Category Archives: Sustainability

Sometimes looking back helps

When you’re looking for your next employment challenge, it can be very difficult – especially in the current climate. When you’re head down striving for that success, it can be a matter of focusing on one issue after another. Today I was reminded how positive it can be to look back and contemplate your successesContinue reading “Sometimes looking back helps”

Your purchasing can change the world

Procurement isn’t normally the first thing that springs to mind when we talk about changing the world. Maybe it should be. Every time your organisation buys something, someone makes a choice about where that money goes. Normally we think about price, quality, specifications, delivery and service. Quite rightly too. But why stop there? Imagine aContinue reading “Your purchasing can change the world”

We need to end fragmentation

In case you didn’t notice, it’s hard out there. Increasing number of organisations applying for a smaller pool of donations. New contracts are almost unheard of while compliance is a never ending beast. If we want a thriving charitable sector, we need to be smarter. We can’t keep on setting up new organisations in theContinue reading “We need to end fragmentation”

Just Explore

In an environment where everyone is trying to give you advice, it can be reassuring to sit down with a sounding board and just explore. This what I do…. I’m not a coach or advisor; I’m not an expert on some American management model that is apparently the answer to every issue, and I certainlyContinue reading “Just Explore”

Survival is a plan

It’s tough out there at the moment – we all know that. If you’re purpose driven, you see it from both sides. The need has increased while funding and/or sales are difficult. We want to do more, but it feels like we have less. It’s OK, saving the world takes time. It might sound counterintuitiveContinue reading “Survival is a plan”

Reconsidering scalability in the not-for-profit-sector

I wrote this over six years ago and it still rings true today. Growing the new wave It was interesting to reconsider the point I made about scalability and infrastructure: “There is a place for mergers and joint ventures. We need to look past our own brands and ‘local solutions’ if we wish to makeContinue reading “Reconsidering scalability in the not-for-profit-sector”

Why do you want to be redundant?

Before leadership was such a buzz word, I attended a first level supervisory course that left a piece of advice forever embedded in my brain. Your key job as a manager is to make yourself redundant. This pearl may date back to the ‘80s but it’s still a key fundamental for leadership. It’s about buildingContinue reading “Why do you want to be redundant?”