The Leader to Leader Podcast

Comfortable with ambiguity: Kye Lockwood meets Janet Thorne

What does it mean to lead well when certainty is no longer an option? In this second episode of our series, Kye Lockwood sits down with Janet Thorne, CEO of Reach Volunteering, for a wide-ranging and thought-provoking conversation about leadership in a world where the rules keep changing. Janet brings a distinctive perspective on trust, having to build it not just within her team, but across an entire two-sided platform where volunteers and organisations must learn to rely on each other, often without ever meeting face to face. Kye and Janet explore how the pace and scale of change has transformed what leadership demands of us, drawing on frameworks like the Three Horizons model and the Bridges Transition Model to make sense of why everything feels so overwhelming right now. They discuss why clinging to five-year plans and KPIs in an unpredictable world is, as Janet puts it, "gripping onto a crumbling cliff", and why preparing for uncertainty matters more than planning for a future we can't see. Janet speaks candidly about the leadership behaviours she models most for her team — including how to own your mistakes fearlessly and without defensiveness — and why a culture of bold experimentation is essential for any organisation trying to innovate its way through a perma-crisis. The conversation also ventures into territory that doesn't get talked about enough: the weight of leading an organisation while also grappling with the state of the world — from the retreat of anti-racism commitments to the looming reality of the climate and nature crisis. And Janet offers a quietly hopeful counterpoint, rooted in her belief that people are hardwired to care, to collaborate, and to step up when it matters most. Janet closes by introducing her next guest: Kiran Kaur, co-founder and CEO of Girl Dreamer, and the questions she most wants to explore about the future of leadership with a group who have long had to navigate systems that weren't designed for them.

The trust imperative: Jane Ide meets Kye Lockwood

Transcript available at https://www.acevo.org.uk/resources/podcast/ What does it really take to lead a charity through constant uncertainty? In this first episode of our new series, Jane Ide sits down with Kye Lockwood — charity chief executive of DataKind UK — to explore one of the most fundamental challenges facing sector leaders today: building and sustaining trust. From the seismic shift brought about by the pandemic, to the ongoing cost of living crisis and what Kye calls the "perma-crisis" of modern charity leadership, this conversation gets to the heart of what it means to lead with honesty and transparency — even when the news isn't good. Kye and Jane discuss why protecting your team by hiding difficult truths can actually undermine the psychological safety that organisations need most in tough times; how to read the culture of an organisation before trying to change it; and why making hay while the sun shines — building trust in the good times — is the single most important thing a leader can do to prepare for the hard ones. They also reflect on the charity sector's relationship with funders and commissioners, the fleeting moment of genuine partnership that emerged during the pandemic, and what it will take to stop the sector slipping back into a supplicant role when it has so much unique expertise to offer. Kye closes by introducing his next guest: Janet Thorne, CEO of Reach Volunteering, and the question he most wants to explore with her about trust, platforms, and people-centred leadership. This is a conversation full of hard-won wisdom, honesty, and genuine passion for a sector that — despite everything — remains a privilege to work in. Find out more and access resources for charity leaders at acevo.org.uk [https://acevo.org.uk]

Teaser: our new podcast!

Welcome to The Leader to Leader Podcast. This is a podcast about what leadership in the charity sector needs next, and the future we want to build together. What makes this series different is its format – just like thevery best leadership, every conversation passes on the baton. After each interview, the guest becomes the interviewer in the next episode. It’s an ongoing chain of insight, experience, and honesty between people who truly understand the weight and the privilege of leading. As a community of civil society leaders, we at ACEVO believe these conversations matter. Because when one leader learns from another, the whole sector moves forward. Join us for The Leader to Leader Podcast, and be part of the conversation shaping the future of leadership.