get better at anticipating futures? Heather Hutchings, Danny Vannucchi and the International CS CentreSummaryWhat is the difference between forecasting and foresight, as a skill and an area of work?What are the pitfalls when international civil society organizations (ICSOs) apply crisis frameworks to trends that are actually longer-term, intersecting, and systemic?Decolonization and diversity: how are these big current discussions and areas for taking action intersecting with what sometimes is called 'anticipatory capacity': the capacity to anticipate futures and know how to act in order to try to influence them?In this NGO Soul+Strategy podcast episode, I interview...
2023-06-1046 minNGO Soul + Strategy057. From transnational advocacy networks to transscalar activism: Beth Bloodgood & Chris PallasSummaryWhat is ‘transscalar activism’ in a nutshell? And how is it different from what academics call the 'Boomerang' model of international advocacy NGO networks?When did international NGO advocacy begin attracting the attention of academics, and why? What had shifted at that point, what had changed?What was the dominant narrative in academia for a long time? And what was wrong with that?In this NGO Soul+Strategy podcast episode, I interview Elizabeth Bloodgood, Associate Professor at Concordia University, Canada, and Chri...
2023-05-2144 minNGO Soul + Strategy056. Philanthropy that’s less colonial in mindset and practices: John Hecklinger @ Global Fund for ChildrenSummaryWhat’s problematic about philanthropy in the ways the sector has practiced it for many decades?Are there limits to trust-based philanthropy?How do boards of grant-making philanthropies such as the Global Fund for Children have to change their composition, mindset, and oversight practices to lessen a compliance and upward accountability lens and to make themselves more responsive to actual needs? In this NGO Soul+Strategy podcast episode, I interview John Hecklinger, President and CEO at Global Fund for Children, on...
2023-05-0850 minNGO Soul + Strategy055. Digital advocacy NGOs: a necessary, complementary force: Nina HallSummaryWhat are the characteristics of 'digitally native' campaigning organizations?How do digital NGO campaigning organizations compare and contrast with traditional, 'brick and mortar' NGOs?Do digitally native civil society organizations and traditional NGOs sufficiently seek to complement each other, in order to maximize impact? I don't think they do.In this NGO Soul+Strategy podcast episode, I interview Nina Hall, Assistant Professor of International Relations at the Johns Hopkins University, on my episode 'Digital advocacy NGOs: a necessary, complementary force'. Nina’s B...
2023-04-2649 minNGO Soul + Strategy054. NGO scandals: causes, consequences and prevention + recovery strategies: Cassandra ChapmanSummaryINGOs have been rocked by scandals and allegations of abuse of power, discrimination etc. in the last 5-10 years. What kind of different types of scandals can we distinguish in our sector?Which factors that affect nonprofit scandals remain understudied?What's the distinction between integrity violations and competency violations? And should we be getting more concerned as a sector about the latterIn this NGO Soul+Strategy podcast episode, I interview Cassandra Chapman, Associate Professor of Marketing at the University of Queensland, A...
2023-04-0445 minNGO Soul + Strategy053. Change is not a project: Hazem Fahmy on CARE Egypt’s Country Office transition towards full membershipSummaryA number of NGOs have aimed to strengthen their global legitimacy by adding more global South members/affiliates. Is this truly a valuable strategy? Does it help with legitimacy to be more 'globally balanced'? What are the hard lessons learned about how to manage this process? And how do local civil society as well as government respond? Hazem Fahmy, the CEO of the CARE Egypt Foundation and former Country Director of CARE USA-line managed Egypt Country Office, is an excellent source of wisdom on all of this. He, together with his senior l...
2023-03-1951 minNGO Soul + Strategy052. Influence and power in complex NGOs: leadership insights from John Samuel @ OxfamSummaryWhat is most difficult or challenging about operating as a leader in a place like Oxfam?What does it take to lead from a political frame in NGOs?Rational persuasion: is it overrated? In this NGO Soul+Strategy podcast episode, I interview John Samuel, Oxfam Asia Regional Director on influence and power in complex NGOs. John is an expert on Organizational Development. He is also the founder of Bodhigram, an Indian grassroots social movement, John’s Bio...
2023-02-1846 minNGO Soul + Strategy051. Charity Navigator's changing expectations and its impacts on US nonprofit behaviors: Michael Thatcher, Charity Navigator's CEOCharity Navigator is a free online resource for US-based donors, an intermediary rating agency with 11 million unique users per year. It currently rates just about 200.000 US-registered nonprofits, both domestic and internationally operating ones, and is quite influential in driving the behavior of donors and, indirectly, of nonprofits that are rated on the platform.Charity Navigator has changed the indicators with which it rates nonprofits in significant ways in the past 10 years - and more is to come. High time to have a talk with Michael Thatcher, CEO of Charity Navigator, about what they are up to!
2023-02-0350 minNGO Soul + Strategy050. Innovation in social change organizations: shepherds or adopters? Emma ProudSummaryWelcome to our 50th podcast episode! In this episode, we continue to zero in on what it takes to adopt and shepherd innovation through social change organizations. I interview Emma Proud, head of Learning and Adapting at Brink, an agency that coaches and consults on behavioral innovation approaches. Emma’s Bio:Head of Learning and Adapting at BrinkFormer Director of Organizational Agility at MercyCorpsDirector for Center for Adaptive Management at MercyCorpsEmma played other roles at MercyCorps, as well as at Save the...
2023-01-1338 minNGO Soul + Strategy049. Women and positional power in faith based NGOs: Martha Holley Newsome @ Medical Teams Int.SummaryWhat are the strengths of faith-based organizations that secular NGOs may have reason to covet?On the other hand, what weaknesses or potential blind spots may faith-based organizations face?And is there anything specific, or ‘typical’ about being a woman top leader in a faith-based NGO?In this NGO Soul+Strategy podcast episode, I interview Martha Holley Newsome, President & CEO of Medical Teams International, and we talk among others about women and positional power in faith-based NGOs, and why, based on anecdotal data...
2022-12-141h 32NGO Soul + Strategy048. How to kindle innovation in large development agencies: Soren Vester Haldrup @ UNDPSummaryDo you work in a large NGO or UN agency, and wonder how the heck you are supposed to stimulate innovations in such a sizable, potentially quite bureaucratic organization?Do you assume that organization size and structure matter when it comes to creating a good climate for innovation?And is lack of innovation funds as big an issue as we make it out to be?In this podcast episode, I interview Soren Vester Haldrup, Innovation Fund Manager at UNDP, on how to kindle innovation in large development agencies...
2022-12-0347 minNGO Soul + Strategy047. Crisis leadership skills during war: Pact's Alyona Gerasimova in UkraineSummaryLeadership in crisis contexts.Many NGOs regularly work in contexts of crisis, or war. The war in Ukraine was one of those contexts, and it led quite a few NGOs to reallocate programming resources toward the Ukrainian population.PACT is a US-founded NGO which has worked in Ukraine for many years. In this podcast episode, I took the opportunity to ask Alyona Gerasimova, its Country Director, a number of things related to leadership skills, behaviors and actions in crisis.What leadership aspects are most important in such circumstances?
2022-11-1947 min
DocWorking: The Whole Physician Podcast209: Changing the Medical Culture One Team at a Time with Leadership Expert Tosca Bruno-van Vijfeijken“If we want culture change, we need to bring a new top leader and they are going to kind of drive culture change from the top down. That's not really how it works. It has to be at least a top-down and a bottom-up effort combined.”
- Tosca Bruno-van Vijfeijken
We're excited to bring back international coach and consultant, Tosca Bruno-van Vijfeijken. She's a public thought leader and coauthor of the book, “Between Power and Irrelevance: The Future of Transnational NGOs”, published by Oxford University Press in 2020. Tosca is an international expert on leadership and has many ins...
2022-11-1030 minNGO Soul + Strategy046. Signaling your financial trustworthiness lowers your NGOs impact by half: George Mitchell and Thad CalabreseSummaryDid you know....When nonprofits signal they are financially trustworthy, they actually give up to half of their potential impact.Why is this "financial trustworthiness signaling behavior” so pervasive, when it has this high a cost?In this podcast episode, I interview George Mitchell, Professor of Nonprofit Management at Baruch College, City University of New York – and a long-time collaborator, including on our book (Between Power and Irrelevance: the Future of Transnational NGOs’ (Oxford University Press, 2020) -- and Thad Calabrese, Professor of Public and Nonprofit Management at New York Univ...
2022-10-2045 minNGO Soul + Strategy045. What we as NGO leaders need to do to spur innovation: Dermot O'Gorman @ WWF AustraliaSummaryWhat can we learn from civil society leaders who wish to spur the adoption and implementation of innovations?How do humans – within organizations, and particularly in NGOs – react to change?What is the best advice when leading NGOs through innovation, from a senior team leader’s perspective?Today, I am interviewing Dermot O'Gorman of WWF Australia on the do's can don'ts of NGO leadership when it comes to promoting innovation. Dermot’s Bio:Global Leader in Innovation for Sustainable Developmen...
2022-10-0645 minNGO Soul + Strategy044. Disability rights: how NGOs go about actually claiming them - Susan Sygall @ Mobility International USASummaryWhy has it taken so long to mainstream disabled people's concerns, when 15% of the global population has some form of disability?Has it been helpful to see disability integrated into Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) approaches -- or have there been some downsides to this approach?Are there disadvantages to being perceived as a single-issue organization (i.e. disabled people’s organizations)?Today, I am interviewing Susan Sygall of Mobility International USA (MIUSA) about how NGOs go about claiming rights for people with physical, mental and cognitive disabilities.
2022-08-0943 minNGO Soul + Strategy043. How I practice virtual leadership in a complex membership organization - Lysa John @ CIVICUSSummaryWhat works in establishing personal relationships and developing trust and bonding in the virtual space, when we as leaders have never met our colleagues face to face?Some NGO leaders and managers started their jobs at the beginning of the pandemic and led entirely virtually for a long stretch - onboarding, developing personal relationships, bonding, trust development - the whole deal. Lysa John, Secretary General at CIVICUS knows a thing or two about this. So I was really curious how this experience impacted her leadership experience and approaches.In this NGO...
2022-08-0448 minNGO Soul + Strategy042. Feminist leadership: organizational practices to make it real -- Kirthi Jayakumar & Leila BillingSummaryToday, I am interviewing Kirthi Jayakumar of World Pulse and founder of the Gender Security Project, and Leila Billing, senior advisor on youth, gender, and social movement building on Feminist Leadership. Leila, along with Natalie Brook, runs an open enrollment Feminist Leadership training program (We are Feminist Leaders), and Kirthi is one of its alumni.As some NGOs and development organizations have embraced, how much of its subversive elements get diluted and cooptated; and how should we think about this? Is there still good being achieved, or is there a real danger...
2022-07-0839 minNGO Soul + Strategy041. Rest, reset, resilience: how my mind journeyed when I took a sabbatical - Chris Proulx @ HumentumSummaryWhat happens when NGO leaders take a 4 months sabbatical? What happens to the mind -- what journey does it go on during a 4 month's rest from work?What happens, especially when we are talking about a leader who was already quite steeped in mindfulness and meditation before he started his sabbatical?In this podcast episode, I discuss with Chris Proulx, Global Director at Humentum the topic of rest, reset, reflection, and personal resilience when leaders take an extensive break from work. Chr...
2022-06-2636 minNGO Soul + Strategy040. Can NGOs Stay Human-Centered while Embracing Smart Tech? Beth Kanter and Allison FineSummaryThe new generation of 'smart technology' - chatbots, AI, machine learning, natural language processing, robots etc. can bring major benefits to nonprofits - if they can discern what they need to do to remain human-centered in their choice of technology. And if they remain aware of the potential for bias in AI-generated data, given its profound potential negative impact?What can nonprofits – who are frequently not digital natives, let alone coders themselves – do to protect themselves against these?In this episode, we discuss the timely new book by Beth K...
2022-06-1345 minNGO Soul + Strategy039. How NGO CEOs are thinking about operating model changes, right now: Christine Sow of HumentumSummaryChristine Sow is the CEO of Humentum, a global support organization for NGOs who wish to enhance their operational performance. Humentum helps NGOs translate their aspirations into operating models that give them the ability to deliver on those aspirations.In that capacity, and given that Humentum among others facilitates peer sharing among CEOs on lessons learned in improving operating models, she has the perfect perch to give us a sense of what types of change CEOs currently are considering. So what are some of Christine's overriding impressions from r...
2022-05-3153 min
Embodying change: Transforming power, culture and well-being for people in aid25. Governing Well with Aseem Prakash and Tosca Bruno-van VijfeijkenMelissa speaks with Aseem Prakash and Tosca Bruno-van Vijfeijken about how governing boards of aid organisations can “govern well.” They discuss the power dynamics present in any group of humans, embracing difference and true diversity, prioritising lived experience, modelling behaviours, and asking smart questions. Professor Prakash studies NGOs and nonprofits, and voluntary/private regulation, environmental policy and climate governance. He is a widely published author. He has a B.A. (Hons) in Economics from St. Stephen's College, University of Delhi in 1986 and MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad in 1988. Since 2002, he has served on the facu...
2022-05-1950 minNGO Soul + Strategy038. Exploring Possible Futures for Conservation NGOs: Anca Damerell @ Luc Hoffman InstituteSummaryWhat is the future for conservation NGOs? Is there a future? If so, what kinds of roles, mandates, organizational culture, and capabilities do conservation NGOs of the future need to embrace? That was the question that a small team of consultants, including yours truly, tried to address by providing 15 - sometimes bold -- propositions for changes in roles and mandates. In this episode, I interview Anca Damerell, Head of Programme at the Luc Hoffmann Institute, and in turn, she interviews me right back :). Listen...
2022-05-1052 minNGO Soul + Strategy037. We need to rethink the 'virtue narrative' surrounding NGOs: Aseem PrakashSummaryWhy might the assumptions we frequently make about the ‘virtue narrative’ that surrounds NGOs be problematic? Aren't they meant to create social good in the world?In this podcast episode, I discuss this with Aseem Prakash, a well-known academic who focuses on nonprofits as well as on environmental activism, particularly focused on climate change. Aseem wrote an article, problematizing exactly this ‘virtue narrative’ surrounding NGOs.Aseem’s Bio:Professor at the University of Washington in Seattle (USA)Founder of the University of Washington's Center for Environment...
2022-04-2136 minNGO Soul + Strategy036. Why the NGO Halo Effect is problematic: a conversation with Isabel De Bruin CardosoSummaryWhat is the 'halo effect' when it comes to NGOs, and why does it matter?Here's a rough definition of ‘the halo effectj. The term comes out of the psychological academic literature: if the first impression of a person or an entity is positive for a person, this tends to stick with people. This tends to be the case for NGOs: NGOs are assumed to be ‘good’; thus they are glorified.And why can this be problematic? Because when NGOs are assumed to be 'good' (i.e. morally, ethica...
2022-04-0943 min
Chasing Impact - The MzN International Podcast"Chasing Impact" with Tosca Bruno-van VijfeijkenThis is the third and final episode of a 3-part short podcast series in which MzN MD Chris Meyer zu Natrup and Tosca Bruno-van Vijfeijken, Principal Consultant at Five Oaks Consulting, engage in candid, thought-provoking - and somewhat provocative - conversations about the future of the nonprofit sector and the mindsets and mental models that shape the organisations of today.In part 3, “Chasing Impact", they ask themselves if nonprofits can truly makeand measure the impact they set out to achieve. They explore why some organisations do notcreate the impact th...
2022-03-0641 minNGO Soul + Strategy035. Chasing impact - ever more elusive? One more exchange with Chris of MZNTosca is in conversation with Christian Meyer zu Natrup, Managing Director of MzN International, a boutique consulting firm that focuses both on nonprofits in international development, and on businesses that wish to do good, in this final episode of our 3 part joint podcast series. The other 2 episodes cover ‘Chasing innovation’ (episode #33) and ‘Chasing funding’' (episode #34).SummaryNonprofits are here to solve complex problems. But can they? Where is the impact? And why do some organizations spend so much time and money to achieve what some might typify as relatively...
2022-03-0643 minNGO Soul + Strategy034. How to generate greater innovation capability in your nonprofit: observations of an innovation coachSummaryNGOs are sometimes labeled fairly critically as 'dinosaurs' or 'legacy organizations'. How can they create a more innovation-ready or innovation-friendly culture? What can NGOs learn from other types of organizations when it comes to generating more innovation, either in the broader civil society sector or outside of it?What stands in the way, in terms of organizational structures, processes, or ways of working when NGOs struggle? Leadership mindsets? In this podcast episode, I interview Shervin Fekri at Board of Innovation. Board of Innovation (BoI) is a strategy and busin...
2022-02-2051 minNGO Soul + Strategy033. Chasing funding - will it ever end? A back-and-forth with Chris of MZNTosca is in conversation with Christian Meyer zu Natrup, Managing Director of MzN International, in the second episode of our 3 part, joint podcast series. The other 2 episodes cover ‘Chasing Innovation’ (episode #032) and ‘Chasing impact’ (episode #34, expected to be aired around Feb 23).SummaryGood projects/programs need good funding. But why do some organizations continue to grow and some stagnate? And is growth even a good or necessary thing in this era of a renewed look at the appropriate role of global North-founded INGOs, when global-South civil society is asking to #shiftthep...
2022-02-0738 min
Chasing Impact - The MzN International Podcast"Chasing Funding" with Tosca Bruno-van VijfeijkenThis is the second episode of a 3-part short podcast series in which MzN MD Chris Meyer zu Natrup and Tosca Bruno-van Vijfeijken, Principal Consultant at Five Oaks Consulting, candid, thought-provoking - and somewhat provocative - conversations about the future of the nonprofit sector and the mindsets and mental models that shape the organisations of today.In part 2, “Chasing Funding”, they delve into the topic of the never-ending funding cycle and the seemingly outdated business model which most NGOs are forced to adopt. They assess why some organisations continue to grow while others stagnate and what...
2022-02-0736 min
Chasing Impact - The MzN International Podcast"Chasing Innovation" with Tosca Bruno-van VijfeijkenThis is the first episode of a 3-part short podcast series in which MzN MD Chris Meyer zu Natrup and Tosca Bruno-van Vijfeijken, Principal Consultant at Five Oaks Consulting, have candid, thought-provoking - and somewhat provocative - conversations about the future of the nonprofit sector and the mindsets and mental models that shape the organisations of today.In part one entitled “Chasing Innovation”, Chris and Tosca explore if nonprofits are at risk of becoming obsolete and what they need to do to survive and thrive in a modern, digital world. They discuss what leaders can do to tran...
2022-01-2331 minNGO Soul + Strategy032. Chasing Innovation: can we do better as NGOs? In discussion with Chris Meyer of MzN InternationalTosca is in conversation with Christian Meyer zu Natrup, Managing Director of MzN International, in the first episode of of a three-part podcast series. The other two episodes which will air in February 2022 will cover ‘Chasing Funding’ and ‘Chasing Impact’SummaryAre INGOs inherently inefficient, slow and lack innovation to the point that they will go, or ought to go, extinct?And if not, what should leaders do to transform their organisations into solution providers at a time when the world faces unprecedented upheaval, a climate crisis, pandemics and a myriad of other...
2022-01-2339 minDocWorking: The Whole Physician Podcast138: The Physician Leader as Learner with Tosca Bruno-van Vijfeijken“So what motivates you as a leader is important to know from the beginning.” -Tosca Bruno-van Vijfeijken
All physicians are leaders.
In today’s episode, DocWorking Founder and CEO, Dr. Jen Barna talks about physician leadership with internationally recognized leadership expert Tosca Bruno-van Vijfeijken. In this conversation they discuss multiple different styles of leadership, including leader as learner, transactional, post heroic and more. Tosca points out the importance of knowing what motivates you as a physician leader. Tosca Bruno-van Vijfeijken has offered leadership development and coaching, change management and facilitation services to intern...
2022-01-2025 min
NGO Soul + Strategy031. What you can do to excel in virtual team leadership: Monica Maassen @ Oxfam SummaryMonica is a change management specialist par excellence. She is also thoughtful about all things management and leadership. How does she see the linkages between change management and virtual/hybrid team leadership - something we all got thrown into big time in the last 2 years (if we did not already practice it before)? What is the biggest thing(s) we may be missing about not working in a co-located team, and what is it that we may not miss that much? What are the biggest differences between leading a virtual or h...
2021-11-2645 minNGO Soul + Strategy030. Reinventing social change by overcoming self-limiting belief systems: Nell EdgingtonSummaryNell Edgington, a well known American consultant who serves US domestic nonprofits is of the opinion that nonprofit leaders maintain too many self-limiting beliefs and mindsets.In her new book 'Reinventing social change: Embracing abundance to create a healthier and more equitable world' she explains how these self-limiting beliefs have seeped into the collective mindset and DNA of the nonprofit sector. In the book, Nell strongly advocates for abundance thinking -- instead of scarcity thinking, one of those dominant self-limiting beliefs.In this podcast episode, I discuss with Nell the ce...
2021-11-1438 minNGO Soul + Strategy029. Potential and peril when NGOs collaborate with social movements: May Miller-DawkinsSummary What are the biggest limitations social movements encounter, time and again? What are the good examples of positive collaboration between INGOs and social movements? And what characteristics, what attributes made that collaboration positive? In this podcast episode, I discussed with May Miller-Dawkins about the potential and peril when NGOs collaborate with social movements. May’s Bio: Researcher, advocate and facilitator, working with social movements, NGOs, foundations, universities and community groups on social change processes Used to be based in New South Wales, Australia, now in New Zea...
2021-10-0841 minNGO Soul + Strategy028. Strategic planning when your CSO faces fundamental uncertainties: Dave Algoso, facilitator & consultantSummaryHow has strategic planning changed during the pandemic?What are general blind spots when it comes to strategic planning in our social sector?What are jazzy new approaches to strategic planning that civil society organizations should consider?And what are the warning signs, as a strategy consultant, that tell you you should not get involved?In this podcast episode, I discuss with Dave Algoso, strategy facilitator and consultant 'par excellence', how civil society organizations (CSOs) have changed how they go about strategic planning in this very uncertain world. ...
2021-09-2541 minNGO Soul + Strategy027. People, resistance to new ideas and the power of removing friction: interview with Loran NordgrenSummaryWhy do people resist new ideas, including inside organizations, and including with regard to organizational change initiatives? And what can we as change managers/leaders do about this?What's more important: making your new idea more 'shiny', more attractive, or removing obstacles that stand in the way of people accepting new ideas?Would resistance to new ideas play out differently in the nonprofit sector as compared to others?What does ‘neophobia’ mean, and does it apply as much to the (international) nonprofit sectors as to the private sect...
2021-09-1141 minNGO Soul + Strategy026. Right Work and Right Team: how the Ultra-Poor Graduation Initiative (BRAC) is aspiring to become a truly diverse, global entity - Rasha NatourSummary What are the advantages and disadvantages (if any) when an organization is in a position to start almost as if with a new slate after a large core grant infusion, and thus can propel an ambitious DEI agenda?And how do local authorities and national governments in global South countries respond to a localization push by an initiative like the Ultra Poor Graduation Initiative, part of the large Bangladesh-founded NGO BRAC? In this episode, we talk with Rasha Natour, Senior Advocacy Manager at UPGI, about the Initiative's two strands of DEI...
2021-07-2245 min
The Common Good Data PodcastThe Relevance of TNGOs with Tosca Bruno-van Vijfeijken, George Mitchell, and Hans Peter SchmitzThis week, we welcome Tosca Bruno-van Vijfeijken, George Mitchell, and Hans Peter Schmitz to talk about their book, Between Power and Irrelevance: The Future of Transnational NGOs. We talk about how the “architecture” of the sector - or how nonprofits are set up and function - may in fact get in the way of bringing about the change nonprofits seek. We also discuss inherent challenges in the sector including the tension between advocacy and direct services as well as themes across the sector related to leadership and organizational culture. The episode closes with a conversation on the cars of the 80s, w...
2021-06-141h 11NGO Soul + Strategy025. Gabriela (Oxfam), Julia (ActionAid), and Sofia (CARE): a celebration of Latina women's leadershipSummary How often does it happen that three of the biggest INGOs are all headed by three Latina women. Not often -- and definitely a reason to celebrate.Sofia, Julia and Gabriela discuss their perspectives on leadership When it comes to crafting the new employee experience after COVID, what changes in that experience stand out?To what extent the interviewees experience that women leader still cannot bring their whole person to leadership, and need to adjust to male expectations of leadership?How have the...
2021-06-0545 minNGO Soul + Strategy024. Organizational ethics, integrity, power and governance: Alex Cole-HamiltonSummary What is wrong with the current approach to organizational ethics and integrity in NGOs?Why is using a lens of power analysis so helpful to bring INGO governance into focus?Only by looking at the very core of how organizations work, we can begin to achieve the deep and effective change needed across the sector. In this episode, we discuss organizational ethics and integrity concerns in INGOs with Alex Cole-Hamilton, independent consultant.Alex’s BioIndependent consultant, advising boards and exec...
2021-05-1341 minNGO Soul + Strategy023. What's a feminist leader to do about social power in organizations: Srilatha BatliwalaSummary What is social power? And how does this concept relate to Feminist Leadership? And how does it show up in organizational dynamics within civil society organizations (CSOs)?Are there any cross-cultural aspects to Feminist Leadership?I discussed these topics during an interview with Srilatha Batliwala, senior advisor at CREA and Gender at Work, a well-known social movement 'pracademic' and activist, and author of peer-reviewed articles about INGOs.Srilatha Batliwala's bioSenior advisor, Knowledge Building and Feminist Leadership, CREA (a feminist human rights...
2021-04-3046 minNGO Soul + Strategy022. How to lead organizational change when you are the first person of color in top leadership: Dorothy Nyambi, CEO of MEDASummary Dorothy Nyambi took on the top leadership role in MEDA two years ago as the only person of color in the senior leadership team. She since then has led change with that awareness in mind:What do we mean by culture change, and how to see and operationalize it?Politics and power within an organization, from a change leader’s perspective.How to lead and manage organizational change? What frameworks, resources, or tools are most valuable? Inclusion and diversity -- or lack of diversity...
2021-04-0246 minNGO Soul + Strategy021. Positional power games and ‘feminist bureaucrats’ in multilateral organizations: Joanne Sandler's observationsSummaryHow does Feminist Leadership ‘perform’ when a leader has to make hard choices?How well has feminist leadership served organizations during the past year of the pandemic-related crisis, or other periods of crisis?What kind of worthy values and interests might ‘compete’ with those called for by feminist leadership, and how should leaders resolve this?I discussed these topics during an interview with Joanne Sandler, senior associate at Gender at Work, and former leader at UN Women. Joanne's BioSenior associate at Gender at...
2021-03-2040 minNGO Soul + Strategy020. Feminist leadership and 'deep power structures’ within organizations: Aruna Rao, co-founder of Gender at WorkWhat are the political or other strategies and tactics that a feminist leader can use to analyze the presence of ‘deep structures’ of power within organizations?What can a feminist leader practically do to change these power structures?And in what scenarios does Feminist Leadership shine in particular ways?I discussed these topics during an interview with Aruna Rao, Co-founder and chair of the board at Gender at WorkAruna's BioCo-founder, former chair of the board at Gender at Work and its former Executive Director. Gender at Wo...
2021-02-0240 minNGO Soul + Strategy019. Politics, power and feminist leadership within NGOs - Lisa Veneklasen's take on thingsOrganizational leaders have to balance competing values. What kind of worthy values and interests might ‘compete’ with those called for by Feminist Leadership (FL) and how should leaders resolve those? What to do when we need to hold individual staff or teams to account for underperformance, given FL’s emphasis on being developmental, its focus on staff care, etc.? When do leaders decide that they cannot consult everybody but need to make certain decisions within a small circle? Is this in conflict with the feminist leadership principles?I discussed these topics during an interv...
2021-01-0746 minNGO Soul + Strategy018. Power as finite resource or as unlimited good: Paul O’Brien at Oxfam America on influencing NGOsWhat's a global North-founded influencing NGO to do to stay relevant, credible, and effective? And should influencing NGOs see power as an infinite resource -- that can be grown and shared and in principle is unlimited in nature -- or as a limited asset that needs to be fought for? Finally, how does a seasoned advocacy NGO leader look upon the current moment as a combination of crisis and opportunity? I discussed these topics during a wide-ranging interview with Paul O'Brien, Vice President of Policy and Advocacy at Ox...
2020-12-2031 minNGO Soul + Strategy017. What's all this talk about feminist leadership? An interview with Abby Maxman, CEO, Oxfam AmericaWhat’s all this talk about feminist leadership? An interview with Abby Maxman, Oxfam America’s CEO Feminist leadership seems to be in ascendance in the INGO sector. Now, our sector is a bit prone to fads and fashions -- so should we take this seriously? Is this leadership model here to stay? And what are its potential, its power as well as its limitations? This is what I explore in a short series of episodes about feminist leadership, which is starting with this interview with Abby Maxman, CEO of Oxfam America.Later...
2020-11-1934 minNGO Soul + Strategy016. ‘Mergers and Acquisitions are in the air’: a discussion with two Plan USA NGO leaders who lived to tell the taleIn this interview with Tessie San Martin and Constantin Abarbieritei, CEO and Chief Operating Officer, respectively, at Plan USA, we discuss what lessons they learned in leading two acquisitions and one divestiture.Quotes:“If you want to do M&A, you’d better also know how to do divestiture”“The lack of financial motives, metrics as well as incentive structures, as compared to the private sector, is a real problem in making M&A happen in the NGO sector”In this stimulatin...
2020-09-1449 minNGO Soul + Strategy015. Not your usual NGO strategy process: Oxfam's recent experience with strategy formation and whether it is holding up during this massive disruptionInterview with Muthoni Muriu and Doris Basler of Oxfam about their ambitious, innovative, bottom-up Oxfam strategy process, which was approved at the onset of the global pandemicBiosMuthoni Muriu: Former Global Strategy Lead, Oxfam America & Oxfam International (please note that Muthoni left Oxfam as of June 30, 2020, after the strategy had been approved by Oxfam International's Board)Former Senior Director, Global Programs Mgt team, Oxfam America Former Regional Program Director, W-Africa, Oxfam AmericaEducated at the University of London - London School of Economics and Politics and School for Oriental and African Studies (SO...
2020-08-0258 minNGO Soul + Strategy014. Between Power and Irrelevance: what *is* the future of transnational NGOs? An conversation with my two 'co-conspirators' on the bookSummaryTosca focuses on her new book ‘Between Power and Irrelevance: the Future of Transnational NGOs’, which she co-authored with George Mitchell and Hans Peter Schmitz. Barney Tallack, ex-Oxfam leader and independent consultant, also made important contributions towards the book. Why transnational NGOs have a hard time living up to their (bigger) promises and claims How our transnational NGO sector is still governed by a 20th-century legal architecture for charities, and how this is detrimental on many levelsIf NGOs want to transform themselves into movements, brokers and thought conveners, they’ve got to change the expe...
2020-07-1943 minNGO Soul + Strategy013. INGO leadership responses during hard times: a joint podcast episode with the International Civil Society CenterAs NGO community we are staring into the unknown, and as Bob Johansen of the Institute for the Future, memorably, said recently: "The future will reward clarity, but punish uncertainty. Be wary of people who need certainty, since certainty is brittle". Yet, our brains crave certainty, so what to do? How to lead our NGOs during a global crisis like this?This was one of the central topics at the recent (June 3-5, 2020) 'Leading Together' meeting of the International Civil Society Centre, a leading convening body for mid to large size transnational NGOs. I was happy to b...
2020-07-0658 minNGO Soul + Strategy012. NGO change management tips from a pro. A conversation with Barney TallackNGO change management is challenging - to say the least. A conversation with Barney Tallack to help you learn from a proBio Barney TallackPrincipal Consultant, Averthur ConsultingFormer Director of Strategy, Oxfam InternationalFormer Director for Change Management, Oxfam Int.Multiple other leadership roles in Oxfam (spanning a career of 25 years within that organization)Board member of Forest Peoples, Fairtrade Foundation and several other nonprofit boardsQuotes:“The field of change management is huge and has no boundaries”And on the financial implications of the pandemic for the global Nort...
2020-06-2045 minNGO Soul + Strategy011.NGO campaigns miss how humans process difficult emotions. Listen to Stefan Flothmann of Greenpeace to learn how to fix thisIn this episode, I discuss with Stefan Flothmann, who heads Greenpeace's MindWorks Cognitive Science Lab, how campaign designs miss how humans process difficult and negative emotions, and how this diminishes campaigns' effectiveness.Quotes:“Greenpeace staff were working on the assumption we were working towards a state of paradise, but they are struggling instead with the state of loss we have to deal with”“Our assumption used to be: we are humans, so we understand how other humans work. Common sense approaches to our campaigning suffice. We were wrong”Stefan's bio:· ...
2020-06-0843 minNGO Soul + Strategy010. NGO Mergers + Acquisitions: an interview with Rick Santos, a CEO who lived to tell the storyAre more Mergers and Acquisitions in NGOs’ futures? And is that a good thing? An interview with Rick Santos, a CEO who lived to tell the story Bio Rick Santos Rick was the CEO of IMA World Health between 2009 and 2018, after having worked in the international health and development sector for over two decades IMA World Health is a faith-based nonprofit organization that provides health care services and supplies to vulnerable and marginalized people. We should note that in the developing world, an estimated 30 to 60 percent of health care is pro...
2020-05-1041 minNGO Soul + Strategy009. How nonprofits can be more performance-focused, and why diversity, equity and inclusion is part and parcel of such a business plan: an interview with Tammy Dowley-BlackmanTammy Dowley-Blackman is a seasoned and dynamite consultant in the domestic US nonprofit management and effectiveness space, who I look up to. In this interview, Tammy shares: How her observations as a nonprofit leader, and the insufficient emphasis she observed nonprofits put on performance issues, drove her to set up her consulting firm The fallacy that ensuring diversity and inclusion strategies is not part and parcel of nonprofit business management How cultural competencies and attention to diversity, equity and inclusion strategies in nonprofits are intimately related How nonprofits who do not manage to trans...
2020-04-2538 minNGO Soul + Strategy008. Continuous improvement together: the case for Constituent Voice - a conversation with David Bonbright of Keystone AccountabilityDavid Bonbright, co-founder and Chief Executive of Keystone Accountability, an international charity dedicated to bringing constituent feedback to social change practice. In this interview, David addresses the following questions and topics: What is Constituent Voice? And why is it so important if an NGO wants to be more outcome-focused? How is it different, and more than ‘downward accountability’? Easier said than done: NGO leaders need to balance many competing values and priorities. How should they balance the voice of their primary constituents/clients/stakeholders/customers with those of other stakehold...
2020-03-2240 minNGO Soul + Strategy007. Are NGOs subject to the dynamic of ‘successful failure’? A conversation with George Mitchell of Baruch College, City University of New YorkGeorge Mitchell, professor at Baruch College at the City University of New York, USA, is one of my long time collaborators, a dear friend and one of those wonderful academics with a healthy respect for NGO practitioners. He and I, and Hans Peter Schmitz have co-authored an upcoming book on transnational NGOs, which will come out in June 2020.In this interview, George addresses the following questions and topics: What stops NGOs/nonprofits from becoming more outcome-oriented? How is it possible that NGOs can survive indefinitely without showing outcomes? Does th...
2020-03-2041 minNGO Soul + Strategy005. Measuring social change: advice by Alnoor Ebrahim, nonprofit accountability expertAlnoor Ebrahim, Professor @ Tufts University, USAHow can we as NGO leaders make sure that our strategy informs our measurement strategy as organizations? How can we make sure our NGOs are not just upward/funder-oriented in our measurement approach, but also focused on internal accountability and organizational learning? And what mindsets are most helpful to make measurement efforts meaningful? In this interview, we address: What stops us as nonprofits from becoming more outcome-oriented? What are some roadblocks to watch out for when NGOs aspire to become more outcome-oriented? What is the Big Idea...
2020-03-1533 minNGO Soul + Strategy006. Organizational learning as one way to get to a stronger outcome-orientation: interview with two powerhousesWhat organizational dynamics cause NGOs and funders to make overblown outcome statements? In this interview with Julia Coffman and Tanya Beer of the Center for Evaluation Innovation, two thought leaders in the space of evaluation and organizational learning in the philanthropic and NGO sector, we address: What stops us as nonprofits from becoming more outcome-oriented? When your NGO starts a new strategy, can the evaluation folks not just inform the eventual measurement of that strategy but also help you with synthesizing what was learned up till that point? And why can the more ‘comfortable’ notion of...
2020-03-1546 minNGO Soul + Strategy004. A consultant’s observations in helping leaders navigate big organizational change – interview with Ed Boswell of Conner AdvisoryEp 004 – Ed BoswellTitle: A consultant’s observations in helping NGO leaders navigate big organizational change: Ed Boswell, Conner AdvisorySummary para: Daryl Conner and Ed Boswell of Conner Advisory have been advising private sector leaders for 30+ plus years on how to successfully lead big organizational change processes. How much of this experience translates over into the NGO sector? Ed Boswell talks with Tosca about the many lessons he learned.To what extent has Ed observed differences in how people think about and execute change management in the private versu...
2020-02-1231 minNGO Soul + Strategy003. Reflections by Sarah Ralston, long time change manager in CARE's 2020 change processEp 003 – Sarah Ralston Title: Whole-of-organization thinking: Reflections by Sarah Ralston, former longtime change manager in CARE2020’s processSummary para: The complex work of an NGO change manager requires that you have a ‘whole of organization’ perspective. Sarah Ralston, who until recently led many change initiatives at CARE International, reveals what she learned in this third episode in our series on Change Management. How does Sarah see the different components of an organizational change process?·What does she do as a change manager, on a daily basis?·What has she f...
2020-02-1131 minNGO Soul + Strategy002. Interview with Ramesh Singh regarding his change leadership at ActionAid and GreenpeaceEp 002 – Ramesh SinghTitle: What I learned from leading ActionAid’s federalization process as well as Greenpeace’s recent change trajectory – Ramesh SinghSummary para: Ramesh Singh, former CEO of ActionAid, led its process of federalization - an important change in its organizational form - over a decade ago. In addition, Ramesh as International Organization Director led Greenpeace’s process to decentralize decision making from Greenpeace International’s headquarters to its regional and national offices. During the same period, Greenpeace also aligned its organization with a strategic shift of its campaigning approach to a...
2020-02-1036 minNGO Soul + Strategy001. Lessons from a long time change manager: Monica Maassen, Oxfam InternationalLessons from a long time change manager: Monica Maassen, Oxfam International Episode 001 – Monica Maassen Title: Oxfam’s 2020 change journey: lessons from a long-time change manager - Monica MaassenSummary para: Oxfam International and its 20+ affiliates have embarked on significant organizational change – appropriately called ‘Oxfam2020’. Monica Maassen, Head of Oxfam Int’s change management, learning and change communications, explains her approach to how she and her team try to promote and accompany this large-scale change process, and the many lessons she has learned along the way. How does Monica see the differe...
2020-02-0942 minNGO Soul + StrategyAnnouncement launch podcast: NGO Soul + StrategyThis is short introduction of my new podcast NGO Soul + Strategy, for leaders of NGOs and other philanthropic organizations who look change right in the eye. To be launched February 2020.
2020-02-0800 min
Lessons from LeadersLessons From Leaders: Featured Guest Tosca Bruno-van VijfeijkenYou’ll want to set aside dedicated time for this information-packed interview with Tosca Bruno-van Vijfeijken. She reveals several ways to keep consistency, finding your passion through meaningful work and acknowledging the real motivators and incentives within herself. Tosca shares a powerful and shocking truth about the charitable sector that will leave you with internal reflection. Get to know ToscaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/toscabrun...Website: https://5oaksconsulting.org/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Five-Oaks-Co...Twitter: https://twitter.com/Tosca5OaksLessons From Leaders is a Podcast by Lynne Gil...
2019-09-2624 min
SocialEx - Humentum's podcastSocialEx E4: Tosca Bruno-van Vijfeijken on change managementEpisode 4 of Humentum's monthly podcast features a conversation with Tosca Bruno-van Vijfeijken, who at the time of recording was Director of the Transnational NGO (TNGO) Initiative at the Maxwell School at Syracuse University, and is transitioning out this year to start her own consultancy, Five Oaks Consulting. Here, Tosca talks to us about INGO leadership, change management, culture, and more!This episode was recorded prior to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
2019-04-0133 min